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Integrated SMS / Text-a-Librarian Functionality (Optional Add-On)
Forget about having to get a library-owned smartphone! Patrons text to your locally assigned number and you can text back, right from your LibAnswers system. Plus, enjoy additional cool features like SMS Keywords and Auto-Responses.
If You Can Type, You Can Text
Add SMS / Texting To Your LibAnswers
Patrons text your dedicated local 10-digit SMS number.
- Incoming patron texts are routed into LibAnswers for answering.
- Patron Identifiable Information is protected - you will NOT see their SMS phone number.
- No hardware or smartphone needed.
- You reply to a patron text message like you would any other type of LibAnswers question.
- Flag SMS-tickets with pending / open / closed ticket types.
- Collect reference analytics qualitative data your SMS / Texting exchange.
- LibAnswers automatically collects daily / hourly / monthly statistics as well as turnaround time.
Additional Texting Features
- Automated Keywords - Set up keywords like 'Hours' so when patrons text that keyword to your SMS number, they receive an automated response back.
- Autoresponders When Closed - Set your opening/closing hours and if patrons text you outside of your building hours, they'll receive a customizable automated message back. Their initial message stays in your ticketing queue for answering the following day.
- Transfer SMS / Texts - Transfer patron SMS / Texts to other departments or colleagues, just like LibChats.
- Add Multiple SMS / Text Numbers - Each LibAnswers ticketing queue can have its own SMS / Texting number so different departments, branches, or buildings can have their own dedicated SMS number.
- Answer SMS from LibChat Dashboard - Answer texts from the LibAnswers dashboard OR if you're on chat duty - from the LibChat operator screen.
Robust SMS / Texting Statistics
View the overarching stats of your SMS / Text-a-Librarian service broken down by:
- Total Messages Sent / Received - View the total sent and received messages over time, including a break down by a specific patron's SMS number.
- Monthly Breakdown - Filter by user, time period, or type of message (incoming or outgoing).
- Daily Distribution - Across days of the week broken down by incoming and outgoing.
- Hourly Distribution - Broken down by incoming and outgoing.
- Daily / Hourly Distribution - By day of week and hour of day.
