SMS consent

AlwaysRespond is an AI phone receptionist used by small service businesses. Text messages about a business's appointments are sent in that business's name, from that business's own registered texting number, and every text names the business it is from. AlwaysRespond's own number, +1 (833) 761-2328, texts only the people who signed up for AlwaysRespond and their staff, about their own accounts and their calls. It never texts a business's customers.

If you call a business

When you book an appointment by phone, the receptionist reads your phone number back to you, digit by digit, and asks whether it is okay to text or call you there about the appointment. Your answer is recorded. If you say yes, the texts that can follow are about that appointment: the booking confirmation, a reminder the day before, a notice if it is moved or cancelled, a payment link or receipt, and after the job, a request to rate it from 1 to 5. If you say no, the business does not text you about your appointments until you text it yourself.

Calling a business is not agreement to be texted by it. If your call ends without a booking, the business texts you only if you had already agreed to texts from it, for example by saying yes on an earlier booking. In that case it may send one text saying it missed you, and, if it has follow-ups switched on and texts from its own number, up to three follow-up texts, which stop as soon as you reply, book or text STOP. Without that earlier yes, no text is sent.

If you book online

A business's online booking page has two boxes next to the phone field, both unticked. Tick the first to get texts about your appointment, such as a booking confirmation, a reminder and any changes: the same appointment texts described above. Leave it unticked and none of them is texted. The second box is for offers, seasonal reminders and review requests from that business (see Promotional texts below). You can book without ticking either.

If you text a business

If you text a business's own texting number first, it replies to you there. Texting a business also lets it answer you by text if you had said no to appointment texts.

If you sign up for AlwaysRespond

The mobile number field on the signup form is optional. If you fill it in, AlwaysRespond texts you about your account: verification codes, setup help, reminders to finish signing up and, once your receptionist is live, alerts and a daily recap about your calls. The form says this next to the field. A second box, unticked and optional, asks whether AlwaysRespond may also text you setup help and offers. Signing up does not depend on it, and it is recorded with the exact wording you saw and when you ticked it.

Setup help and offers from AlwaysRespond

If you tick that second box, AlwaysRespond may text your mobile number with help finishing your setup and with offers, using automated technology. The box is optional: you can sign up and buy without ticking it, and leaving it unticked changes nothing about your account texts. How often we text varies, and message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any of these texts to stop them, or HELP for help. None of these texts are sent yet. They start only once the carriers approve the registration of AlwaysRespond's texting number, and only to people who ticked the box.

Promotional texts

A business sends promotional texts, such as offers, seasonal reminders or requests to review it, only to customers who separately agreed to receive them, for example by ticking the offers box on its booking page, and only from its own registered texting number, never from the shared number. Booking an appointment, saying yes to appointment texts, calling or texting a business is not agreement to promotional texts.

Stopping texts and getting help

Reply STOP (or STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END or QUIT) to the number that texted you, and you get one confirmation and no more texts from it.
Reply START (or UNSTOP or SUBSCRIBE) to the same number to opt back in
Reply HELP for help. AlwaysRespond's number replies with AlwaysRespond's support address; a business's own number replies with that business's contact details.
Message frequency varies with your appointments and account
Message and data rates may apply
Consent is not a condition of purchase
Your mobile number and consent are not shared with or sold to anyone for their marketing