How do I text or call my bot?
Text or call your business number from your own mobile. Your bot answers you, and everyone else still reaches your team.
Text or call your business number from your own mobile. The bot knows your number, so it answers you instead of the phone system. Customers who call or text still reach your team, as always.
Also called: SMS the bot, phone the bot, voice assistant, texto, appeler le bot, assistant vocal, cellulaire
Step 1: Find the bot's number
Open Bots and your bot. The top of the page says "Text or call me at" and your business number. If it says "Get a business number in Phone, then text or call me.", get a number first in Phone system in the menu.
Click: Bots › your bot
Step 2: Check that your mobile is on the list
In the side panel, under Who can text and call me, find your name. If there's no number under it, click Add a phone, type your mobile number and click Save. The switch next to your name must be on: your texts and calls then reach the bot.
Click: Who can text and call me › Add a phone › Save
Step 3: Text or call
Text the number like you'd text a coworker: "What jobs do we have tomorrow?" or "Remind me Friday at 3 to call Bob." Or call it and talk. On a call, it says "One sec." while it looks something up, and you can talk over it.
It's the same conversation as on the Bots page, so a call picks up where a text left off.
Good to know
Texts are short. The bot answers texts in one to three short sentences, without links unless you ask.
A PIN for calls. Some carriers can't confirm who is calling. Set a 4-digit PIN for calls so the bot can still recognize you. See Who can text and call my bot?
Want your texts back in the team inbox? Text "inbox". Text "bot" to talk to it again.
Credits. The bot's answers use credits, and texts and calls cost the same as your app's own.
No business number yet? The Bots card says Chat only for now: you can still talk to the bot on its page.
If it doesn't work
"That doesn't look like a phone number." Check the number and type it again, with the area code.
"Someone else already has that number." Two people can't share a number. Use your own mobile.
My text went to the team inbox. Your number isn't on the list, or its switch is off ("Their texts go to the inbox"). Turn the switch on, or text "bot".
"Your Alori account is out of credits, so I can't answer right now." Add credits in Alori, then text again.
"Sorry, something went wrong on my side. Try again in a minute." Wait a minute, then text again.