Introduction
Octopods has an Intercom Inbox app (that little box on the right sidebar) that exposes useful information about users and conversations that are coming from an Octopods channel (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Twilio SMS, etc.)
In addition to that, we've added the ability for users to send one-to-one proactive messages from within the Intercom Inbox, which makes initiating a conversation even easier.
What does proactive messaging mean?
Proactive messaging is a way to send a single, direct SMS or WhatsApp message from within the Intercom Inbox to any of your users who have a phone number, even if they have not previously contacted you.
Some examples of proactive messages are notifications, reminders, and reservation confirmations.
How does it work?
Our proactive messaging feature is used entirely within the Intercom Inbox. After installing our inbox app (click here to see how), you'll be able to send proactive messages from the Intercom Inbox.
For this to work, you need to connect at least one of our SMS channels, or the WhatsApp channel. You can then select any of these channels to send a direct message to a user or lead that has a phone number.
Here's how it looks like:
How do I activate this feature?
You need to subscribe to either our Omnichannel or WhatsApp plan
You can then subscribe to our Proactive Messaging add-on (Note: If you're subscribed to WhatsApp Business API, Proactive Messaging is now included for free!)
You need to connect at least one of our supported SMS channels, or one WhatsApp channel
After doing that, you will see the feature enabled in your Intercom Inbox for users who have a phone number.
Will a new conversation be created in Intercom when I send a proactive message?
No, proactive messaging will not create a new conversation in Intercom by default unless:
Your user responds to the message.
You clicked on the "Send message & Open Intercom Conversation" button.
Can I view my previously sent proactive messages?
Yes, you can. In our Inbox app, there is an option to View sent messages, which will display the last 3 sent messages.
Here is how it looks like:
Click on each message will display additional details:
Can I send a WhatsApp message to any of my contacts?
Yes, you can. As long as your lead or user has a valid phone number, and they have WhatsApp registered using that phone number, you can send them a WhatsApp Message Template. Click here to learn more.
Can I send proactive messages directly from a user profile?
Yes, but you'll need to install our Chrome extension. To learn more: Chrome Extension.