Customers want to text, not call
Over 60% of customers prefer texting a business over calling. If you don't support SMS, they switch to a competitor that does.
Support Your Customers Where They Already Text.
Inbound and outbound SMS, WhatsApp Business, and two-way messaging — all handled by AI first and routed to your agents when escalation is needed. One inbox. Every channel.
98%SMS open rate (vs 20% email)
90sAverage customer reply time on SMS
3xHigher CSAT vs. email-only support
$0Extra cost per AI-resolved SMS
Common Challenges
SMS without AI is just another inbox
Most platforms give you an SMS inbox with no automation. Agents manually handle every message. Volumes spike. Response times collapse.
WhatsApp Business is expensive to integrate
Meta's direct API requires business verification, per-conversation fees, and significant engineering time. We handle all of that for you.
Features
AI-first SMS triage
Every inbound SMS hits the AI first. Common questions — order status, hours, policies — are resolved instantly without agent involvement. AI response time: under 2 seconds.
WhatsApp Business API
Receive and send WhatsApp messages through the same inbox as SMS and chat. Customer threads are unified so agents always have full context regardless of channel.
Outbound campaigns with reply detection
Send transactional alerts, appointment reminders, or broadcast campaigns. Incoming replies are automatically routed back into the conversation thread — no lost context.
Platform-managed numbers
Provision local, toll-free, or short code numbers directly from the AItocha dashboard. Numbers are assigned to your org, webhooks are pre-configured, and billing is automatic.
Seamless escalation to human agents
When the AI flags a complex issue or the customer requests a human, the thread moves to your agent queue with full message history. No switching apps.
Opt-out compliance built in
STOP/HELP keywords are automatically handled per TCPA requirements. Consent records are stored per contact. You never accidentally message an opted-out customer.
How We Compare
| AI resolves SMS without agent | Yes |
|
| SMS + WhatsApp + Chat unified inbox | Yes |
|
| Platform-managed number provisioning | Yes |
|
| TCPA opt-out compliance automatic | Yes |
|
| Flat pricing, no per-resolution fee | Yes |
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate Twilio account for SMS?
No. AItocha manages the carrier infrastructure. Provision numbers from the Phone Numbers dashboard. Numbers are pre-configured for SMS and appear in Channel Settings immediately.
How does TCPA opt-out compliance work?
STOP keywords are automatically handled — any customer who replies STOP is immediately opted out and added to the suppression list for that number. They will not receive further messages. The opt-out list is viewable in Settings → Suppression.
Does the AI auto-reply to inbound SMS?
Yes. Inbound SMS is handled by the AI first. Common questions are resolved automatically. When the AI cannot resolve or confidence falls below threshold, the conversation routes to your agent queue.
Can customers text a short code?
Long codes (local numbers) and toll-free numbers are available from the Phone Numbers page. Short code provisioning is available on Enterprise plans — contact support to apply for a dedicated short code.
Can I send outbound SMS to my contact list?
Only to contacts who have opted in. Marketing SMS requires explicit consent. Transactional or service SMS (appointment reminders, order status) follows different consent rules — check your jurisdiction requirements.
Is there a monthly SMS send limit?
There's no platform cap from AItocha. Carrier throughput limits apply per number type (local numbers have lower throughput than toll-free or short codes). For high-volume campaigns, use a toll-free number or short code.
Add SMS & WhatsApp to Your Support Stack
Connect a phone number, enable SMS in Channel Settings, and your AI is handling texts in minutes. Works with any AItocha plan.
Start Free Trial Blog