Texting, fax and meetings
How does business texting work on my business number?
Business texting turns your existing local or toll-free business number into a number customers can text. Messages arrive in the 3CTel desktop and mobile apps, where staff can read and reply from the business number rather than a personal cell. Every conversation is kept in one thread per contact, so anyone on the team can see what was said. Your number must be registered for business messaging before texting is switched on.
What texting on a business number looks like
Customers text the same number they already call. Your team sees the message in the app, replies from the same number, and the reply shows your business number on the customer's phone. The customer never sees a personal cell number and the conversation does not disappear when an employee leaves.
Texting works on both local and toll-free numbers. If you have several numbers, each has its own inbox, which is useful when one number is for sales and another for service.
- Send and receive from the desktop app or the mobile app.
- One conversation thread per customer number, visible to everyone with access.
- Attach images and PDFs where the receiving carrier supports them.
- Notifications for new messages so texts are not missed between calls.
Common uses
Most businesses start with the same handful of use cases: appointment reminders and confirmations, quick answers to questions that do not need a call, sending a quote or address, and letting customers reply "running late". Trades and clinics often find that a text gets answered when a call goes to voicemail.
- Appointment confirmations and reminders.
- Sending directions, parking instructions or a link to a form.
- Following up a missed call with a text so the caller can reply when convenient.
- Short customer-service replies that would otherwise be a phone call.
What to know before you start
Canadian carriers require that numbers used for business messaging be registered, so texting is not switched on the day you sign up. Your 3CTel specialist collects the business details, submits the registration and enables texting once approved. See the registration article for what is needed and how long it takes.
Group texts to many customers at once are treated differently from person-to-person messages and may need a separate discussion during planning. Messaging that customers have not asked for is generally filtered by carriers and can get a number blocked, so keep texting to people who expect to hear from you.
Texting is included in the plan when it is part of your design. A 3CTel specialist can confirm whether your number is eligible and add texting to an existing account.
Related questions.
Can I text from my existing number after porting it to 3CTel?
Yes. Once your number has ported and business messaging registration is approved, the same number can send and receive texts. Any texting you had with the previous provider stops at the port, so mention it during planning if you rely on it.
Do customers need an app to text me?
No. Customers use the ordinary messaging app on their phone. Only your staff use the 3CTel app, and only so they can reply from the business number instead of a personal cell.
Can I text from a toll-free number?
Yes. Toll-free numbers can be enabled for texting and are registered through a separate toll-free verification process. Your specialist handles the paperwork; the experience for your team and customers is the same.
Last updated:
Not a 3CTel customer yet? See your recommended setup in four short steps.
Build My Phone System