What is Two-Way SMS?
Standard bulk SMS is one-way — you send, the customer reads. Two-Way SMS adds a reply channel, enabling customers to respond directly to your messages and triggering automated workflows based on their reply.
In standard one-way bulk SMS, messages are sent from a DLT-registered Sender ID — but that Sender ID cannot receive replies. If a customer wants to respond, they have no channel to do so within the SMS conversation. Two-Way SMS solves this by assigning your business a dedicated virtual mobile number (a long number) or a shared short code that can both send and receive SMS. Your customers reply to that number, and every reply lands in your Fivo SMS inbox — accessible via the web panel or delivered to your application via real-time webhook.
Beyond simple reply collection, Two-Way SMS supports keyword-based auto-responses — configure rules so that a customer replying YES to an appointment reminder triggers an automatic confirmation SMS, a reply of STOP immediately adds the number to your opt-out list, a reply of INFO triggers a product information SMS, or a reply of AGENT creates a support ticket in your CRM. The entire flow is automated — no human needs to monitor the inbox for standard keyword responses.
Two-Way SMS is particularly powerful for building compliant opted-in databases. A customer texting a keyword to your number constitutes explicit opt-in — the clearest, most auditable form of consent for future Promotional SMS under TRAI regulations. Every opt-in is timestamped and stored automatically.
📱 Two-Way SMS conversation example
Entire flow automated — zero manual intervention
A customer texting your keyword to your number is explicit, timestamped, auditable consent — the strongest form of Promotional SMS opt-in under TRAI TCCCPR 2018. Every keyword opt-in is automatically stored with date, time, and originating number.
Two-Way SMS Use Cases
Appointment Confirmation & Rescheduling
Send appointment reminders with a YES/NO reply option. A YES triggers an automatic confirmation SMS. A NO reply launches a rescheduling flow — a follow-up SMS offering alternate slots or a callback request. Reduces no-shows by 30–40% by making confirmation effortless for the patient or customer. Used by hospitals, clinics, salons, coaching institutes, and service businesses.
- Reply YES to confirm, NO to reschedule
- Auto-confirmation SMS on YES reply
- Auto-rescheduling prompt on NO reply
- HELP keyword triggers directions or contact
Customer Surveys & Feedback
Send post-service, post-delivery, or post-visit surveys with numbered reply options — "Rate your experience: Reply 1 (Excellent), 2 (Good), 3 (Average), 4 (Poor)". Replies are captured, categorised, and stored automatically. NPS surveys, CSAT scores, product feedback, and service quality ratings — all collected via SMS reply without requiring customers to visit a web form or download an app.
- Post-delivery satisfaction survey
- NPS: Reply 1–10 to rate likelihood to recommend
- Post-appointment patient feedback
- Product quality rating after purchase
Opt-In & Opt-Out Management
Build a TRAI-compliant opted-in database by advertising a keyword — "Text JOIN to 9XXXXXXXXX to receive exclusive offers from BrandName". Every keyword reply is an explicit, timestamped opt-in stored automatically. A reply of STOP at any time immediately removes the number from your promotional send list. This keyword opt-in is the most auditable, TRAI-compliant form of Promotional SMS consent.
- JOIN / SUBSCRIBE keyword for opt-in
- STOP / UNSUBSCRIBE for instant opt-out
- Automatic opt-in database building
- Timestamped consent records per number
Contests, Polls & Voting
Run SMS contests and audience polls — "Reply VOTE A or VOTE B", "Text WIN to enter our Diwali lucky draw", "Reply with your favourite product name to win". All entries are captured with timestamp, and duplicate detection prevents one number from voting multiple times. Results are visible in real time on the dashboard. Media companies, retailers, event organisers, and TV channels use SMS voting for audience participation campaigns.
- Product vote / poll — Reply A or B
- Lucky draw entry — text keyword to number
- Talent show / reality TV audience voting
- Best-of awards — customer choice voting
Lead Capture & Enquiry
Advertise your virtual number on hoardings, print ads, TV, radio, and social — "Text INFO to 9XXXXXXXXX for a free consultation". Every text-in is an inbound lead with a verified mobile number. Auto-response sends back product information, brochure link, or callback request. The lead is simultaneously pushed to your CRM via webhook. Used by real estate developers, education institutes, auto dealers, and insurance companies.
- TEXT INFO for product information
- TEXT PRICE for pricing details
- TEXT DEMO for a callback request
- Leads auto-pushed to CRM via webhook
Customer Support Ticketing
Customers reply to service SMS or text your support number with queries. Keyword-based routing assigns inbound messages to the right department — a reply containing ORDER is routed to order support, PAYMENT to accounts, COMPLAINT creates a priority ticket. Non-keyword replies are forwarded to a human agent via the Fivo SMS inbox or your CRM. Provides customers with an SMS support channel that works on all phones without an app or internet connection.
- ORDER keyword → order support queue
- PAYMENT keyword → accounts team
- COMPLAINT keyword → escalation ticket
- Free-text replies → human agent inbox
Keyword Auto-Responses — How It Works
Configure keyword rules once — when a customer replies with a matching keyword, the system fires the configured auto-response instantly, with zero human involvement.
| Customer Replies | Trigger Action | Auto-Response SMS | Common Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| YES | Confirm appointment / order / booking | "Your appointment on {date} at {time} is confirmed. See you there!" | Healthcare, salons, service businesses |
| NO | Cancel / reschedule flow | "We've noted your cancellation. Call {phone} to reschedule or text BOOK." | Appointment reminders, order confirmations |
| STOP | Immediate opt-out from promotional list | "You've been unsubscribed from {brand} promotions. Text JOIN to re-subscribe." | TRAI-compliant opt-out management |
| JOIN | Add to opted-in promotional database | "Welcome! You'll now receive exclusive offers from {brand}. Text STOP to unsubscribe." | Database building, loyalty programme enrolment |
| INFO | Send product / service information | "Thank you for your interest! Download our brochure: {url}. Our team will call you within 2 hours." | Real estate, education, auto dealers |
| HELP | Send directions, contact, or FAQ | "Address: {address}. Directions: {maps_url}. For assistance call {phone}." | Wayfinding, support contact details |
| 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 | Record survey response | "Thank you for your feedback! Your rating has been recorded." | Customer satisfaction, NPS, post-service survey |
| Any free text | Forward to human agent inbox / CRM | (Optional auto-ack) "Thanks for reaching out! An agent will respond within {time}." | Customer support, complaint handling |
How to Set Up Two-Way SMS with Fivo SMS
Get Your Dedicated Virtual Number
Contact Fivo SMS to provision a dedicated virtual mobile number for your business. This is a real Indian mobile number assigned exclusively to your account — customers can text this number and you receive all replies in your Fivo SMS inbox. Virtual numbers are available on major Indian networks. For high-volume inbound campaigns, a shared or dedicated short code (5- or 6-digit number) may be more appropriate — contact Fivo SMS to discuss which fits your use case.
Configure Your Keyword Rules
In your Fivo SMS account, create keyword rules for each automated response you need. For each keyword (YES, NO, STOP, JOIN, INFO, HELP, or any custom word), define: the auto-response SMS text, the action to take (add to opt-in list, remove from send list, create CRM entry, forward to agent), and the webhook URL to push the reply to your application. Rules can be as simple or as complex as your workflow requires.
Integrate the Reply Webhook
Register a webhook URL in your Fivo SMS account. Every inbound reply — whether a keyword match or free-text message — is pushed to your webhook URL as an HTTP POST in real time, containing the sender's mobile number, reply text, timestamp, and campaign reference. Your application processes the reply and takes the appropriate action — creating a CRM lead, updating a booking status, logging a support ticket, or storing a survey response — without any manual intervention.
Send Your Campaign with Reply Instructions
Include your virtual number and the relevant keyword in your outbound SMS message — "Reply YES to confirm, NO to reschedule" or "Text INFO to 9XXXXXXXXX for a free quote". Your customers can now reply directly to the campaign using the standard SMS reply function on any phone — no app, no internet, no special setup required on their end. Replies flow into your inbox and webhooks in real time.
Monitor Replies & Manage Inbox
View all inbound replies in your Fivo SMS inbox — sortable by campaign, keyword, date, and sender number. Download reply data as CSV for import into your CRM or analytics tools. For conversations that require a human response, reply directly from the Fivo SMS inbox or forward to your support team. Keyword-matched auto-responses are handled entirely without human intervention. Reply data is retained for 90 days.
Two-Way SMS Platform Features
📱 Dedicated Virtual Number
Your own Indian mobile number for two-way SMS — not shared with other businesses. All replies to your campaigns land exclusively in your inbox. Customers can save the number and initiate conversations at any time, not just in response to a campaign. The number is yours for the duration of your subscription and can be advertised in print, outdoor, digital, and broadcast media.
▶️ Unlimited Keyword Rules
Create as many keyword rules as your workflows require — YES, NO, STOP, JOIN, INFO, DEMO, PRICE, ORDER, COMPLAINT, numbered responses (1, 2, 3), or any custom word. Each keyword can trigger a different auto-response SMS, a different CRM action, and a different webhook endpoint. Case-insensitive matching — customers can reply "yes", "YES", or "Yes" and the same rule fires.
📊 Real-Time Webhooks
Every inbound reply is pushed to your configured webhook URL in under 2 seconds, containing sender number, reply text, timestamp, and campaign ID. Build automated workflows entirely in your own application — update CRM records, trigger follow-up messages, log support tickets, or send push notifications — without polling the Fivo SMS inbox. Full webhook documentation available in the API docs.
📋 TRAI-Compliant Opt-Out Handling
STOP keyword replies are processed instantly and automatically — the number is removed from your promotional send list and added to your opt-out database. Subsequent promotional campaigns automatically exclude opt-out numbers, keeping you TRAI-compliant with no manual list management. Opt-out records include timestamp and originating campaign reference for full audit trail.
💻 Free REST API
Send two-way SMS programmatically via the Fivo SMS REST API — specifying your virtual number as the reply-to number in the API request. Inbound replies are delivered to your webhook in real time. Build fully automated conversational SMS workflows entirely within your own application — appointment systems, lead capture forms, survey engines, or support chatbots — all powered by the Fivo SMS two-way API.
📊 Inbox & Reply Management
The Fivo SMS web inbox shows all inbound messages across all campaigns — filter by campaign, keyword, date range, or sender number. Reply directly from the inbox to individual customers for non-automated conversations. Export all reply data as CSV. For support workflows, forward conversations to specific team members. Session replies (within a defined window after an outbound message) are contextually linked to the originating campaign for easy tracking.
FAQs — Two-Way SMS India
Set Up Two-Way SMS for Your Business
📞 Contact Fivo SMS
Sector 63, Noida, UP — 201301
When enquiring, please mention:
- Primary use case (appointments / surveys / opt-in / support)
- Expected monthly inbound reply volume
- Whether you need a virtual number or short code
- CRM or platform to integrate replies with
Add Two-Way SMS to Your Communication Stack
Dedicated virtual number, keyword auto-responses, real-time webhooks, TRAI-compliant opt-out handling, and free API — turn your bulk SMS from a broadcast into a conversation.
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