Communications Business Features

Communications

Communication is simply a record of Communication with a contact. It can be manually generated by a user, an API or a system generated via a Communication Plan or an event-based communication.

System-generated communications are multi-channel, currently supporting Email, SMS, and in-app push notifications.

Communication Plan

Communication Plan allows a user to define and send a personalised mass communication (such as offers announcements, process instructions).

Communications plan settings are :

• Language: Communication can be set up in multiple languages. The user can switch between available.

• Integrations: Specify the integration that will send the Communication (s) via the channels they represent (Email, SMS or In-App)

• Content: Here, the key user can create the message. In the case of email, a rich text editor is available with options to insert images and add embedded links. Images can also be included for in-app push notifications.

  • Tags: Are used to personalise the Communication. They are predefined and are replaced with actual values when a communication is sent (e.g., Dear #contact. name - Dear John Smith)

  • Communication Templates: key user will be able to name and save the Communication as a template and reuse it in future, similar purpose, Communication.

• Scheduler: by using this tool key user can easily define when the Communication Plan will be executed. Available options are :

  • just once - Set the one-off date/time

  • on a repeated basis - Define the repeating time interval (Daily/Weekly/Monthly).

• Recipients: the key user can add to the communications plan specific Target Segments. Contacts belonging to target segments will finally receive the Communication. Contact segments need to be defined prior to configuring and are mandatory to execute the communication plan.

Event-based Communications

CRM.COM platform supports the ability to define a message with optional tags for personalisation that is sent when an event takes place, such as an award, a spend or a payment.

Event-based communications are set up via Automations and can send an outbound communication to:

• Contacts via Email, SMS or In-App Notification or

• Users via Email or SMS

Communication Tags

• Communication Tags allow an organisation to create personalised communications for their customers quickly and easily.

• Back-end users select Communication tags from a predefined list to personalise the subject or the content of a communication template based on data kept on the related process like Contact, account, wallet, the referred business or a set of predefined functions (e.g. orders, product catalogue, subscriptions)

• The tags are replaced with the actual values when the Communication is generated. 

• Examples of tags :

  • #contact.name : contact first & last name

  • #contact.email : contact email

  • #account.balance: contact primary account balance

  • #wallet.balance: contact primary account wallet balance

Integrations

During the Communication Plan setup, the back-end user can select the integration for sending the Communication. Only one integration can be selected per communication configuration.

Available Integrations for Communications:

• Firebase: Used for sending in-app push notifications

• SMPP: SMS service provider required for text message communications

• SMTP: Email service provider for sending communications via email

• Alt-a-Vie: Text messaging communication channel

• Sendgrid: Email service provider for sending communications via email

• Twilio: Text messaging communication channel

• WhatsApp: Text messaging communication channel

Businesses also have the ability to implement their own custom Communications Integration using CRM.COM’s Integration Web APIs.

Communications Templates

The ability to save a communication as a template to be reused.

A template can be recalled via the Use existing template option. The available templates to select from are filtered based on your language and integration selections.

Communication Templates can also be defined directly through Contacts & CRM Settings.

A Communication Template can also be used to send an email communication or print the template’s content from the Contact screen.

Navigate to Contacts > My Contacts > select a Contact > Activity Feed > select an invoice.

1. Email to Contact - Email the invoice to the Contact’s current email address

2. Print - View a print preview of the invoice, save it as a pdf file, or print a copy

For both options, you will be prompted to select the template to display the content.

Relevant processes

Send event-based communications when a contact does a wallet spent; or places an order.