Known Issue with sending Square Messages (11/29/22 - 12/14/22)

[Mtbresnan]

The title of this thread has been edited by a Square Moderator from the original: "Square Messages is currently experiencing issues sending text messages."

Is anyone also having problems with text messages failing to send. And receiving this message:

“Square Messages is currently experiencing issues sending text messages. Messages may not send as expected.”

[_Violet · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mtbresnan, @Zeuspmu, and @allisonlrhoades - Thank you all for posting here in the Seller Community. I'm sorry to hear that you are being impacted by the ongoing issue with Square Messages.

This particular issue has been taking a little longer because we are working alongside a third party in order to resolve it. Our engineers and our Square Messaging Product Team are aware of this issue and are currently investigating a solution with third-party mobile carriers. 

In the meantime, we will continue to update issquareup.com with the latest details. Sorry that we have not been posting updates as often on this one. We don't have new information at this time, but this issue is certainly prioritized by our engineers and they are still working on it. We thoroughly appreciate your patience and understanding until this is fully resolved.

I hope this information is helpful but please do let me know if you have any additional questions by replying to this thread. 

[JHarrison1047]

Any update when the text messages will work again? Its been over a month and it really is a hassel. I read an online forum that it was restored but we are still getting the notification saying "Text messages can be sent as a reply to your customer's message." Please help. 

[Virtueandvice]

My worry is that full functionality will not be restored. We really rely on text to notify customers of the specific requirements for their appointments. 

[JessPoynter]

Hi all. 
I keep seeing the messages about needed to get clients to "opt-in" to the text messages. Understood. 
However, when I get clients that opt in AND I have Text Marketing, I still can't send links through messages. 

As you know, we're all kinda frustrated, especially because it came completely out of the blue. 

I also understand that there are tons of things that go on behind the scenes that we aren't privy to. However, I think based on the massive amounts of NEGATIVE feedback showcasing the ramifications of this problem, it is imperative that custom confirmation and automated text messages be made available now. 

We've been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for a resolution or an update or [fill in the blank], but this is beyond ridiculous people. We sellers have been saying almost daily what we need but it seems like it's falling on deaf ears. Please. 

There needs to be a resolution other than "deal with it" or "do more work" -- in my opinion, there needs to be a deadline on the BLOCK end as to when we can expect this to be fixed. This has been going on for 3 months. Come on now.

[Trumanbarberco]

If you see my other comment in this (I know hard to find with the amount of messages), I was told point blank by my Square Rep that this feature is not coming back, due to federal regulations involving communication via text message.  While the point is fair, it has been a law for many years now and it seems more likely Square is hiding behind it after a breakdown in their systems.  An obviously easily solution would be to have clients opt in to receiving text messages upon booking their appointment.  I know I as a customer would want this limited ability for the business to communicate in the case of something involving my appointment only (not marketing).  Square is seemingly not taking this step and again, have no intent whatsoever of bringing back the ability to communicate with your customer via text messages unless the customer reaches out first.

[Tpowell]

That does actually make sense but if the customer has made a purchase just seems to me that they are excepting communication through text message because majority of the time that is how they are receiving their receipt unless that isn't the case anymore either?

Thanks for your response. 

[AllAboutMamalnk]

Ok so today I was sent an email from Square Title:

Share Valentine’s Day offers via text

Really?!?! OK! I will bite! So....I received my first Square POS in October and used the "free" way of texting to my customers soon after my store grand opening. And of course we all know what happened later that month (insert eye roll here) I tried to think backwards to fix the problem (see my comments before) and I failed. Well I never paid for the $10/month plus text costs ....so that is probably why I received that email today. I am new to this system so someone please correct me if I am wrong here...but are there multiple ways to text or message our customers? Sounds like there is an "Appointments" and also a "Loyalty texting campaign" option. If this is true then I am guessing they are set up completely different in how texts are sent out. I can see the appointments needed by salons and such alike. But someone like me who runs a boutique type business...I am just wanting to send out a text once or so a month with a coupon...so this would be the Loyalty texting campaign...or whatever it is called. Now.....from what I am gathering .....nobody can text their clients....no matter what way they are attempting to do so...soooo I did some digging...AND I am willing to do a test to see if what is EXACTLY typed in their descriptions REALLLY works! (I get 30 days to try it out for free....I would be flabbergasted if they had it working perfectly for !those free days and then not once I started paying! {insert eye roll here})
So ..I have a busy weekend ahead...I plan on setting up this text message marketing (free trial) and will report back. I see they say this as advertised to me just today:

Why do I need customers to opt in to Text Message Marketing instead of using the existing phone numbers in my Customer Directory?

In the US, a law called the TCPA(the same law that established the Do-Not-Call list) requires that you obtain prior, express consent from your customers to send marketing text messages. This consent was not obtained from your customers at the time you collected the phone numbers in your customer directory, so they aren’t automatically available with Text Message Marketing.

Loyalty Sellers may notice that it’s possible to text most of their loyalty enrollees about the loyalty program, but manual (blast) campaigns show a smaller number of opted-in customers. This is for the same reason; some Loyalty enrollees agreed to receive texts about the loyalty program, but not about general marketing for your business. 

Luckily, once you subscribe, new customers and existing customers in your directory and/or your loyalty program can easily opt in to Text Message Marketing, too. 

How do I get customers to opt in to Text Message Marketing?

Currently, your customers can opt in to Text Message Marketing via the Square Point of Sale, or by using the Text to Join functionality.

POS Checkout: A Text Message Marketing enrollment screen will appear during customer checkout, asking them to opt into your marketing program by providing their phone number, and also providing them with their first coupon. After doing this, they’ll receive their coupon and be opted-in to your Text Message Marketing program.

Loyalty subscribers will be able to collect Text Message Marketing opt-ins via the Loyalty enrollment screen, which we’ve updated to also include consent to receive Text Message Marketing.  

Text to Join: During Text Message Marketing onboarding, you will be issued a unique phone number to which your customers can text ‘JOIN’ to be added to your opt-in list wherever and whenever it’s convenient for them. After texting JOIN, they’ll receive a confirmation text that they need to respond YES to in order to complete the opt-in process. This number can be promoted anywhere: on your website, social media, email, or in-store. 

How do I use Text to Join?

When you sign up for Text Message Marketing, you will receive a unique phone number that you can share via social media, email or at your physical business. Customers can text JOIN to this number to agree to receive text messages from you.

When offering this number to your customers, the best practice would be to include the following information wherever you invite customers to sign-up:

*By signing up, you agree to receive periodic automated marketing texts from (your business name). Joining this program is not a condition of purchase. Standard messaging rates may apply. Text END to unsubscribe from texts from this business at any point, or HELP for more information.

Can I upload a list of phone numbers?

Currently, we do not support phone number list upload because we cannot verify that the customers who provided the phone numbers on an uploaded list gave explicit consent to receive marketing text messages. However, every phone number collected through the Square Text Message Marketing opt-in methods described above is deemed opted into the program.

I will report back next week or sooner with my results. If THIS DOES NOT WORK.....SQUARE!!! you need to fix what you are telling me I should be able to do!

Now, I understand most of us business owners do not want our customers to text us first....but If you look at big box stores...they do that ....sadly " Text 'JOIN' to 888888 to enter the Savings club!" Once they do that ....to whatever phone number I am assigned....I am hoping to be able to sent a text to my customers after that...and some individual texts. CUSTOMERS are not allowed to text us back...so there might be a problem if you want to have a conversation...but I feel most of us might be just wanting to send out reminders or coupons and if you send out something that needs a conversation maybe word it "call the store at (123)------ for more info" or something so you can have a conversation with them. I hope this all makes sense and I am curious to see what comes about me joining this text message marketing they have set up.

[Tpowell]

Yes you can use the Text Marketing Campaign, we have that set-up as well.  My customer like texting we have a regular basis of customers shopping and looking for specific items, much more personalized setting and sales.  We don't do out bound sales but if a customer contacts us first we liked the option of texting them as well as they appreciated it.  That is just where the world is going and I find it disappointing that a regular conversation can no longer happen.  I was hopping there could be like you say send out a 'JOIN' for my customer to accept a text message.  The feature did previously allow for customers to opt out.

[gbc8]

What did you find out? Did this work for you?

[AllAboutMamalnk]

SO sorry! I have been swamped as it is just me in the shop. So the marketing option is working for what I need it to. I am satisfied. I was assigned a phone number for my customers to text JOIN to so I can send them a text. HOWEVER so far the texting is sent to everyone at the same time...so if you are wanting to just text one customer like Sally about her hair appointment reminder, this "Marketing" is not going to work

it was so easy for my customers to sign up at the register and that is honestly how I am having them sign up as the text to them is less worded than if they texted JOIN to the number I ask them to. It also is way faster to have them sign up at the register on the screen after they make a purchase. This feature is defiantly for a business that wants to send out a coupon or just information on an upcoming event. I would say I did get feedback from my customers and they appreciated mostly that I wouldn't be texting them a lot throughout the month.

It has had a few customers come back into the store before they were probably planning so that was a win.
I feel if you are wanting to use the texting feature to message sally about her upcoming appointment you will need to go with an outside source to do the texting...or depending on your target customers you might get away with emails....but I feel most are moving towards texting. Good luck everyone!

[gbc8]

Thank you for taking the time to test this. Unfortunately, I am looking to just text one customer at a time about a particular item they were interested in, or wanted me to order for them.