Connect WhatsApp and SMS

Your bot can answer on WhatsApp and by SMS from the same knowledge base and AI key as your website chat. It runs through your own Twilio account, so Twilio bills you directly for messages and Techvea adds nothing on top. WhatsApp and SMS are included from the Growth plan.

Beta

WhatsApp, SMS and voice are built and pass our automated tests against a simulated Twilio, but we have not yet run them with a live Twilio number. They work in principle; if something misbehaves for you, tell us and we will fix it.

What you need before you start

A free Twilio account (you verify your own phone number once when you sign up) and, for a real WhatsApp number, a WhatsApp Business sender approved through Twilio. To try it first, Twilio's WhatsApp sandbox needs no approval.

Step 1. Get your Twilio details

  1. Sign up at twilio.com/try-twilio and open the Console.
  2. On the Console home page copy your Account SID (starts with AC) and Auth token.
  3. For SMS: buy or use a Twilio phone number that can send SMS, written like +15551234567.
  4. For WhatsApp testing: in the Console go to Messaging, Try it out, Send a WhatsApp message. Note the sandbox number (for example whatsapp:+14155238886) and, from your phone's WhatsApp, send the join code Twilio shows to that number.

Keep the Auth token private

It controls your Twilio account. Paste it only into your Techvea dashboard.

Step 2. Connect it in Techvea

  1. In your dashboard open your bot, then the Channels tab and the WhatsApp & SMS (Twilio) card.
  2. Paste the Account SID and Auth token, and enter your number (+15551234567 for SMS, or whatsapp:+14155238886 for WhatsApp) and press Connect.
  3. The card now shows an address. Copy it.

Step 3. Tell Twilio where to send messages

  1. In the Twilio Console open your phone number (or, for the sandbox, the sandbox settings).
  2. Set When a message comes in to the address from Techvea, with method POST, and save.

Step 4. Try it

Send a message to your number from your phone. The bot answers on the same channel, the chat appears in your dashboard conversations, and a hand-off becomes a ticket whose reply goes back to the customer on WhatsApp or SMS.

Phone calls (optional)

On plans that include voice, the Channels card also shows a second address. Put it in Twilio under A call comes in and callers can speak to the bot. Twilio bills you for the minutes.

Good to know

  • Twilio trial accounts can only message numbers you have verified in Twilio, and trial messages carry a Twilio prefix. Upgrade the Twilio account to remove both limits.
  • For real customers on WhatsApp you need your own approved WhatsApp sender; the sandbox is for testing.
  • We check Twilio's signature on every incoming message, so only Twilio can post to your address.

Switch to the support bot that costs less and does more

Bigger names charge more for the same thing and mark up every AI reply. Techvea runs on your own AI key, so you pay your AI provider's price and nothing on top.

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