Unable to Send Customers Messages via Dashboard

[DSander]

The title of this thread has been edited by a Square Moderator from the original: Why am I not able to send my customers a message on the Dashboard?

the dashboard app has continually improved.  but beside access to reporting the ability to get customer messages and reply was the next best feature and it was just pulled,  why? is it another feature destined for the “upgrade” charge?

[PerroneTech · Accepted solution]

You can reply to customers via the dashboard. It is an icon on the top right. If you click it, it takes you to the messaging app. You can reply to customers via the same method they sent you (email or text) however, you can switch over to a different type if you have that information on file.

"With Square Messages Free, you can communicate with customers and reply to messages via text or email. This facilitates responding to customer feedback or receiving replies to service messages, such as receipts, appointment updates, invoices, retail orders, Square Online order updates, and loyalty status updates. You can send and receive photos with Square Messages Free"

You cannot, however, initiate conversations. For that feature, you will need Messaging Plus.

"With Square Messages Plus, you can reach customers through personalized communications. You can initiate text or email conversations with customers from your dedicated business phone number and receive voicemails from customers. In addition to photos, you can send and receive file attachments to customers through email conversations."

Check out: Set up and manage Square Messages | Square Support Center - US if you would like to learn more.

I hope this answers your question. I'm not some bot or employee, so if you want to dive a bit deeper, let me know.

[PerroneTech · Accepted solution]

You can reply to customers via the dashboard. It is an icon on the top right. If you click it, it takes you to the messaging app. You can reply to customers via the same method they sent you (email or text) however, you can switch over to a different type if you have that information on file.

"With Square Messages Free, you can communicate with customers and reply to messages via text or email. This facilitates responding to customer feedback or receiving replies to service messages, such as receipts, appointment updates, invoices, retail orders, Square Online order updates, and loyalty status updates. You can send and receive photos with Square Messages Free"

You cannot, however, initiate conversations. For that feature, you will need Messaging Plus.

"With Square Messages Plus, you can reach customers through personalized communications. You can initiate text or email conversations with customers from your dedicated business phone number and receive voicemails from customers. In addition to photos, you can send and receive file attachments to customers through email conversations."

Check out: Set up and manage Square Messages | Square Support Center - US if you would like to learn more.

I hope this answers your question. I'm not some bot or employee, so if you want to dive a bit deeper, let me know.

[Summer2024]

Thanks for the great response here @PerroneTech !

@DSander please let us know if you have any further questions! 

[DSander]

thank you. when you say you can reply via the dashboard, are you referring to the website dashboard. yes, that is still there. In the dashboard app, the button is still there but once you click it it says i need to either go to the web page inbox or “open point of sale” when I open point of sale, there is a notifications button. You click on that and the next screen will say “customer messages” when you click on that it only takes you to a customer directory list. no messages. 

I do not see a square message app in the app store. 

I do pay for plus so i can send coupons and reply to receipt messages etc. I used to be able to do that from the phone, but now It’s back to web browser only. 

I did discover that you can still do it phone the phone by going to the browser on the phone and going to dashboard website, but it’s typically hit or miss with what works in that version. 

[PerroneTech · Accepted solution]

Ah yes. From the apps you need to use the POS app.

Once in the app, click the hamburger menu on bottom right, then messages. This will open your inbox on the POS app.

I do not know what happens if you open a message via notification in the app because I do not currently have a notification.

[DSander]

thank you. I am not sure why when you click on a message notification that it doesn’t take you to the message section. Good to know it’s still available. 

[ryanwanner]

Hello @DSander !

I wanted to tag into the response that @PerroneTech gave you here... Yes the Messaging component is still available on the web dashboard, but you are correct that the Messaging component of the Dashboard App was removed in the last product upgrade.

From what I can gather, it isn't due to a planned "feature upcharge" as you rightfully fear, but because of some back end changes on the messaging component that makes supporting it on the app difficult. Currently there isn't a plan in place for a messaging replacement, but my hope is that some version of messaging will be included in future upgrades.

I encourage you to join the Beta of the Dashboard App. We have the ear of the dev team over there, and it's been great seeing some of our ideas end up in the current app.