AloAi Text Agents are AI-driven virtual assistants designed to handle customer interactions through SMS. They can send messages, respond to incoming text replies, deliver reminders, and update customers through SMS.
Unlike Voice Agents, Text Agents are designed around asynchronous SMS conversations. Their configuration focuses on the agent's messaging behavior, instructions, knowledge, automation functions, follow-ups, and text testing.
Getting started with AloAi Text Agents
Admins can create and configure AloAi Text Agents from the AloAi Agents menu.
To create a Text Agent:
Log in to your Aloware admin account.
Navigate to the AloAi Agents menu, where you’ll manage existing agents or create new ones.
Click the +New Agent button to start configuring a new bot.
Select Text Agent.
Specify whether the agent handles inbound or outbound tasks.
Configure the agent based on the SMS workflow you want to automate.
You can also view AloAi Agents from the Users menu to see agent assignments and related user settings.
Configuring your AloAi Text Agent
After creating the agent, configure its communication settings, AI model, engagement settings, instructions, tools, knowledge, actions, and availability.
Name and describe your agent
Give the Text Agent a clear name and description on what it is intended to handle. A specific name makes the agent easier to identify when multiple agents are configured.
For example, a customer support agent can be named Support bot.
Configure communication settings
Communication settings determine how the Text Agent communicates with contacts. Some settings are shared by all Text Agents, while others depend on whether the agent handles inbound or outbound conversations.
Agent type - identifies the type of agent. For Text Agents, this is preselected based on your initial configuration.
Direction - determines how the agent communicates with contacts:
Inbound - the agent responds to incoming messges.
Outbound - the agent starts conversations with contacts.
This setting is preselected based on your initial configuration.
Inbound lines (optional) -select the lines that route incoming text messages to the Text Agent. You can also assign or change inbound lines later from the Line settings.
Outbound line - Available for outbound Text Agents. Select the line the agent should use when sending messages. Depending on your configuration, you can use the last line used by the agent or the agent's default outbound line.
Allow international engagement - For outbound Text Agents, enable this option if the agent should be allowed to contact international phone numbers.
Assign an inbound line during agent setup
When creating an inbound Text Agent:
Select Inbound as the direction.
In the Configuration tab, complete the required settings.
In the Inbound line field, select the phone line the Text Agent should handle.
If the selected line is already assigned to another agent, Aloware asks you to confirm the reassignment.
Assign a line to an outbound Text Agent
When creating an outbound Text Agent:
Select Outbound as the direction.
In the Configuration tab, complete the required settings.
In the Outbound line field, select the line the agent should use for outbound messages.
If available, choose whether the agent should use the last line used by the agent or the default outbound line.
Enable Allow international engagement if the agent should contact international phone numbers.
RCS messaging in AloAi Text Agents
AloAi Text Agents can send and receive RCS messages when assigned to a Line with RCS enabled.
When RCS is enabled on the assigned line:
The Text Agent sends messages as RCS when the recipient can receive RCS.
If RCS delivery is not available for the recipient, the message falls back to SMS.
If the assigned Line does not have RCS enabled, the Text Agent sends standard SMS.
Incoming RCS replies are handled by the Text Agent as part of the conversation, including replies with supported media.
The conversation log identifies whether a message was sent as RCS, SMS, or MMS.
Configure RCS for a Text Agent
RCS is configured at the Line level. To use RCS with a Text Agent:
Assign RCS to the Line.
Assign the Line to the AloAi Text Agent.
For instructions on enabling and managing RCS Lines, see Managing RCS Lines.
Select the AI model
After choosing the agent type, select the AI model and tier the agent will use.
The available providers and models are shown in the agent configuration. The model selection lets you choose between faster responses and models intended for more in-depth conversations.
Text Model: OpenAI
GPT-4o
GPT-4o Mini
GPT-4.1
GPT-4.1 Mini
GPT-4.1 Nano
GPT-5
GPT-5 Mini
GPT-5 Nano
GPT-5.1
GPT-5.2
GPT-5.4
GPT-5.4 Mini
GPT-5.4 Nano
Configure engagement
You can also define an engagement expiration window (text), which determines how long an agent stays assigned to a contact (e.g., 7 days), helping manage timing for follow-ups and prevent lingering assignments.
For example, set it to 7 days to ensure timely interactions and avoid unresolved conversations.
Configure your Text Agent's instructions
The Instructions tab is where you define how your Text Agent communicates and what information it can use when interacting with customers. You can configure its opening message, choose a starting template, and define how it should respond in different situations.
Greeting messages
The greeting is the agent's opening message to the customer. You can include variables, such as the customer's first name, to personalize the message.
Writing instructions
Instructions define how the Text Agent behaves during SMS conversations. They guide the agent's tone, how it interprets customer messages, and how it responds to different situations.
You can start with an instruction template and customize it based on the SMS workflow the agent is expected to handle.
Available templates include:
Custom support agent - Handles customer inquiries and resolves issues.
Sales representative - Focuses on product information and conversions.
Appointment scheduler - Handles appointment scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellations.
Lead qualification agent - Qualifies leads based on specific criteria.
Information gathering agent - Collects specific information from contacts in a structured way.
Custom template - Create your own instructions for the agent's specific requirements.
For guidance on writing effective custom instructions and defining your text agent's behavior, see Writing better AloAi Text Agent instructions.
Response limits
Each AloAi Agent response supports up to 1,450 characters per message to keep replies concise for SMS readability.
When writing instructions, consider this limit when defining how the agent should structure its responses.
Up to 50,000 characters - Normal
50,000 to 80,000 characters - Warning
Above 80,000 characters - Red alert and saving is disabled
Knowledge Base
The Knowledge Base provides information that the Text Agent can reference when responding to customer messages. You can create a new Knowledge Base or reuse an existing one.
To create a new Knowledge Base:
Click Add files.
Upload the files.
The knowledge base supports the following file formats:
PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, CSV, XLSX, XLS, HTML, MD, PPTX, PPT, RTF, XML, and JSON.
You can upload up to 10,000 files, with a maximum size of 50 MB per file.
File validation and processing
Aloware validates files when they are uploaded. If a file type is not supported or the file exceeds the size limit, an error message indicates the issue.
If a file fails to upload or process, you can retry by uploading it again or manually triggering the processing.
After a file is successfully uploaded and processed, its content becomes available to the Text Agent as a source of information when responding to contacts.
Understanding context across conversations
AloAi Agents use contact-level context to maintain information across conversations. The context is associated with the contact, rather than with a specific conversation session or agent.
This allows an AloAi Agent to reference information from previous interactions when the contact continues a conversation with another agent or through another channel.
Information available to the agent:
Depending on the available contact data and enabled integrations, the agent can access:
Contact information - name, email, phone number, address, and other available contact details.
Communication history - previous calls, messages, insights, and interactions.
Appointment information - available appointment details.
HubSpot deal information - deal information associated with the contact.
Guesty reservation information - reservation details when the required Guesty integration and settings are enabled.
Context is shared across Voice and Text Agents. For example, if a contact interacts with a Voice Agent and later continues the conversation with a Text Agent, the Text Agent can use the relevant contact context without requiring the contact to provide the same information again.
HubSpot deal information
When the required HubSpot information is available, the agent can retrieve real-time deal information from the contact's associated HubSpot record. This can include the deal stage, amount, and close date.
For more information, see Understanding HubSpot deal information in AloAi Agent's context.
Guesty reservation information
When the Guesty integration is enabled and the agent has access to the required settings, the agent can retrieve reservation information directly from Guesty.
Available reservation information can include:
Lockbox code
WiFi password
Property or unit name
Check-in date
Check-out date
The agent handles reservation information based on the status and availability of the reservation:
If a reservation cannot be found, the agent asks the guest to verify their reservation details before continuing.
If the guest has not yet checked in, the agent can confirm the reservation but does not share sensitive information, such as lockbox or access codes, until the stay becomes active.
If required reservation information is missing in Guesty, the agent informs the guest that the information is unavailable instead of providing incomplete information.
Guesty reservation context is shared across Voice and Text Agents, so guests can switch between channels while the relevant reservation information remains available.
Lockbox and access codes are dynamically generated for each guest and require Guesty Locks Manager to be configured. For setup instructions, see Managing lock code settings in Guesty Locks Manager.
For accounts that do not use Guesty Locks Manager, the lock code can instead be retrieved from a designated property custom field in Guesty. The custom field key can follow the agreed naming convention or be configured for the account.
Schedule by AloAi Agent's availability
You can control when your AloAi Agent is active by setting its working hours and availability during holidays.
Working hours
By default, the agent runs 24/7. To limit availability, set custom working hours based on your company’s time zone (e.g., America/Los Angeles). This helps align the agent's activity with your team’s operating hours and ensures responses are only sent when support is available.
US national holidays
You can choose whether the agent is active during U.S. national holidays. Disabling availability during these dates helps avoid missed escalations or confusion when your team is offline.
Configure follow-up messages
For outbound Text Agents, you can configure follow-up messages to continue contacting a customer when they do not respond to the initial message.
The follow-up settings define how many additional messages the agent sends and how much time passes between each message.
Follow-up frequency - sets the number of follow-up messages the agent sends when there is no response. For example, you can set the agent to send 3 follow-up messages.
Delay between follow-ups - sets the amount of time between each follow-up message, such as 24 or 48 hours.
These settings determine the messaging cadence the Text Agent follows during an outbound workflow.
Custom functions
Custom functions allow AloAi Agents to trigger API-based actions during conversations. You can use them to retrieve or send information to an external system based on the conversation.
Admins can define the API request, specify the variables the agent can use, and configure the request headers and authorization.
For detailed setup instructions, see How to set up custom functions in AloAi Agents.
Testing and optimizing your AloAi voice agents
Before deploying your AloAi Voice Agent, it is important to test and optimize its functionality to ensure it meets your business needs.
Simulate conversations - enroll a test contact to simulate real user scenarios, such as greeting customers, handling FAQs, or providing follow-ups. Read this guide to learn how to enroll a contact to AloAi Agent.
Validate bot responses - ensure the bot's tone aligns with your brand's communication style and the responses are accurate and context-appropriate. For example, confirm that it follows escalation or sticks to the defined scope of questions like pricing inquiries.
Automated notifications - check that email notifications configured through the post-call actions are received by the correct recipients. Verify the email content includes all necessary call details.
Troubleshooting - address common issues by checking settings for opener messages, routing, and line integration.