Channel setup FAQs

What is a Sender Name or from address? From whom does the message appear to be sent?

Your brand's FROM address appears in the SMS inbox of your customers. Getting the Sender Name right is crucial since it’s the first thing recipients see when they receive a message.

Sender Names are unique names that can include your brand or company name to let customers know who the sender is. For more information, see Sender Name.

How do I create a new sender name?

You can create a Sender Name via “Channel setup>Senders”. You just need to:

Login to your Webex Interact account
Click on “Channel setup>Senders Name”
Verify your country
Choose a sender name between 3 - 11 characters and save.

Once the sender name is created, you can select it when creating a new SMS campaign.

Will customers see my phone number as sender name?

Yes, you can choose a phone number as a sender name. For this, you need to purchase a dedicated phone number from the 'Buy Number' page. When composing messages, select the purchased phone number as your sender name. This ensures that when your customers receive messages from you, your phone number will be displayed as the sender.

Can the sender name be my business name, rather than a number?

Yes, you can use your company or brand name as your sender name. This promotes your company and helps customers easily identify the message source. For example, a message starting with your brand name is more likely to be opened and read rather than a generic sender that moves on straight to the offer, no matter how good that offer is.

Are there any limitations to choosing and creating a Sender name?

Depending on the country/region, the sender names can be of different types. Every country/region has different restrictions and regulations for various aspects of a message.

A Sender Name can be numeric, alphanumeric, or short code.
A numeric Sender Name contains mobile numbers.
Alpha-numeric Sender Name contains numbers and/or letters.
Short codes are special numerical senders that are shorter than regular numeric senders.

Can I send a campaign without an approved Sender Name?

No, you cannot send an SMS campaign without a sender name. But you can easily create a sender name under “Channel Setup>Sender Name” page or on “Create Campaign page”.

After the message has been sent using the Sender name, can we update the existing name or do we need to delete it and generate a new one?

No, you cannot update a sender name once a campaign has been sent. You can delete an existing one and create a new sender name, as required for future campaigns.

Why am I unable to get responses when I use a Sender Name?

Your customers cannot directly reply to messages as they are sent from your sender name. However, you can purchase a dedicated phone number and your customers can use these to reach out to you. For more information, see Buy Number.

How do I choose an effective Sender Name?

Here are some tips to create an effective sender name

Choose a sender name that is clear and easily readable.
Keep it short and to the point so that customers can easily recognize and identify the sender of the messages.
Avoid using symbols, numbers, and all caps in your sender name. Also, avoid using genetic titles or phrases like [email protected]
Use your business or brand name
Use a consistent sender name across your messages to help your customers remember your brand name.

How are sender names verified within Webex Interact once they have been created?

Once a Sender name is created, it is verified before allowing them to use it. Only verified names can send campaigns. The system checks names for spam words and criteria. If matched, it flags as Pending/Rejected. In such cases, you need to modify or choose compliant names.

Sender name statuses are as follows:

Verified - The sender name is verified and can be used to send campaigns.
Pending - The sender name is pending and is not available to use yet. It is under review for potential spam elements.
Rejected - The sender is not approved for sending campaigns.