SMS Texting, Conversations, and Studio Chat

Q: What messaging tools are available in Studio Pro, and what is each one used for?
A: Studio Pro offers several messaging tools, each designed for a different purpose. Robo-Texter and Robo-Dialer are one-to-many announcement tools. Robo-Texter sends text messages, and Robo-Dialer sends automated phone calls. SMS Conversations is your centralized two-way texting inbox for parents, students, staff, and leads. The Lead Center supports two-way texting specifically for lead follow-up and enrollment communication. Studio Chat is an in-app messaging tool for ongoing, non-urgent communication such as classroom updates and parent engagement.

Q: What is the difference between Robo-Texter and SMS Conversations?
A: Robo-Texter is used to send broadcast messages to a group, such as reminders or announcements. With the Elite subscription and SMS Conversations enabled, recipients can reply to those messages. All replies are stored in the SMS Conversations inbox, where your team can manage and respond to them in one centralized location.

Q: What is SMS Conversations?
A: SMS Conversations is the centralized inbox inside Studio Pro where all two-way text messages live. This includes replies to Robo-Texter messages, direct texts to parents or students, and lead text conversations. You can filter by parents, students, staff, or leads, view unread messages, and manage threads like a shared inbox.

Q: Is two-way texting included with my subscription?
A: Two-way texting (SMS Conversations) is included with the Elite subscription. Elite accounts receive a monthly bundle of text messages, which covers both incoming and outgoing texts. If the monthly allotment is exceeded, additional texts are billed per message.

Q: How many text messages are included with Elite?
A: Elite includes a monthly text bundle of 3,000 total messages, including both incoming and outgoing texts. After that limit, messages are billed at a small per-text rate. Most studios do not exceed the included allowance.

Q: Where do I find text message replies in the system?
A: Click the notification bell in the top right corner of your account and select SMS Conversations. All two-way SMS replies are stored there.

Q: How is Lead Center texting different from regular SMS texting?
A: Lead Center texting focuses specifically on communicating with prospective families. You can send and receive texts with leads, set up automated follow-up messages, and manage enrollment conversations. These conversations also appear in your SMS Conversations inbox under the Leads filter.

Q: Can I automate text messages to new leads?
A: Yes. Inside the Lead Center, you can create automations that send SMS messages or emails when a lead reaches a certain stage. For example, you can automatically send a text immediately after someone is added as a new lead.

Q: What is Studio Chat, and how is it different from SMS?
A: Studio Chat is an in-app messaging tool available with Premier and Elite subscriptions. It is not SMS-based. It functions more like a group messaging platform and is ideal for classroom updates, sharing images or attachments, and ongoing communication. Because it is app-based, there are no per-text fees.

Q: When should I use Studio Chat instead of SMS?
A: Use Studio Chat for non-urgent, relationship-based communication such as classroom discussions, teacher updates, or parent engagement. Use SMS when you need direct phone communication or timely responses.

Q: Can teachers message parents without using their personal phone numbers?
A: Yes. Teachers can use Studio Chat through the Studio Pro app once they are set up with login credentials. If you want teachers to help manage SMS text messages, you can add them as users in your account. All SMS messages are managed within the shared SMS Conversations hub.

Q: Can I see messages that teachers send?
A: For SMS messages sent through the shared SMS Conversations hub, any authorized user can view those conversations. For Studio Chat, private conversations between a teacher and a parent are not visible to other users. Some studios choose to limit chat permissions for this reason.

Q: Should parents report absences through SMS or Studio Chat?
A: While either method can work, two-way SMS texting is often recommended because all authorized users can see and manage the message in the shared inbox. Alternatively, the built-in “Report an Absence” feature in the Parent Portal provides a structured option.

Q: Can I text families who have not registered in Studio Pro?
A: Yes, but they must opt in to receive text messages. This is a legal requirement. If they are added as a parent or lead, they must enable text message opt-in through their Parent Portal communication settings.

Q: How do families opt in to receive text messages?
A: Families must log into the Parent Portal, click their name, go to Settings, and enable text messaging in the Communications section. This is currently required unless they opted in during account creation.

Q: What are best practices for using SMS and messaging tools?
A: Keep broadcast messages clear and concise. Assign a team member to monitor SMS Conversations daily. Respond quickly to build trust with families and leads. Be intentional about which messaging tool you use so communication remains organized and professional.