Home FAQs: Texts

FAQs: Texts

By Brokerkit Product
• 7 articles

The recipient did not receive my texts

Issues that can impact SMS Text Delivery Sometimes, when users send out text messages, the recipient says they have not received them. Users also wonder why they have not been responded to after sending an important text message to a lead or to their agent. The Contact Previously Opted Out (Most Common Fix) If a contact previously replied STOP to your Brokerkit texts, they will not receive any new messages from your number. This is the most common reason texts stop going through to a specific contact. Solution: The contact must text START, YES, or UNSTOP back to your Brokerkit phone number to opt back in. You cannot override this from your end — the contact must send the keyword themselves. Once they reply with a start keyword, texts will resume automatically. For more details on opt-out and opt-in keywords, see How to manage opt-out requests for SMS/MMS text messages. The Phone Number Can't Accept Texts Reviewing our logs, there are many instances of SMS/MMS texts that are blocked for a variety of reasons, such as: 1. The phone number is for a landline phone that does not accept calls 2. The cell phone is turned off 3. The phone number is not valid Carrier filtering First, note that telecommunications carriers like AT&T and Verizon have implemented carrier filtering on SMS/MMS texts to: 1. Enforce rules or regulations about what types of messaging is allowed in that country or mobile network. 2. Protecting mobile subscribers from unwanted messaging such as spam, fraud, or abuse. There is no standard practice for carrier filtering across all carriers. Filtering can range from a simple static list of prohibited terms to advanced machine learning systems that constantly adapt based on the messages passing through them. Regardless of the system, carriers keep their filtering systems closely guarded secrets. Due to the ambiguous nature of these filtering mechanisms, Brokerkit cannot say definitively how these systems work or why a particular message was filtered. Steps to Troubleshoot: 1. Check if the contact opted out: Look at the text delivery status for that contact. If it shows "unsubscribed" or "opted out," the contact needs to reply START to your Brokerkit number to resume receiving texts. See opt-out management for details. 2. If you are in the US (this does not apply in Canada), make sure your account has verified texting configured, and that your phone number is linked to the verified texting use case. Important: After adding a new phone number to an existing verified texting campaign, you must resubmit your Texting Use Case profile for the new number to be approved for texting. Simply adding the number is not enough - click submit again to resubmit your entire campaign for approval. This process typically takes about an hour to complete. You can find more details here. 3. Check the phone number to determine whether it is a mobile number or not: 1. Here is a tool to look up the type - wireless or not, and carrier of phone numbers: https://veriphone.io/. 2. If the number is identified as wireless, meaning mobile, that number should be able to receive text messages. 3. Need to check a list of numbers in bulk? Use PhoneValidator.com to upload a CSV and identify which numbers are cell, landline, or VoIP. Free single lookups are available on their site, and bulk batch processing starts at $0.004 per lookup (~$4 per 1,000 numbers). 4. We recommend that the initial outbound message not exceed 306 characters, which generally equates to two segments of text on most standard carriers. 5. Use the contact's first name to greet them using variables. "Hi Jane, this is Tom Thumb following up..." For more detail on variables, go here. 6. Do not use links in your initial outbound message. There is a high probability that carriers will not deliver an outbound message that includes a link. If you plan to send links, be sure to select that option in the verified texting use case described here (US Only). 7. Do not use "spammy" terms in your text like "CA$$H." 8. Keep the text clear and straightforward. Don't include repetitive phrasing. This might trigger spam filtering. 9. Change the message completely to see if that's something in the text body that was blocked 10. Decrease the number of recipients sent at once 11. Send the messages from a different phone number one of two ways: 1. Send messages from a different Brokerkit user using their phone number. 2. Go to the Brokerkit phone number page, release your number, and get a new one (click your name in the top right > Phone Number > Release to release your number). 12. If the above steps don't address the issue, please email us the recipient's phone number(s) and the timeframe to support@getbrokerkit.com. The Brokerkit Customer Success team will pull the logs for texts sent to that phone number to review and report back to you.

Last updated on Mar 03, 2026

How does text replies work?

Whether you are mass texting your team or via campaigns or individual texts on Brokerkit, one of the most powerful features of using Brokerkit's texting service is replies. When you get a reply to a text on Brokerkit, the first text you'll receive will tell you who is responding, as shown below. Second message you will receive is a text containing a hyperlink to the contact's profile. To reply to their message on their phone, simply reply to the text that Brokerkit sent to you, as you would anyone else. Just like normal texting, each conversation will come from a different phone number (we call these multiplexer numbers) from Brokerkit so that it knows to whom you are replying, and it can automatically log and forward every reply in an instant. If you ever aren't sure who the reply came from, or you deleted the original message with the name of the replier above in the screenshot above, you can reply with the command "?who," and Brokerkit will send you that header message again with their name. Note: If you respond to a text after 30 days of inactivity (which we've found is virtually never), the "conversation" will have expired, so you will need to restart the conversation in Brokerkit on the lead view. Where Do Text Replies Go? When a contact replies to a text sent through Brokerkit, you can choose how you want to be notified. This is controlled in User Settings > Notifications under the Messaging Engagement section. For the Text Replies row, you have three notification options: - Emails — Receive an email notification when a contact replies to your text - Bell — Receive a bell notification inside Brokerkit - Text — Get the reply forwarded to your personal phone as a text message On newer accounts, text replies are forwarded to email by default. This preserves your texting allocation for outbound messages only. If you want text replies forwarded to your phone instead: 1. Go to User Settings > Notifications 2. Scroll to Messaging Engagement 3. Find the Text Replies row 4. Uncheck Emails and check Text 5. Click Update Notifications After making this change, future text replies from contacts will be forwarded to your phone as text messages instead of email. Understanding Multiplexer Numbers Each contact reply is forwarded to your phone from a unique Brokerkit multiplexer number. This is how BrokerKit keeps conversations separate so it knows who you are replying to. A few important things to know: - Each contact gets a different number — Replies from different contacts will arrive from different multiplexer numbers. This is by design. - Numbers stay consistent — The same contact's replies will come from the same multiplexer number as long as there is recent activity. - Numbers recycle after inactivity — If there has been no texting activity with a particular contact for an extended period (at least 30 days), the multiplexer number may be recycled. If the contact replies again after that, their replies will come from a new, different number. This is normal and does not affect functionality. Troubleshooting: Not Receiving Text Replies on Your Phone If contacts are replying to your texts in Brokerkit but you are not receiving those replies forwarded to your cell phone, follow these steps: 1. Check Your Notification Settings (Most Common Fix) Go to User Settings > Notifications and look under Messaging Engagement. Find the Text Replies row and make sure the Text checkbox is checked. - Emails — Get an email notification when a contact replies to your text - Bell — Get a bell notification in Brokerkit when a contact replies - Text — Get the reply forwarded to your phone as a text message If the Text checkbox is not checked, replies will still be logged in Brokerkit but will NOT be forwarded to your phone. This is the most common reason users don't receive text replies on their cell phone. After checking the box, click Update Notifications to save. 2. Verify Your Forward Number Go to User Settings > Phone Number and confirm your cell phone number is entered as the forward number. Text replies can only be forwarded if a valid forward number is set. 3. Check If You Blocked the Multiplexer Number Since replies come from Brokerkit multiplexer numbers (not the contact's personal number), it is possible you may have accidentally blocked one of these numbers on your phone. Check your phone's blocked numbers list and unblock any unfamiliar numbers that may be Brokerkit multiplexer numbers. 4. Check for the Reply in Brokerkit Even if the reply was not forwarded to your phone, it should still appear in the contact's profile activity timeline in Brokerkit. Open the contact's profile and look for the text reply there. If it appears in Brokerkit but not on your phone, the issue is with the forwarding settings above. 5. Contact Support If you have verified all the settings above and are still not receiving text replies on your phone, please email support@getbrokerkit.com with: - Your name and team name - The contact's name and phone number - The approximate date and time of the missing reply Our team will investigate the text delivery logs and report back to you. If the issue persists, just say "talk to human" in this chat and we'll connect you with our support team. Now you can gain more control over your texts by using Notification Center, where you can receive notifications about the activity and avoid missing responses. In User Settings, you can always change your preferences about the notification you receive regarding to texts Last, note that you can also go in and filter on text replies in the Brokerkit user interface with the Engagement filter like below: mceclip2.png - The Notification Center is a great way to track engagement from your contacts, including text replies. You can see who replied to your text campaigns by checking the Notification Center bell icon and your Brokerkit Inbox.

Last updated on Mar 31, 2026

How to manage opt-out requests for SMS/MMS text messages

Brokerkit strives to build an industry-leading communication platform using media such as SMS/MMS texts while helping you comply with all industry regulations. It makes available supported opt-out and opt-in keywords, which are both in accordance with industry standards. Quick Reference: Opt-Out and Opt-In Keywords | Action | Keywords | What Happens | | --- | --- | --- | | Opt out (stop texts) | STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, QUIT | Contact is added to suppression list and stops receiving texts from that Brokerkit number | | Opt back in (resume texts) | START, YES, UNSTOP | Contact is removed from suppression list and starts receiving texts again | The contact must reply with these keywords to the same Brokerkit phone number they opted out from. A Contact Stopped Texts and Wants to Receive Them Again If a contact, agent, or lead previously replied STOP (or any stop keyword) and now wants to receive text messages again, the fix is simple: the contact must text START, YES, or UNSTOP back to the same Brokerkit phone number. This is the only way to resume texts after an opt-out. A Brokerkit user cannot override this from their end — the contact must send the opt-in keyword themselves from their own phone. Once they reply with START, YES, or UNSTOP, they are automatically removed from the suppression list and will begin receiving your texts again. No other action is needed from you. Common scenario: "My agent/lead stopped getting my texts" or "Texts are not going through to this contact" — if the contact previously replied STOP, the solution is to have them reply START to your Brokerkit number. How to Opt-Out For cases when text recipients want to stop receiving Brokerkit text messages, replying with the stop keywords will add their phone number to a suppression list for the Brokerkit user phone number, preventing the contact from receiving new messages from the Brokerkit phone number they're responding to. That means if recipients wish to cancel or stop receiving any text communication coming in, they only need to respond by typing any of the following universal stop keywords: STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, and QUIT. After the recipient replies with a stop word, an automated response will be generated to acknowledge and complete the process. The response will read as follows: "You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe." How to Tell if Someone Opted Out - You can determine this from each text's delivery status, which is detailed here. Things to note about texting opt-outs: - If the user replies by requesting to opt out but does not use the exact stop words (e.g., Please remove me from your list), they will not be automatically opted out. We recommend you either manage those with a label or archive them as detailed here. - The opt-out will only apply to the Brokerkit phone number on which they replied with the stop word. Each user in a Brokerkit account has a different phone number, and the opt-out will not apply to the other user's phone numbers. - If a user releases their phone number and gets a new one, the opt-outs will not be tied to the new phone number since the suppression list is tied to the old phone number. - If a contact in recruiting or retention opts out of texts, they can still receive emails. Email unsubscribes are independent and are described here. - Contacts can still be subscribed to campaigns, but any campaign steps to send texts will be suppressed after an opt-out. You can see the suppression of the text in the status message at the bottom right of the text in the contact activity timeline. Email and task steps will still execute properly in the campaign. Do I need to manually remove contacts who reply STOP? No. When a contact replies with a stop keyword (STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, or QUIT), Brokerkit automatically adds their phone number to the suppression list for that Brokerkit phone number. They stop receiving texts from that number going forward, and an automated unsubscribe confirmation is sent back to them. You do not need to manually remove the contact, archive them, or take any cleanup action for the opt-out itself. Future text steps in their campaigns are suppressed automatically; email and task steps continue to run. If a contact phrases their opt-out without using one of the supported stop keywords (e.g., "please take me off the list"), the system cannot automatically opt them out. In that case, manage them with a label or archive them as described above.

Last updated on May 03, 2026

How to set or update my Brokerkit phone number or forwarding number?

How Do I Update My Phone Number for SMS Notifications in BrokerKit? To update your phone number for SMS notifications (the number you use to send and receive texts in BrokerKit), follow the steps below. This is the phone number used for all Brokerkit SMS and call features. While in Brokerkit, click your name in the upper right-hand corner and select Phone Number. From this menu, you can add, update or release your Phone Number or add a Forwarding Number for any incoming texts and calls. Important: Only individual users can set up their own Brokerkit phone numbers. Account administrators cannot assign or set up Brokerkit phone numbers for other staff members. Each team member must log into their own account and follow the steps above to configure their personal Brokerkit phone number and forwarding settings. When adding new staff members to your roster, you can include their personal phone numbers during the setup process, but they will need to configure their own Brokerkit phone numbers separately. Pick a Brokerkit number: Type in the area code desired to pick a number. Due to telecommunication compliance guidelines, Brokerkit is unable to send calls or texts from your actual number, as this is considered spoofing. Setting a Forwarding Number: Once you select a phone number it will ask you to set a forwarding number. Enter in your forwarding number and click Start Texting to save your settings.  Outbound calls and texts will come from your Brokerkit Number, and inbound calls or texts will be forwarded to your Forwarding Number. If you don’t want replies to be forwarded to a number, you don’t need to select a Forwarding Number. You’ll still be able to view text replies directly in the contact's profile, your inbox, and the notification center bell. Releasing a Brokerkit Number Click release right next to your brokerkit number and confirm. You may select a new phone number or restore it. Restoring a released phone number Click restore it will direct you to email our support team to retrieve your number. A released phone number will be reserved for 10 days in case you need it back. Important Note: When a Brokerkit number is added or changed, you must navigate to the Use Case under Verified Texting and Calling and add that number to an approved campaign in order to use it for texting within Brokerkit. If you have any questions or need further assistance with this process, please don't hesitate to contact our support team. Area Code Availability When you search for a phone number, you might notice that your preferred area code does not have any available numbers. This situation is quite common, particularly in busy metropolitan areas, and here's the reason behind it: Area codes have a limited number of possible combinations, and in many densely populated regions, these combinations are often fully allocated. Moreover, the availability of numbers can change frequently as telecommunications providers update their inventories. For instance, in the Denver metro area, the original 303 area code is usually depleted, while newer area codes such as 720 or 719 may offer more options. This trend can be observed in other major cities where multiple area codes serve the same region. If you're unable to find a number in your desired area code, consider the following suggestions: - Explore alternative area codes that are also used in your metropolitan area. - Check back periodically, as available numbers are refreshed regularly. - Look into newer area codes that might have a greater selection of numbers. Keep in mind that all area codes within your region will still provide local service, even if they are not the original or most recognized codes for that area. How to View All Staff Brokerkit Phone Numbers As an admin, you can view all the Brokerkit phone numbers used by your team members in one place. Steps to View Staff Phone Numbers 1. Click on your username in the top-right corner. 2. Select Phone Numberfrom the dropdown menu 3. Click on Verified Texting 4. Scroll to the end of the use case section You'll see a list of all phone numbers associated with your business profile, including numbers used by Admin and Staff users. What You'll See The phone number list shows: - All Brokerkit phone numbers currently assigned to your team - Which numbers are associated with verified texting use cases - Phone numbers used by both Admin and Staff role users Managing Individual Phone Numbers If you need to manage a specific team member's phone number settings: - Each user can access their own phone number by clicking their name → Phone Number - Only the user who owns the phone number can release it or change forwarding options - Admins can view all numbers but cannot modify individual user phone settings Who can have a BrokerKit phone number? (Sign rider, dialer, and other use cases) Each BrokerKit user has their own dedicated BrokerKit phone number — the numbers are per-user, not pooled across the team. Whether a user can be assigned a number depends on their role and seat type: | Role | Paid seat? | Can have a BrokerKit phone number? | |---|---|---| | Admin | Yes | Yes | | Staff | Yes | Yes | | Agent | No (free) | No | | Affiliate | No (free) | No | Only Admin and Staff users — both of which are paid seats — can have a BrokerKit phone number. Agent and Affiliate users are free roles and cannot be assigned a number. This applies to every use case for the BrokerKit phone number, including: - Putting the number on a physical sign rider so calls and texts route through BrokerKit. - Outbound calling and SMS through the dialer. - Verified calling/texting after business profile registration. If you want an agent at your brokerage to use a BrokerKit number on their sign rider, that agent needs to be a paid Admin or Staff user on your account — not an Agent or Affiliate role. See Managing Users and Permissions in Your Account for role details and Viewing and Changing Your Plan for adding paid seats.

Last updated on May 04, 2026