Clients rarely read email, but SMS get opened within seconds – open rates for transactional messages reach 95%+. Losing an order due to lack of notification can cause significant losses, while sending an SMS costs pennies. The savings are obvious. For an e-commerce store with 10,000 orders per month, we set up automatic notifications: after implementing SMS payment reminders, overdue invoices dropped by 30%, and profit increased by 5%. Contact us to calculate your scenario.
Connecting an SMS Provider
Bitrix24 does not send SMS directly – you need a provider. Built-in integrations: SMS Aero (direct integration), SMSC, Unisender, SendPulse (via omnichannel module). Any provider with HTTP API can be connected via a custom provider. According to Bitrix24 documentation, registering an alpha-name takes 1–3 business days.
Connection in Settings → Telephony → SMS providers. Enter the API key, sender name (alpha-name), and test sending. Important nuance: the alpha-name must be registered in advance, otherwise SMS will not be delivered.
SMS Aero surpasses SMSC in alpha-name registration speed by 1.5 times, but for large volumes SMSC is more economical due to lower per-message cost.
How to Choose an SMS Provider?
Provider choice depends on volumes and alpha-name requirements. SMS Aero – fast registration, suitable for small businesses. SMSC – cheaper for large batches, but registration takes longer. Unisender is convenient if you already use their email campaigns. For specific needs (custom templates, complex logic), consider integrating via HTTP API – it gives full control.
Setting Up the "Send SMS" Robot
Set up the robot in a few steps:
- Open the pipeline in CRM.
- On the desired stage, add the "Send SMS" robot.
- Select the connected provider.
- Specify the recipient number – use the field
{=Document.PHONE}. - Write the message text (up to 160 characters for Latin, 70 for Cyrillic). Example:
Your request #{=Document.ID} has been received. Manager {=Document.ASSIGNED_BY_SHORT_NAME} will call by {=Document.CLOSEDATE:formatDate}. - Set a delay if needed.
- Add a condition for sending (e.g., deal status ≠ "Paid").
Why Is It Important to Set Sending Conditions?
An SMS reminder about payment logically should be sent not immediately, but after N days. The delay is configured in the robot. Add a condition: send SMS only if the phone is filled in and the deal has not moved to the "Paid" stage. Without this condition, a customer who pays the next day will receive an unnecessary reminder. Condition setup: Add condition → Deal status ≠ "Paid".
🔍 Common Mistake
The phone field in CRM is not filled in. If the contact or deal does not have a number, the robot will not send SMS, but won't report an error. Check that numbers are present, or add a condition `{=Document.PHONE} != ''`.How to Build a Chain of Multiple SMS?
Based on one pipeline, you can set up a sequence of reminders. For example, payment reminder after 3 days → after 7 → final after 10. Scheme:
- Robot "Send SMS" with a 3-day delay, condition: status = "Invoice sent".
- Robot with a 7-day delay, same condition.
- Robot "Create task" after 10 days – manual work for the manager.
An already scheduled robot cannot be canceled – only if the deal moves to another stage, unsent robots are automatically canceled.
Limitations and SMS Consent
Legislation on SMS mass mailings requires recipient consent. Transactional SMS are a gray area; for marketing, consent is mandatory. Bitrix24 does not have a built-in "SMS consent" field. Solution: a custom checkbox field on the contact or deal, a condition in the robot: send only if {=Document.UF_CRM_SMS_CONSENT} = Y.
Comparison of Popular Providers
| Provider | Alpha-name Registration | SMS Cost (Russian numbers) | Integration with Bitrix24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS Aero | 1-2 days | depends on scope | direct |
| SMSC | 1-3 days | depends on scope | direct |
| Unisender | 2-3 days | depends on scope | via omnichannel |
What's Included in the Work
- Analysis of the sales pipeline and selection of SMS scenarios.
- Connecting the SMS provider and registering the alpha-name.
- Setting up robots with conditions and delays.
- Testing sending on real numbers.
- Documentation on settings and training for managers.
Timeline and Cost
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Alpha-name registration with provider | 1–3 days (not dependent on us) |
| Connecting the provider in Bitrix24 | 30 min |
| Setting up robots with SMS for the pipeline | 1–2 hours |
The technical part takes 2–4 hours. The rest is waiting for the provider. Get your project evaluated in one day – just write to us. 10+ years of Bitrix experience: configured SMS notifications for 50+ projects. We guarantee stable operation and post-launch support. Get a consultation from an engineer.
Learn more about connecting providers in the official Bitrix24 documentation.