Skip to main content

[Visitor Hub] Notify hosts by SMS when visitors and deliveries arrive

Reach members on their phones the moment somebody waits at reception, so a guest or a parcel never sits unattended.

Written by Yasen Marinov

Product: OfficeRnD Visitor Hub with the SMS notifications add-on

Who: Admins with access to Visitor Hub

Where: On the Admin Portal, on member profiles, and on the Visitor app check-in screen

Availability: SMS notifications are a paid add-on to the Visitor Hub plan

Imagine this: a visitor waits at reception because the host does not read the email notification in time; a parcel sits at the front desk for the rest of the workday. The SMS notifications add-on in OfficeRnD Visitor Hub sends a text message to the host the moment a visitor checks in or a delivery is received, so the host collects the guest and the recipient collects the delivery within minutes.

Visitor Hub pulls the host's phone number from the member profile in the Admin Portal. For a visitor, Visitor Hub uses the phone number that the visitor enters during pre-registration or check-in.


In this article:

  • Learn which 2 events trigger a text message

  • Confirm when text messages start after your purchase

  • Collect phone numbers for hosts and visitors

  • Check the countries that receive text messages

  • Track your monthly SMS allocation


Prerequisites

Confirm these 3 conditions before you expect a host or a delivery recipient to receive a text message.

  • The SMS notifications add-on is active for your organization. OfficeRnD activates the add-on after you purchase it.

  • Each host and each delivery recipient has a phone number on their member profile in the Admin Portal.

  • Each phone number includes the country code, and the number belongs to a country that OfficeRnD delivers to.


How SMS notifications work

Visitor Hub sends a text message for 2 events, each with its own recipient.

  • Visitor arrival. The host receives a text message when their visitor checks in.

  • Delivery arrival. The delivery recipient receives a text message when somebody logs a delivery for them.

Visitor Hub sends both messages automatically. No admin turns on the messages, and no host subscribes to them.


When do text messages start after you purchase the add-on?

Visitor Hub sends both messages automatically, but it sends nothing until the SMS notifications add-on is active on your account. You don't need to manually enable the add-on because OfficeRnD activates it for your organization.

Activation can take several hours after your purchase. Hosts and delivery recipients receive no text messages until activation finishes.

The add-on is a paid feature. The Visitor Hub trial plan does not include it, so hosts receive no text messages during your Visitor Hub trial.


Collect phone numbers for hosts and visitors

An active add-on delivers nothing to a person with no stored phone number. Visitor Hub reads a phone number from 2 places.

  • Hosts and delivery recipients. The phone number on the member profile in the Admin Portal.

  • Visitors. The phone number that the visitor enters during pre-registration or check-in.

Every phone number must include the country code, because OfficeRnD routes each text message by country code. A number with no country code reaches nobody.

To add or correct phone numbers for many members at once, re-import the members with a phone number column. Update member phone numbers with a member import →


Check the countries that receive text messages

A stored phone number with a country code still fails if OfficeRnD does not deliver text messages to that country. OfficeRnD currently delivers SMS to these countries:

  • Australia

  • Belgium

  • Bulgaria

  • Canada

  • Czech Republic

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Denmark

  • France

  • Germany

  • Hong Kong

  • Ireland

  • Italy

  • Japan

  • Kenya

  • Luxembourg

  • Netherlands

  • New Zealand

  • Norway

  • Portugal

  • Puerto Rico

  • Romania

  • Rwanda

  • Saudi Arabia

  • Singapore

  • Spain

  • Sweden

  • Switzerland

  • Turkey

  • United Arab Emirates

  • United Kingdom

  • United States

OfficeRnD can add a country that is not on this list. Send your request to [email protected] with the country you need, because OfficeRnD registers each country separately.

Note: Each country sets its own registration rules for text message senders. For this reason, OfficeRnD reviews each country request, and the list of countries may change over time.


Review pricing, your monthly SMS allocation, and usage limits

Your countries can be covered, your phone numbers can be correct, and your monthly volume is still limited. The SMS notifications add-on is a paid feature. The Visitor Hub trial plan does not include it.

Keep these 3 details about pricing and usage in mind:

  • Monthly SMS allocation. The service includes a monthly SMS allocation. Your allocation size depends on your subscription.

  • Carrier charges. SMS usage also incurs carrier charges. Charges depend on the recipient's region and your carrier's pricing.

  • Fair use limits. OfficeRnD can pause SMS notifications for your account when your organization passes the monthly allocation. OfficeRnD also pauses the service when it detects unusual volume.

Important: While SMS notifications are paused, Visitor Hub sends no text messages for visitor arrivals or delivery arrivals. Contact support to restore the service.

To review your current allocation or your usage, contact [email protected].


FAQ: SMS notifications in Visitor Hub

Who receives the text messages that Visitor Hub sends?

Hosts and delivery recipients receive the text messages. A host receives a text message when their visitor checks in. A delivery recipient receives a text message when somebody logs a delivery for them.

Can we use SMS notifications during the Visitor Hub trial?

SMS notifications are not available during the Visitor Hub trial. The add-on is a paid feature, so you purchase it before any host receives a text message.

How long after our purchase do text messages start?

Text messages start within several hours of your purchase. OfficeRnD activates the SMS notifications add-on for your organization, and hosts receive no text messages before activation finishes.

Can OfficeRnD add SMS support for a country that is not on the list?

OfficeRnD can add SMS support for a country that is not on the list. Send the country name to [email protected], because OfficeRnD registers each country separately before delivery starts.

What happens if a phone number belongs to a country that OfficeRnD does not deliver to?

The SMS will not be delivered, and you will not receive any information or a warning about it.

What happens if we pass the monthly SMS limit?

OfficeRnD can pause SMS notifications for your account when you pass the monthly SMS limit. OfficeRnD also pauses the service when it detects unusual volume. Contact [email protected] to review your limits.

Do visitors opt in to receive a text message?

Visitors do not opt in to receive a text message. A visitor enters a phone number during pre-registration or check-in, and Visitor Hub stores that number.

Did this answer your question?