Outbound starts it. OTTO runs it.

Connect personalized outbound SMS to reply automations, Interactive Text Response menus, and conversational questions. Route configured responses to the next step, retain the answers and campaign context, and hand conversations to your team when needed.

Plan the message, the reply path, and the team handoff together.

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YES → Flow Supported replies trigger configured paths with exception handling

Structured Replies become usable contact records not raw messages

Handoff Agent follow-up with context for configured reply types

Prepare Caller Contact knows who is calling before the phone rings

What the workflow engine does

Replies follow configured paths. Your team keeps the context.

Configure the reply types your campaign expects, such as YES, numbered menu choices, questions, and opt-out requests. Collect structured answers and route conversations to an agent when the workflow requires it. Language selection, exception handling, and alert destinations are part of setup.

✅

YES Starts the Workflow

A positive reply triggers the configured OTTO flow, ITR menu, conversational Q&A, or full qualification sequence. The contact enters a structured interaction. Your team receives the output: a complete contact record with intent, data, and next step.

❓

Questions Get Answered

Configured answers handle supported questions. Define an agent handoff for questions or replies outside the workflow, with the message history available to the team.

🚫

STOP Suppresses Immediately

Configure STOP handling and suppression for applicable campaigns. Honor opt-outs, verify suppression settings, and review permission requirements for each message purpose.

See a reply become a structured conversation.

We’ll walk through how OTTO handles each reply type for your specific campaign and audience.

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How the workflow engine runs

From campaign reply to team follow-up.

Outbound sends the trigger

Start with a message that explains its purpose and offers a clear next step, such as a reply or tracked link. Dynamic contact fields can include a name, service, city, or relevant date. Confirm permission for the intended message.

outbound send · dynamic keywords · campaign trigger · reply CTA

The reply starts the configured workflow

Map supported replies to the intended workflow: YES to configured questions, menu choices to an information path, and other questions to supported answers or agent handoff. Configure language selection and opt-out handling, and test unrecognized replies before launch.

reply interception · reply classification · OTTO routing · language detection

Interaction captures structured data

Inside the OTTO flow, every exchange fills in the contact record. Name confirmed. Service interest captured. Timeline established. Budget range noted. The conversation collects the same data a rep would gather on a call, but automatically, via SMS, before any human is involved.

data capture · ITR qualification · conversational OTTO · contact record

Prepare Caller fires, contact knows who is calling

After qualification completes, OTTO sends the contact a Prepare Caller message: who will call, from what number, and when. Your team receives the structured lead: name, phone, service interest, qualification answers, and full conversation transcript. The contact is expecting the call. The rep knows exactly who they’re calling.

Prepare Caller · lead delivery · rep notification · call readiness

Non-responders enter the Nudge Campaign Engine

Review non-responders and contacts who stopped partway through a workflow. Where permission supports follow-up, configure a limited Nudge sequence with timing and stop conditions. Keep opt-outs suppressed.

non-responder segment · nudge sequence · multi-touch · automatic follow-up

Who uses the workflow engine

Any business that sends outbound SMS and needs replies handled at scale.

♻

Re-engagement Campaigns

Re-engage contacts where permission supports the planned messages. Configure reply paths, questions, agent handoff, and stop conditions before sending.

🚗

Automotive Dealer Groups

Connect service reminders and trade-in inquiries to questions and the assigned dealership team. Include the caller’s details when a follow-up call is planned.

🏠

Home Services

Route replies to seasonal campaigns and estimate follow-ups by service need and location. Your team can review collected answers and continue the conversation.

👔

Recruiting & Staffing

Connect role alerts to configured candidate questions and recruiter follow-up. Review language content, routing, and opt-out handling before launch.

⚖️

Legal & Professional Services

Collect initial consultation details and route them to the appropriate team. Define what the automated workflow can answer and when a person should take over.

🏢

Franchise Groups

Manage campaign rules across locations and route conversations to the local team. Plan permissions, registration, capacity, and exception handling for each organization.

Common questions

Questions about the outbound workflow engine.

What reply types does OTTO handle automatically?

OTTO routes replies according to the rules configured for your campaign. Common paths include YES to questions, numbered menu selections, supported answers, language selection, and opt-out handling. Define an exception path and agent handoff for replies outside those rules.

What is Prepare Caller and why does it matter?

Prepare Caller tells a contact who plans to call, the number they will use, and the expected timing when those details are configured. Your team receives the collected answers and conversation context. The message prepares both sides for follow-up; it does not guarantee that the call will be answered.

How is reply capacity planned?

Contacts progress through separate conversation threads. Capacity and response timing depend on campaign configuration, phone numbers, registration, carrier limits, and connected systems. Plan the expected volume and test the workflow before launch; capacity is not unlimited.

What happens to contacts who never reply?

Review non-responders and partial journeys as separate campaign segments. If you have permission for the planned follow-up, configure timing, message limits, and stop conditions. Exclude opt-outs and contacts who have already taken the relevant action. A non-response does not create permission for more marketing.

Related features & reading

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