Send voice messages in Messages XR

Messages XR allows site admins to send messages and notifications in multiple languages through multiple channels. As part of the Messages XR package, you may have the option to send voice messages to constituents as Important Announcements. In this article, we'll explain how to distribute your message as a recorded voice message. 

Individuals will receive a recorded message to their "home" or "mobile" phone number. The voice feature will look for a “home” number in the constituent’s profile, and if none is found, it will look for a “mobile” phone number. The default will always be set to “home.”

Note: This feature is currently only available to organizations in the US.

Composing a voice message

After you've named your message, go to the Message Details screen to configure your message and add messaging channels.

Select Important Announcement, and as you add group(s), the total number of users who are subscribed to each channel will appear on the corresponding tab below. You may choose whether to send this message via each channel.

To add a voice message:

1. Go to the Voice tab.

2. Select the toggle for Voice.

3. Select Text-to-Speech and type your message in the field to automatically convert it to an audio recording.

   

4. Alternatively, use the Record Message option to record yourself delivering the message.

   

   Best practice: Let your constituents know who’s calling! As you’re composing or recording the voice message to send, don’t forget to include your organization’s name and an introduction. When the user answers the call, the first thing they will hear is your message.

   Sending a voice message

   Students, parents, and faculty who provide mobile numbers to educational institutions are effectively granting consent to receive voice messages for “important information,” as well as non-emergency messages related to the school's "educational mission."

   How many voice messages you can send is determined by your contract and calculated by “voice minutes.” To find out how many voice minutes your message will use, multiply the length of the message by the number of sends. For example, a 30-second recording sent to 100 people uses 50 voice minutes.

   Unsubscribing from voice messages

   When recipients listen to the voice message, they will hear an audio prompt to press a number to unsubscribe.