Why am I not able to start a text thread?

[Kellivon]

As of the last two days, I am unable to text new clients that have booked appointments online. It says: "SMS messages can be sent as a reply to your customer's message." 

Why can I no longer start the text? 

[mksavage]

We're actually experiencing a similar issue when trying to respond to customer feedback that's been submitted in response to a receipt. About half the time we're able to reply, and the rest of the time we receive the same error message you're getting. Curious if this is happening to anyone else!

[MayaP]

Hello @Kellivon @mksavage,

Thank you for reaching out, great question! We’ve made a few updates to Square Messages to minimize potential disruptions in the future. These communications will now be dependent on your customers starting the conversation by replying to service messages, like a receipt, appointment reminder, or order update, just to name a few. We’re also working to re-enable unrestricted outbound messaging capabilities early next year.

We know and understand how challenging service disruptions can be and we apologize for any inconvenience. Please let me know if you have any questions.