CS4 for 2022 and SMS Messaging

Modified on Mon, 03 Jan 2022 at 12:30 PM

Over the last year we have been maintaining and rebuilding Call Steward against new web technologies that will carry us forward into 2022. These improvements in both code and infrastructure should bring you improvements in performance for years to come. Please review the bullet points below.


1) SMS Messaging
The cost of SMS messaging at scale has increased dramatically in 2021. New policies handed down from the carriers have forced us into including more standard language into our SMS, forcing a second segment to many messages. This increases the segment or message count. Additionally, carriers are back billing for crossing their network to reach your cell phone, increasing that cost again.  Please Google 10DLC for more information.


To adjust to these new rules and expenses, we are not raising the subscription cost to you, but passing on the actual cost of SMS messaging. This will be billed monthly, along with a log of those billed segments, at 0.0085 per segment. 


Available to Admin and Power users, you can monitor your usage. Clicking on the SMS Sent link will show you the current log. Logging begins Feb 1, 2022 and Feb SMS will be billed March 1, 2022, and monthly thereafter. This is a change to our service agreement as disclosed on your regular invoice.


We will continue to look for other avenues through our api, other providers and integrations, to reduce these direct costs of SMS messaging.



2) Assign Page Search

The Assign page now has a search that accommodates NAMES, ZIPCODE, and CITY. Please see the image above.


3) Right Click on the Eyeball

User schedules are now available to the right click on the eyeball for a new tab.


4) User Customizable Notify Messages
This new feature can be found in the Configuration menu, available to the Admin. Limit 10


5) New Edit Tools

When editing a call, in Bulk or Individual, the Pencil now has new features.
KEEP RATE
KEEP NOTES
KEEP CONFIRMATION
Previously, the state of the edit form would erase some of this data. Now you can keep it.

Keep Confirmations, allows you to edit a call for a time change and avoid the Phone Sheet.



6) Possible Calls For....
This page looks at the skills of the employee and shows the possible slots that are available over the next 15 days.

Search for a name or Seniority number. Dispatch that employee. Then advance to the next employee, by seniority, or by last offer of work.


7) Translations
Call Steward is now available in different languages. English, French, and Spanish.
The framework is in place so all you have to do is select your language and login.

Mostly this is on the mobile pages.  As time goes on more and more of the website pages will also be translated.



8) 1st Quarter of 2022

    Over the next quarter we will also be releasing or working on the following major projects;

       - downloadable app for iOS and Android with better app notifications, to aid in getting away from SMS.

       - a premium feature for payroll estimates or draft payroll reports

       -a re-tooling of iCal integration for better schedule updates through the app with notifications.

       - more status options for Stewards; Late, No Show, and Sent Home


If you have any questions about these updates please reach out.


Ed Hills

Owner, Call Steward, LLC

1-855-LOAD OUT

1-855-562-3688




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