Start with the channel
SMS and WhatsApp can share customer context, but not setup proof.
SMS
Use the business texting number and the SMS registration, consent, opt-out, and delivery status attached to it. The Messages inbox is where you review SMS conversations.
Use the WhatsApp sender connected to the selected business under Connections. Meta and Twilio registration, ONLINE status, and the WhatsApp reply window apply independently.
Prerequisites
Confirm sender ownership, consent, and channel setup first.
- 1
Select the intended business
Conversation history and sender status belong to the selected business. Do not configure or test from a different business. - 2
Prepare SMS
Complete the business SMS requirements shown in A2P Setup and use only contacts with the required consent. - 3
Prepare WhatsApp separately
Open Dashboard → Settings → Connections → WhatsApp and complete sender registration and verification. - 4
Read the live state
For WhatsApp, refresh until the expected number shows ONLINE. For SMS, check the actual message status after a test send.
A create, registration, or verification acknowledgement proves that step was accepted. It does not prove that a real customer message can travel both ways.
Customer threads
Open the inbox, find the person, and review the message state.
- 1
Open Messages
Go to Dashboard → Messages. The inbox lists SMS conversations for the selected business. - 2
Search by name or phone number
Open the matching thread and confirm the business number, customer number, linked lead, and message direction. - 3
Read delivery evidence
Outbound entries show states such as sent, delivered, or failed. A failed message shows a delivery error when one is available. - 4
Use the channel-specific status
Do not assume WhatsApp works because SMS works. Return to Connections and check the WhatsApp sender status.
Live verification
Prove one inbound and one outbound message on each enabled channel.
- Use a consented test contact and the sender assigned to the correct business.
- Send an inbound test message from the customer device and confirm it appears in the expected customer thread.
- Confirm the inbound direction, phone numbers, content, timestamp, and linked lead are correct.
- Send or trigger the approved reply and verify it reaches that same customer device.
- For SMS, check the resulting sent, delivered, or failed state and any delivery error in the thread.
- For WhatsApp, also confirm ONLINE status for the exact sender. Repeat the round trip through WhatsApp itself.
Ownership
Know whether Kai or a teammate owns the SMS thread.
AI mode
Kai may handle the conversation when the business, channel, consent, and timing rules allow it.
Human mode
Use Take over in the SMS thread when a teammate should own it. Human mode pauses proactive Kai outreach for that lead across calls, SMS, and email until it returns to AI.
Troubleshooting
When a message does not complete the round trip
The customer thread is missing
Confirm the selected business, sender number, and customer number. Search by phone number, then refresh before creating another conversation.
An SMS shows failed
Read the delivery error on that message. Check consent, opt-out state, A2P setup, and the destination before retrying.
WhatsApp is not ONLINE
Refresh the connection and confirm the Meta and Twilio registration belongs to this business and phone number.
WhatsApp is ONLINE, but no message appears
Verify the test was sent through WhatsApp to the registered sender. SMS to the same digits is a different channel.
Kai keeps replying after takeover
Confirm the SMS thread reads Human mode and that proactive automation is paused for the linked lead.
A free-form WhatsApp reply is rejected
Check whether the customer-service window is still open. KaiCalls does not currently provide outbound WhatsApp templates.
Honest limits
Conversation history does not remove channel rules.
SMS and WhatsApp remain separate services even when they relate to the same customer. Consent, STOP/START handling, sender registration, and channel rules still apply. WhatsApp free-form replies are limited to its 24-hour customer-service window, and KaiCalls does not currently provide outbound WhatsApp templates. A queued or sent message is not the same as delivery to the customer device.