How to set up your own Twilio account so FieldKrew can text customers.
FieldKrew uses bring-your-own Twilio for SMS — texts get billed to your Twilio account at Twilio's cost (~$0.008 per SMS in the US), and your phone number stays yours forever. Setup takes ~20 minutes. Step 1 — Create a Twilio account Go to twilio.com → Sign up. Verify your real phone number (Twilio's anti-fraud — uses your cell to send a code). On the trial dashboard, you'll see a "trial balance" (usually style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a"5.50). Trial mode lets you send to verified numbers only — fine for setup testing, but you'll need to upgrade your account (add a payment method) to send to actual customers. Step 2 — Buy a phone number Twilio console → Phone Numbers → Manage → Buy a number . Filter: Country = US, Capabilities = check SMS (MMS optional for picture messages). Filter by area code if you want a local number to your business. Pick one and click Buy . Costs ~ style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a".15/month in the US. Step 3 — Register for A2P 10DLC (REQUIRED in the US) As of 2023, US carriers require business SMS senders to register. Without this, your texts will be filtered as spam or blocked. Twilio console → Messaging → Regulatory Compliance → A2P 10DLC . Register a Brand : your legal business name, EIN (or "sole prop" + your SSN), business address, website. Fee: $4 one-time. Register a Campaign : pick "Mixed" or "Account Notification" use case. Describe what you'll send (e.g. "Appointment reminders, on-my-way notifications, invoice reminders, and quote follow-ups to existing customers.") Sample messages: paste 2-3 examples. Fee: style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a"0 one-time + ~ style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a".50/mo. Approval is usually instant for sole-prop / low-volume, 1-3 days for higher-throughput. Until approved, expect ~50-70% delivery. Step 4 — Grab your credentials Twilio console → Account → API keys & tokens. Copy your Account SID (starts with AC... ). Reveal + copy your Auth Token . Step 5 — Wire it into FieldKrew FieldKrew → Settings → Customer comms → Messaging. Paste your Account SID and Auth Token . Paste your Twilio phone number in E.164 format (e.g. +15309998888 ). Click Save. Step 6 — Set up the inbound webhook (so replies route back) So when a customer replies, the text shows up in your Conversation panel instead of getting lost on Twilio's side. In Twilio: Phone Numbers → Manage → your number → click into it. Scroll to Messaging Configuration . Under "A message comes in" → Webhook → paste: HTTP method: POST . Save. Step 7 — Test From FieldKrew, open any contact with a phone number → log a 💬 Text. Reply from your real phone — within seconds it should appear in the Conversation panel. Costs to expect Phone number: ~ style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a".15/month A2P 10DLC brand: $4 one-time, then ~ style="max-width:780px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;color:#0f172a".50/mo campaign fee Per text sent: ~$0.008 (US, after carrier surcharge) Per text received: free For a typical operator sending ~200 texts/month: roughly $5/month in Twilio. FieldKrew doesn't add a markup.