How to set up Gorgias automation to reopen a ticket when a customer replies on SMS

Managing SMS conversations in Gorgias is an excellent way to stay connected with your customers. It's a fast, direct channel, and with a few automation rules, you can ensure a perfect workflow. When a customer replies to a conversation you've already closed, you want to be sure that message is seen immediately to maintain a high-quality experience.

Gorgias provides a structured and reliable way of deciding whether a reply reopens an old ticket or creates a new one. By understanding how this system works, you can set up Rules that ensure your agents always have the right context and never miss a follow-up.

This guide will show you exactly how to use Gorgias's built-in Rules to handle these replies. We'll go over how to manage reopened tickets, identify follow-ups that arrive as new tickets, and discuss options for when you want to add further intelligence to your platform.

What you'll need to get started

Before we jump in, let’s make sure you have everything ready to go. It’s a simple process, and you’ll want to have these three things handy:

• An active Gorgias account with admin access. You'll need it to create and refine your Rules.

• The Gorgias SMS channel installed and ready. If you haven't set it up yet, you can easily add it from the Gorgias App Store.

• A rough idea of how your team should handle these SMS follow-ups. Who is the best team for these replies, and what is your goal for response times?

How to set up Gorgias automation for SMS replies

Alright, let's look at how to use Gorgias Rules to keep your SMS follow-ups organized.

Step 1: Understand Gorgias's default ticket reopening behavior

First, it is helpful to understand how Gorgias manages tickets by default. Gorgias utilizes a "reopen window," which is a standardized amount of time after a ticket is closed. If a customer replies within that window, their message reopens the same ticket. If they reply after that window has closed, Gorgias creates a new ticket to keep your records organized.

This window is tailored to ensure reliability across different channels. For example, some integrations like Postscript have a specific 24-hour window, while other channels follow a system setting that ensures platform-wide consistency. For instance, a reply to an email ticket after 10 days will create a new ticket.

The length of the reopen window is a consistent platform-wide setting. Our goal is to create Rules that work alongside this logic to manage the outcome and keep your team informed and efficient.

Step 2: Create a rule for reopened SMS tickets

Let's look at the most common situation: a customer replies within the reopen window, and the ticket reappears in your queue. You want to ensure it is tagged and sent to the right team immediately.

Here’s how to build a Rule for that:

1. Head over to Settings > Automation > Rules in your Gorgias dashboard and click Create Rule.

2. Set up the trigger for the Rule.

   • WHEN "Ticket is updated" IF "Message is created".

3. Add the conditions to specify the situation.

   • IF "Channel is SMS"
   • AND IF "Ticket status WAS Closed"
   • AND IF "Tags DO NOT CONTAIN reopened-sms-handled" (This acts as a helpful tag to ensure the rule runs correctly once per reopening).

4. Define the actions for Gorgias to take.

   • THEN "Add tag reopened-sms"
   • THEN "Assign to team SMS Support" (or your preferred team).
   • THEN "Send auto-reply message". A friendly note like, "Thanks for following up! We got your message and will be back with you shortly," works perfectly.

With this Rule in place, any time an SMS ticket is reopened, it is tagged and assigned correctly, ensuring the customer knows you’ve received their message.

Step 3: Create a rule for replies that create a new ticket

Now for another scenario. If a customer replies after the reopen window has closed, Gorgias creates a new ticket. This keeps your data clean, and your agents can easily review the customer's history to provide a great experience.

This Rule will flag these potential follow-ups for your team.

1. In the Rules section, click Create Rule again.

2. Set the trigger.

   • WHEN "Ticket is created".

3. Add the conditions to identify these tickets.

   • IF "Channel is SMS"
   • AND IF "Subject contains the customer's name" (Gorgias reliably includes this for new SMS tickets).

4. Define the actions to help your team.

   • THEN "Add tag new-sms-follow-up-check"
   • THEN "Add internal note" with a helpful prompt like: "Hey! Just a heads-up, this might be a follow-up to a recent ticket. Might be worth checking this customer's history."

This helps your agents get the full picture quickly so they can provide a helpful response.

Pro tips for mastering Gorgias SMS automation

Setting up these rules is a great way to stay organized. To further refine your SMS support, here are a few advanced tips.

Refining Gorgias rules: Managing high-volume intents

As you scale, you may notice that Gorgias Rules react to every event trigger. For example, a customer sending a quick "Thanks!" will reopen a ticket and trigger an auto-reply just like a detailed question would. While this ensures no message is missed, it means your agents will occasionally review and close tickets that are quick acknowledgments.

graph TD
    subgraph Standard Gorgias rule
        A[SMS reply received] --> B{Ticket reopened};
        B --> C[Assign to team];
        C --> D[Send auto-reply];
        D --> E[Agent handles quick replies];
    end
    subgraph AI-powered workflow (eesel AI)
        F[SMS reply received] --> G{AI analyzes intent};
        G -- "Thanks!" --> H[Auto-close ticket];
        G -- "Real question" --> I[Reopen & assign];
    end

Gaining control over your automation with AI

If you want to add another layer of intent-based logic to your triggers, you can explore AI tools that work within the Gorgias ecosystem. An AI tool can understand the message's intent to complement your existing rules. A tool like eesel AI plugs right into Gorgias and can analyze SMS content to help your team make decisions even faster.

This provides additional options for your workflow:

• Intelligent Triage: eesel AI can review an SMS reply and identify if it is a simple thank you, potentially closing the ticket automatically to save agent time. If it's a specific question, it can ensure it's reopened and prioritized.

• Customizable Logic: You can build workflows that work alongside Gorgias's reopen window, basing actions on message content or customer history. This gives you tailored control over how follow-ups are handled.

• Quick Integration: Tools like eesel AI are designed for a one-click integration that fits perfectly into your current Gorgias setup, allowing you to be up and running in minutes.

Keep your SMS auto-replies short and sweet

SMS is a direct channel, so brevity is key. A friendly confirmation like "Got it! We're on it and will text you back here shortly" is perfect. It manages expectations well without being overwhelming.

Next steps for your Gorgias SMS automation

We've covered how to use Gorgias Rules to manage your SMS queue effectively, from leveraging the platform's reliable reopening logic to setting up rules that tag and route tickets. These steps will help you stay organized and provide great service.

Gorgias Rules provide a reliable, trigger-based foundation that ensures every message is captured. For teams looking to scale and add even more efficiency, incorporating an intelligent layer is a natural next step to help manage ticket volume and focus on the most important customer needs.

Ready to see how you can automate your support and enhance your workflows? Explore how eesel AI can complement your Gorgias setup for even more control.

Start a free trial to see it for yourself or book a demo with our team to learn more.