SMS

SMS Notification Options for Admin Escalations

1. Third-Party SMS Services

Twilio (Most Popular)

• REST API for sending SMS
• Reliable delivery with status callbacks
• Supports international numbers
• Pay-per-message pricing (~$0.0075/SMS)
• Easy integration with webhooks

AWS SNS (Simple Notification Service)

• Part of AWS ecosystem
• Good if already using AWS
• Supports SMS globally
• Pay-per-message model
• Can integrate with other AWS services

Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)

• Google’s notification service
• Free for basic usage
• Primarily for mobile apps but supports web
• Good integration with existing Firebase setup

Other Options: MessageBird, SendGrid, Vonage, Plivo

2. Email-to-SMS Gateways

Carrier Gateways (Free but Limited)

• Verizon: number@vtext.com
• AT&T: number@txt.att.net
• T-Mobile: number@tmomail.net
• Sprint: number@messaging.sprintpcs.com

Pros: Free, simple email integration Cons: Unreliable delivery, carrier-dependent, limited formatting

3. Integration Approaches

Direct API Integration

• Call SMS service API directly from Firebase Functions
• Most reliable and customizable
• Requires API credentials management
• Best for production use

Webhook-Based

• Use services like Zapier or Make.com
• Firebase → Webhook → SMS Service
• Less coding required
• Good for rapid prototyping

Email Bridge

• Send email to SMS gateway service
• Leverages existing email infrastructure
• Less reliable than direct API

4. Configuration Considerations

Admin Contact Management

• Store admin phone numbers in Firebase config
• Role-based SMS preferences (admin, tech, manager)
• Opt-in/opt-out mechanisms
• Time zone considerations for delivery

Escalation Triggers

• SLA breach thresholds (response time exceeded)
• Priority-based escalation (Urgent = immediate SMS)
• Business hours vs after-hours handling
• Escalation chains (primary → secondary contacts)

Message Content

• Ticket ID and priority
• Brief description
• Direct link to ticket
• Escalation reason
• Character limits (160 for SMS)

5. Implementation Architecture

Firebase Functions Trigger

• Scheduled function checks for SLA breaches
• Ticket update triggers (status/priority changes)
• Manual escalation button in admin interface

Message Queue

• Queue SMS messages to avoid rate limits
• Retry logic for failed deliveries
• Deduplication to prevent spam

Delivery Tracking

• Log SMS delivery status
• Track escalation history
• Admin acknowledgment system

6. Cost Considerations

Twilio Pricing Example:

• SMS: ~$0.0075 per message
• Phone numbers: ~$1/month per number
• For 100 escalations/month: ~$0.75 + setup costs

Volume Considerations:

• Estimate escalation frequency
• Consider message bundling for multiple tickets
• Rate limiting to prevent spam costs

7. Compliance & Security

Data Privacy

• Store phone numbers securely
• Encrypt SMS content if sensitive
• Comply with GDPR/CCPA for contact data

Opt-in Requirements

• Explicit consent for SMS notifications
• Easy unsubscribe mechanism
• Respect do-not-disturb preferences

8. User Experience

Admin Interface Needs:

• SMS preference settings
• Test SMS functionality
• Escalation history/logs
• Phone number management

Message Design:

• Clear, actionable content
• Consistent formatting
• Include ticket links
• Escalation level indicators

Recommended Approach

For this help desk system, I’d recommend:

1. Twilio for SMS delivery (most reliable)
2. Firebase Functions for triggers (integrates with existing system)
3. Config-based admin phone management (leverages existing settings)
4. SLA-based escalation rules (uses existing SLA system)
5. Email + SMS dual notification (redundancy for critical issues)

This approach provides reliable delivery, good integration with the existing Firebase/React setup, and flexible configuration through the existing admin settings interface.