What is Two-Way SMS?

An SMS communication mode that enables both sending outbound messages and receiving inbound replies from customers, supporting real-time interactive conversations.

Two-Way SMS transforms text messaging from a one-directional broadcast into a genuine dialogue channel. It allows businesses to receive replies from customers, enabling use cases like customer support, appointment confirmations, survey responses, keyword-based campaigns, and opt-in/opt-out management. A two-way SMS setup requires a virtual number or shortcode that can receive inbound messages, which are then processed by the business's application via webhooks or polling. BhashSMS's two-way API supports real-time webhook delivery of inbound messages, enabling instant response workflows. This capability is particularly valuable for healthcare (appointment confirmations), retail (order queries), and support-heavy industries.