Role Guide: SMS Agent
For Narqix SMS agents on US real estate campaigns. After this page you will know how to turn text replies into real seller conversations, how to write short human messages, and how to handle opt-outs perfectly, every time.
Track: Real Estate · Role: SMS Agent · Time to complete: 25 min
What this role is
Many owners will not answer a call from an unknown number but will reply to a short, polite text. The SMS agent works the conversation inbox: every reply from an owner lands with you, and you decide, quickly and kindly, what happens next.
Texting is also the channel with the strictest rules. One mishandled opt-out can expose the client to legal claims. That is why Narqix SMS agents are trained to treat compliance as the first part of the job, not the last.
What you own
- Reply handling: reading and answering every inbound reply during your shift.
- Qualification by text: gently learning the Four Pillars, one question at a time.
- Conversion to a call: moving interested owners to a phone conversation with a caller, Lead Manager or acquisitions.
- Opt-out hygiene: every stop request, in any words, coded DNC immediately.
- Tagging and notes: every conversation tagged and summarised in the CRM.
You do not own: deciding who receives texts, writing new campaign templates without approval, or sending texts outside the registered campaign.
Texting rules you must know
These are summarised here. The full detail is in Calling Compliance for Real Estate.
- Texts go only through the client's registered texting campaign (registered under the client's business, not Narqix).
- Texts go only to permitted recipients: owners who gave consent, owners already in a conversation, or owners who agreed during a call to receive texts. Your campaign's rules decide this, not you.
- First-touch texts to cold lists use templates TXT C1 to C3 in the Seller Voicemail and Text Pack, on the lists your campaign has cleared for texting.
- Identify the business in the first message.
- Send only inside the owner's permitted window (Narqix default 9 AM to 8 PM local time, Monday to Saturday, no Sundays or US holidays; stricter state rules apply).
- No more than 3 touches per owner in 24 hours across calls and texts together.
- Opt-out keywords: STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE. The law also counts any reasonable way of saying stop, such as "remove me", "don't text me", "wrong number, leave me alone", or the same in Spanish or any language.
- US rules give a maximum of 10 business days to honor an opt-out. Narqix honors it immediately.
- After an opt-out, send at most one short confirmation if your campaign uses one. Then nothing, ever, from any client campaign to that number.
Never do this: Never reply to "STOP" with a sales message, a question, or "Are you sure?". Never text an owner who opted out from a different number or campaign. Never text outside the permitted window, even if the owner texted you first at night. Wait until the window opens.
How a good text conversation sounds
Short. Human. One question at a time. No pressure.
Example: owner replies "Maybe. What are you offering?"
You: Thanks for getting back to me. I'm (YOUR NAME) with (COMPANY NAME). We buy houses as-is. To give you a real number, our team looks at condition and the area first. Can I ask what's got you thinking about selling?
Them: Tenants moved out and left it a mess.
You: Sorry to hear that, that's stressful. Is it empty now?
Them: Yes.
You: Got it. Would a quick 5 minute call be easier to go over the details? I can have someone call you today or tomorrow, whatever suits you.
Them: Tomorrow after 5.
You: Perfect. Someone from our team will call you tomorrow after 5 PM your time. Thanks, (SELLER NAME).
Why it works: each message has one purpose, the agent shows empathy, and the next step is clear and agreed.
Example: owner replies "Who is this? How did you get my number?"
You: Fair question. I'm (YOUR NAME) with (COMPANY NAME). We contact owners of properties in your area using public property records. If you're not interested, just reply STOP and we won't message you again.
Why it works: honest, calm, and gives an easy way out.
Example: owner replies "Wrong number"
Code it WRONG and, because "wrong number" from an annoyed person is often a stop request, follow your campaign's rule. When in doubt, treat it as DNC. Do not reply with questions.
Example: owner replies with insults or threats
Do not reply. Code DNC. If the message mentions lawyers, lawsuits, regulators or your company's legal name, code LIT-FLAG and escalate to your team lead the same day.
Your daily rhythm
| Block | What you do |
|---|---|
| Start of shift | Check in using your campaign's check-in method, start your tracker. Clear overnight replies (read them now, reply only when each owner's window is open). |
| Priority replies | Interested replies first, then questions, then neutral replies. |
| Opt-out sweep | Confirm every stop request from overnight and today is coded DNC. |
| Conversation block | Work live conversations, aim to reply within minutes. |
| Handoffs | Book calls, send handoffs with notes. |
| End of shift | Every conversation tagged and noted. Report sent. Check out. |
KPIs that matter
Narqix starter targets. Recalibrate per client.
| Metric | Starter target |
|---|---|
| Reply time to inbound messages during your shift | Under 5 minutes |
| Opt-outs coded DNC the moment they are seen | 100% |
| Messages sent outside the permitted window | Zero |
| Interested replies converted to a booked call | 30% or higher |
| Conversations with tags and a CRM note | 100% |
| Handoffs in the standard note format | 100% |
Handoffs
| You receive from | What |
|---|---|
| Data and List team | Permitted, scrubbed contacts loaded to the texting campaign |
| Cold Callers and Lead Managers | Owners who agreed on a call to receive texts |
| You pass to | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Caller or Lead Manager | Interested owners who agreed to a call, with the conversation summary | Within the shift |
| Acquisitions | Hot owners with an agreed call time (if your campaign allows) | Same shift |
| Data team | Wrong numbers, new numbers the owner shared | Same shift |
| Team lead | LIT-FLAG, complaints, carrier warnings or delivery problems | Same day, LIT-FLAG immediately |
Quality checklist
- Every opt-out coded DNC immediately, in any wording or language.
- No texts outside the window.
- Every first message identifies the business.
- One question per message.
- No prices, offers or promises by text.
- Every interested owner given a clear next step.
- Every conversation tagged and noted.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Long messages full of selling points | One or two short sentences. One question. |
| Missing a free-text opt-out ("pls stop") | Read every reply. Keywords are not the only stop. |
| Replying at night because the owner texted at night | Wait for the window |
| Asking for the price first | Motivation first |
| Copy-paste replies that do not match the owner's message | Read, then reply to what they actually said |
| Slang, emojis, all caps | Clear, polite, professional |
Escalation rules
- Immediately: legal threats, regulator mentions, anyone claiming they never consented and demanding records.
- Same day: carrier delivery failures, many complaints from one list, an owner who says they are a minor or not the owner.
Check yourself
- Name the seven opt-out keywords.
- What is the legal maximum time to honor an opt-out, and what is the Narqix standard?
- An owner texts "interested" at 10:30 PM their time. What do you do?
- Why do we send only one question per message?
- Under whose business is the texting campaign registered?
Answers
- STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE.
- 10 business days by law; Narqix honors it immediately.
- Note it and reply when their permitted window opens the next allowed day.
- It keeps the conversation easy, human and quick to answer.
- The client's business, never Narqix's.
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