What is a deployment schedule?
The deployment schedule for a journey refers to the schedule of when each message within a messaging sequence is sent. In DenGro, the deployment schedule is set based on when the lead is first added to DenGro or when their status changes.
For example, when a lead first submits their details through an online form, they’ll arrive in DenGro and can be set to trigger the first email and/or SMS to be sent to them.
However, when you then mark that lead as having booked an appointment, the sequence of messages specific to that status point will be deployed, based on the date and time that the lead has booked for.
When you then mark that lead as having attended their appointment, the messages will be sent out in relation to the date and time when you marked that lead as having changed their status by attending their appointment.
What triggers a message to be sent?
Each message in a sequence is sent automatically based on how a lead’s profile is updated in the account or certain actions that a user takes with a lead’s profile – we call these actions, triggers.
a. When a new lead is added to the account
When a lead is added into a DenGro account from an online form, that lead is assigned to a messaging sequence automatically, depending on the practice preferences set on the Practice Details page and the set priorities of available sequences.
When a lead is added manually into an account, using the +Add button, the user adding the lead has the ability to choose the relevant sequence and switch OFF any messages within the status for that journey.
b. Changing the lead’s status
When a user changes a lead’s status – for example, from New to Appointment Booked – the user has the ability to switch OFF any available messages in the journey at that status point, that they don’t want the lead to receive.
If messages at a certain status point have been switched OFF as a global practice setting on the Practice Details page, then no changes can be made through the task and the lead will automatically be set not to receive any messages.
c. Pre-set deployment schedule
The pre-set deployment schedule, specific to that sequence, will determine when each message in the journey is sent to the lead.
For Default sequences managed by the DenGro team, the deployment schedule is pre-set based on testing and data analysis.
For Custom sequences created and managed by practices on the Pro pricing plan, the deployment schedule can be changed as required.
How do I change when a message is deployed?
If the account is subscribed to the PRO Plan and you have been granted Editor access on the account, you’ll be able to view the deployment schedule for each journey by going to Practice Messages page and clicking to View the relevant journey.
From there, open the sequence set at each status point of that journey and you’ll see the Deployment Schedule recorded against each message. Simply click the existing deployment time and update as required.
When editing the deployment schedule, make sure you consider any changes that you make to one message in relation to the rest of the messages that will be sent in that sequence.
For example, you wouldn’t want to send the 2nd email before the first one went out; or at the same time as the 4th.
What if I want to send the message as soon as the lead’s details are received or as soon as they change status?
Great, all you need to do is enter 0 to schedule the immediate deployment of the message.
I don’t want to send 4 messages to NEW leads in my custom sequence, can I switch one off?
Yes! Each message in a sequence – whether it’s an email or SMS – can have a status of either ACTIVE or PAUSED. If the message is ACTIVE that means it’s set to send as part of the sequence. If the message is switched to PAUSED then the message will not be sent to leads in the sequence.
