Messaging channels

Occasionally you might want to send a message to employees to promote app content, give a call to action, or request information. Sending a message can be an effective way to bring attention to something, when used sparingly.

Four different options are available for sending messages, described below.

A push notification pushes a message to the user's device through the Refresh app, when the app isn't open. As long as users have downloaded the app and haven't disabled push notifications, they'll receive an immediate alert to their device. If users are only using Refresh through the website, they won't receive a push notification.

The following is how a push notification appears.

A text message is sent to their device through their mobile phone number. When users register for the app or use single sign-on, they're not required to enter their mobile phone number, but you could request they provide one and opt in to receive text notifications. Phone numbers could also be added later.

Below is how a text message appears.

This option allows you to send a message to the email address they provided when registering for the app. Depending on the user's email settings, the message could end up in their junk folder, so there is a chance they may not see it.

This option searches for the Best channel for each user, through push notification, text, or email, and sends it that way. This increases the likelihood that your message is received. What channel they receive the message through depends on if they've downloaded the app, provided their mobile phone number, and their individual email settings.

The user only receives one message, via the first channel that's successful.

This option also gives you control over which of the channels are used, so you could leave one channel out. In the message setup you can select any two channels, or all three.

The flowchart below shows how the Best channel per user option works, when all three channels, push, text, and email, are used.