Lesson 6: Creating API Workflows
What is a workflow?
A workflow is a series of email and text message actions that are automatically sent based on predetermined rules. Workflows should be created to reduce any redundant processes.
What is an API workflow?
API Workflows are automatically applied to a new lead the instant it comes into your MVP account through integration (Everquote, QuoteWizard, Zapier, etc.). Speed to contact and getting the consumer to WAIT for YOUR quote is critical.
NOTE: You can only have ONE API Workflow per lead provider.
Follow these steps to create an API Workflow:
- Click "Create API Workflow"
- Type in the name of the workflow you are creating.
Note: We recommend labeling it the name of the lead provider. For example "Everquote" or "Zapier" and so on.
- Select the API Marketing Source you want this workflow to apply to (The Marketing Source identifies the specific marketing campaign that brought this lead into the agency for example “EverQuote” or “AllWebLeads”).
4. Choose how you would like your API leads distributed amongst your staff, either disbursed automatically or manually.
Automatically Distribute Leads-
- Even Distribution - This will distribute the API leads as they come in for your selected staff members evenly.
- Weighted Distribution - This will distribute the API leads based on what percentage you choose for each staff member in their designated drop down. Works on each slice of 20 leads. Over the course of each of those slices, it ensures that the correct percentage will go to each, but the order in which it does so is random. So if you have 20%, 30%, 50%, for each 20 leads that come through, 4 will go to A, 6 will go to B, and 10 will go to C, but the exact order in which they go to them is random. In this case, there is no reset by day - it just resets once each "slice" of 20 is completed.
- Numbered Distribution - This will distribute the API leads based on how many leads you want each staff member to receive the API source. Will fill numbers evenly until each user hits their cap, then all remaining stay with the org owner/parent org (depending on if its user or sub-agency round robin). It resets at the beginning of each day. So if you have Users A, B, C with caps of 2, 3, 5, it will go A, B, C, A, B, C, B, C, C, C.
Once the lead gets assigned, it will be visible to the staff member on the My API Leads call view page and the household owner will receive the text and email notifications.
Distribute Leads Manually -
All API leads will come into the API Leads call view page for everyone at the agency to see. Ownership will have to be taken manually by clicking the Convert to Lead button on the details page of that household.
5. Other Settings:
On-Failure Settings - If a specific workflow action fails (either due to bad phone number or invalid email), what you would you to happen to the workflow? You can either choose to halt the entire workflow or skip the failed action and attempt to send the next action. Our recommendation is to "Skip Action".
Opt-Out Continuation Options - If a household responds "STOP" to a workflow text, this gives you the option to continue the workflow with your email/task actions.
- Choose which staff member you want to receive all email replies from this workflow. Then, choose whose email address you want these emails to come from.
Example: You may want the office manager to receive any email replies to distribute the leads amongst the producer, but you may want the from email address to look like it is coming directly from the agent.
7. Add SMS and/or email actions. Type in the wording of your choice.
Tip: We recommend using a text message (SMS action) as the 1st action for API workflows. This message should state the Agency’s name, that they have received the lead’s info and they are working on their quote followed by a question such as: "Would you prefer that I TEXT or EMAIL your quote to you?
8. Select the amount of time you would like between each action - read below to learn about action timing
9. Once the workflow has completed all actions, you can have MVP automatically transition to an X-Date workflow. Please click here to read about how to set up an X-Date workflow.
Note: Keep in mind, if they respond via text to any of the automated text actions OR if someone logs a call as "Answered" or "Inbound" it will automatically halt the workflow. This means it will NOT transition to an X-Date Workflow.
10. Save Workflow!
Delivery Settings
In API Workflows, you will choose what time you want the 1st action to occur after the lead comes in. In the second action, you will choose how much time you want it to occur after the 1st action was completed. And so on for each action.
NOTE: The actions will default to only go out between 8 AM and 8 PM per TCPA Compliance. This is based on the time zone in your organization settings. You can adjust the days of week/times of day your workflow actions get sent in your Workflow Settings.
FOR EXAMPLE: Since these are integrated leads, you'll probably choose to have Action 1 go out immediately. This means that once the lead comes in, they will immediately receive the first action. Then, if you choose "1 Day" for Action 2, that means that the second action will go out 1 day after Action 1. This is because your actions time range is the amount of time after the LAST action occurred.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT TEXTING – It is highly suggested that you always make sure you have received consent to text prior to texting any households. Please make sure you have a TCPA compliance message allowing the households to opt out at least once every 30 days. Because of this, it is not recommended to create workflows that involve texting if you are purchasing aged leads.
Editing, Cloning, & Deleting Workflows
From the Workflows main page not only are you able to create workflows, but you can see any workflows that have been created within your agency. These are visible for every staff member. You have the option to edit, clone, or delete workflows.
Edit
Click “Edit” to edit a workflow that has already been created.
Tip: Reviewing & editing workflows should be done based on the response rates.
Click “Clone” to duplicate an entire workflow.
Tip: If you purchase leads from multiple providers, create one API Workflow, then clone that workflow to create an API Workflow for each lead provider. Make sure to change the name and the marketing source.
Click “Delete” to delete an entire workflow.
Note: Once you delete a workflow, you cannot recover it.
Be sure to take a look at our Workflow Templates on your Workflows page!