You can save and use international phone numbers in Cents. Some countries support two-way texting (customers can reply), while others are outbound-only (customers can receive texts but can’t reply). If a country isn’t supported, the number may still save, but SMS/OTP won’t work.
What this feature does
Cents supports adding international phone numbers for customers (and in some areas, team/business contact numbers). This helps you:
Add customers who don’t have a US/Canada number
Send order updates via SMS to international numbers (when supported)
How to enter an international number
Open the customer profile (or the screen where you’re entering a phone number).
Select the country from the dropdown.
Enter the phone number (no need to manually type the + if the field formats it for you).
Save.
Tip: If you’re copying/pasting a number, the safest format is:
+<country code><number> (Example: +442071838750)
What the status labels mean
You may see one of these labels next to a phone number:
Two-way (can reply)
The customer can receive texts from you and reply back via SMS.
Outbound-only (can’t reply)
The customer can receive texts from you, but cannot reply via SMS.
✅ Good for order updates
❌ Not good for SMS conversations
Not available for messaging
The number may be saved in the customer profile, but Cents can’t send SMS/OTP to it right now.
OTP (login codes) for customers
If the customer’s country/number supports SMS, OTP texts can be delivered.
If the number is Not available for messaging, OTP texts will not deliver.
Common questions
Can I still save a number that can’t receive texts?
Yes—Cents may allow saving it, but it will be marked as not available for messaging.
What should I do if a customer can’t reply to texts?
That’s expected for outbound-only countries. Use a different channel for replies (call/email), or ask the customer for a two-way-supported number.
What to do if the customer can’t receive an OTP (LiveLink)
If a customer enters their phone number on LiveLink but doesn’t receive the one-time passcode (OTP), use this checklist.
1) Confirm the phone number format + country
Make sure the correct country is selected in the dropdown.
Re-enter the number in a clean format (best practice):
+<country code><number> (Example: +447911123456)
If they copied/pasted the number, remove spaces/symbols and try again.
2) Confirm the number can receive SMS
OTP is sent by text message, so it won’t work if the number can’t receive SMS.
Ask the customer:
“Is this a mobile number (not a landline)?”
“Are you currently traveling or roaming?” (some carriers block SMS abroad)
“Do you have SMS short code / international SMS blocked by your carrier?”
3) Check whether the country supports OTP/SMS
Some countries or number types are not available for messaging.
If the number/country is not supported, the customer may be able to continue using an alternate method (example: email-based contact/updates), but OTP by SMS will not deliver.
4) Basic device checks (quick wins)
Have the customer try:
Turn airplane mode on/off
Restart phone
Confirm they can receive any other text messages right now
Check spam/blocked messages (some Android SMS apps filter unknown senders)
5) If it still fails
Collect the minimum info needed for Support escalation:
Phone number with country code
Country selected in LiveLink
Timestamp + customer timezone
Screenshot of the OTP screen + any error/warning shown
Whether the number is mobile vs landline/VoIP
Whether they’re roaming or using a dual-SIM number