Texting with your agent: how to keep its number healthy

Last updated: October 29, 2026

Your agent can text people from its own phone number. Phone carriers and Apple watch closely for automated or unwanted texting, and a number that gets flagged can be permanently banned. A banned number can't be recovered: your agent gets a new number and loses its text history. This guide explains what's safe to ask your agent to do and what to avoid.

What's fine

Use your agent's number the way an employee uses a work phone:

  • Replying to people who texted it

  • Scheduling, reminders and follow-ups with people who already know you or are expecting to hear from you

  • Group texts with your teammates

  • Short, personal messages that invite a reply

What gets numbers banned (please don't ask your agent to do this)

  • Texting a list of people who haven't heard from you (cold outreach by text)

  • Sending the same message to many people, even if only the first name changes

  • Opening with a link, image or attachment to someone who hasn't replied yet

  • Following up again and again when nobody replies

  • Long, salesy messages to new contacts

Built-in limits, and warming up a new number

Your agent has limits in place so it never sends more than a healthy number can handle. For example, it waits for a reply before sending links or attachments to someone new, and it stops following up when people don't respond. If your agent tells you it can't send something yet, this is usually why.

New numbers need to warm up. A brand-new number starts with only a few new conversations a day and builds up gradually over the first few weeks. If you have outreach in mind, ask your agent what it can send right now and work with it as the line warms up, instead of asking for a big send on day one.

Good vs. bad first message

Likely to get the number banned (sent to dozens of people with only the name changed):

"Hi [Name], this is Alex, the AI assistant at Acme Realty. I'm following up on Jordan's email about a confidential 15-minute research conversation. Reply YES and I'll send the booking link, or tell me a day and time that works. Thank you!"

Much safer (written for one person, casual, simple ask):

"Hey Danny, Jordan mentioned you'd be a great person to talk to about where the Phoenix market is headed. Would you be open to a quick 15-min chat this week?"

Need to text a list? Ask us first

SMS campaigns (texting many people at once, marketing or cold outreach) are supported through 10DLC registration, the carrier-approved way to send business texts in the US. It needs setup first: registering your business and campaign, confirming recipients have opted in, and adding opt-out language.

Please email support@runautomat.com before asking your agent to do any mass texting, and we'll get it set up. You're responsible for having consent from the people you ask your agent to contact.

If texts stop going through

  1. Ask your agent to stop texting from that number. Don't have it keep retrying.

  2. Let us know at support@runautomat.com or in your support channel.

  3. Give it a few days. Carrier protections work on rolling windows, so things recover over days, not hours.