JobyDesk now translates text messages. Read your customer texts in English and reply in English. They get your reply in their language.

Many of your customers are more comfortable in another language. Now you can text them in it, right from JobyDesk, without copying anything into a translator.

How it works

• Their texts show in English. When a customer writes in Spanish or another language, the English translation appears inside their message.
• You reply in English. Type and press Send as usual. The customer gets your reply in their language. Your thread keeps what you typed, plus a “Sent in Spanish” line with exactly what they received.
• It finds the language for you. Every conversation starts on Auto detect. Once a customer writes a few words in another language, your replies switch to it. Texting first? Choose the language yourself before you send.

On the web app

1. Go to Messages and open a conversation.
2. Below the message box, click Translation.
3. Use the switch to turn translation on or off for this customer, then pick Auto detect or Choose a language.

The button always shows where your next text goes. “Translation: Spanish” means your reply will be sent in Spanish.

On the phone app

1. Open a conversation in Messages.
2. When your replies are being translated, a blue Sends in Spanish · Change line sits just above the text box. Tap it to change the language.
3. To turn translation on or off, or to pick a language before the customer writes, tap ⋮ at the top right, then Translation.

On Android, update JobyDesk to version 1.9.42 from Google Play. The iPhone app gets translation in a later update.

Good to know

• Plans: included in the Standard plan, for companies using the JobyDesk phone system.
• Cost: translating is free. Accented letters (like á or ó) make a text split into parts sooner, so a translated reply can use a little more text credit than the same reply in English.
• Nothing goes out half-done: if a translation can’t be made, nothing is sent. You choose Send in English or Try again.
• Automatic texts stay in English: reminders, On my way, invoice and estimate links, and review requests.
• Languages to choose from: Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Polish and Ukrainian. Auto detect also picks up other languages.
• Turn it off for the whole company: owners and admins can go to Phone system → Settings → Translate texts.