Distribution Channels

The Distribution channels page is connected to the settings of 

• sender information: you can set the name of the sender together with the name of the email address the flow will be sent from ([email protected])
• medium: you can decide which channel to use to send the flow (email, SMS or Viber)
• channel prioritisation: prioritise the channel through which the flow is sent (first send an email, if the email address is not available, send an SMS)

Let’s navigate you through the distribution channels page now.

Starting from the top, you can see the number of channels and rules as the first thing. The list of all distribution channels (the main table) consists of the following information:

• Name: The name usually represents the name of the campaign the channel is created for. If more distribution channels are created, feel free to use the search bar to find the channel you need based on its name.
• Medium: The type of channel we use for flow distribution.
• Provider: Name of predefined (NTH or Mandrill) providers (gates) or own gates used for distribution.
• Last edited: Date of the last edit of the channel.

The list of all distribution rules (the main table) consists of the following information:

• Name: The name usually represents the name of the campaign the rules are created for. If more rules are created, feel free to use the search bar to find the rule you need based on its name.
• Channels: Number of channels used in the rule.
• Last edited: Date of the last edit of the rule.

You can sort both lists based on any of the parameters above.

You can proceed following changes on this page:*

• Create a new Distribution channel
• Duplicate existing Distribution channel 
• Adjust existing Distribution channel
• Delete existing Distribution channel
• Create a new Distribution rule
• Duplicate existing Distribution rule 
• Adjust the existing Distribution rule
• Delete existing Distribution rule

*Find out more about specific settings by clicking the section name.

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Creating a distribution channel

You can start setting up the Channel by visiting the “Distribution channels” section in Settings and clicking on the “+ Create channel” button.

You must start setting up the channel first and then continue with Creating a distribution rule. A new window pops up, where you fill in the following input fields:

• Name: the name usually represents the campaign the distribution channel is connected to (name of the team, structure entity, product, etc.)

• Medium: choose the medium (channel) you’d like to use for the questionnaire distribution. If you’d like to use more channels for the same campaign, you’ll need to create more channels = one channel for each medium. You can choose email, SMS, Viber or even WhatsApp to reach out to your customers/employees.

• Platform: decide if you want to use Staffino gates (providers) or prefer your own gate.
  A: Staffino – if Staffino is selected, we’ll use our providers and domains to distribute the questionnaires. For example, email requests will be sent from the [email protected] email address.
  B: Own key – additional settings are required; we’ll need to integrate them with your gate. Please get in touch with [email protected] in such a case. Integration usually takes up to 3 MDs.

• Provider: Only valid if the “Staffino platform” was chosen or once the integration with your own gate is finished. The provider is automatically preselected based on the medium chosen, and you can check out the pricing for the distribution here.

Press the “Continue” button to set additional information:

• Name of the sender: usually represents the name of your organisation or a team the channel (and campaign) is connected to (example: Staffino or Staffino Support Team)
• Email address of the sender (email channel only): Usually, the first part of the email represents the name of your organisation or a team the channel (and campaign) is connected to (example: [email protected])
  ⚠️ please note if the Staffino provider (Mandrill) is used, the email address has to end with the Staffino domain ([email protected]). Otherwise, the email distribution won’t work at all.
• Enable countries (SMS and Viber only): choose the countries you want to send the SMS or Viber messages to from the dropdown. To remove currently enabled countries, click on the “x” option next to the country you want to delete.

Once all of the above is set, use the option “Save” to save the new channel or the option “Cancel” to destroy all settings and start all over again.

The first channel you create for each medium is automatically marked as the default one.

Now when we successfully create a new channel, let’s get it into use by setting up the Campaign triggers.

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Duplicating a distribution channel

If you need to create the same Distribution channel as one already in use or create a similar one, feel free to use the “Duplicate” option. This can be done in three different ways:

1. By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to duplicate and choosing the “Duplicate” option.

2. By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the channel you want to duplicate and choosing the option “Duplicate” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you’d like to duplicate more than one channel at once.

3. By clicking on the row where the channel is placed and choosing the “Duplicate” option in the “context menu (three dots)” situated in the top right corner.

If you need to adjust the duplicated channels, visit the section Adjusting a channel for more info.

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Adjusting a distribution channel

When it comes to changes within Distribution channels, you can change the following:

1. Name of the channel: This is done by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to adjust and choosing the “Rename” option.

Another way is by clicking on the row where the channel is placed and choosing the “Rename” option in the “context menu (three dots)” situated in the top right corner.

In both cases, a new window appears where you can simply rewrite the original name with a new one. Don’t forget to confirm the rewrite via the “Save” button.

2. Name of the sender: This is done by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to adjust and choosing the “Edit” option.

Another way is by clicking on the row where the channel is placed.

In both cases, a new window appears where you can simply rewrite the original sender name with a new one. Don’t forget to confirm the rewrite via the “Save” button.

3. Email address of the sender: This is done by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to adjust and choosing the “Edit” option.

Another way is by clicking on the row where the channel is placed.

In both cases, a new window appears where you can simply rewrite the original sender email address with a new one.

Don’t forget to confirm the rewrite via the “Save” button.

⚠️ Please note if the Staffino provider (Mandrill) is used, the email address has to end with the Staffino domain (xy@staffino.com). Otherwise, the email distribution won’t work at all.

4. Enabling/Disabling countries for SMS distribution: This is done by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to adjust and choosing the “Edit” option.

Another way is by clicking on the row where the channel is placed.

In both cases, a new window appears where you can simply remove currently enabled countries by clicking on the “x” option next to the country you want to delete or adding new countries by choosing them from the dropdown. Feel free to check the current pricing for SMS distribution before you enable new countries: Pricing here. Don’t forget to confirm the changes via the “Save” button.

If the distribution channel you just adjusted has already been a part of the Campaign Trigger, new adjustments already apply.

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Deleting a distribution channel

Deleting a Distribution channel is a simple process that can be done in three different ways:

1. By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to delete and choosing the “Delete” option.

2. By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the channel you want to delete and choosing the option “Delete” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you’d like to delete more than one channel at once.

3. By clicking on the row where the channel is placed and choosing the “Delete” option in the “context menu (three dots)” situated in the top right corner.

In any case, a new window always shows up where you must confirm your decision to delete the channel(s). After your confirmation, the distribution channel will be successfully deleted.

⚠️ Please note once you delete a channel that was used in the currently running campaign, it is also removed from a Campaign trigger. Therefore, no imports will be processed successfully until a new channel is added to the Campaign trigger.

⚠️ Please note you are not able to restore deleted channels, so here is a guide on how to Create a distribution channel.

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Distribution rules

Distribution rules are used for the prioritisation of Distribution channels. You can set a different priority for setting up channels through which the flow is sent.

Example: We created two channels, one for email and another for SMS requests. In the imported data, the email address is available for most of the contacts, and the phone number is available for some contacts, including those without email addresses. In rule settings, we specify that the email channel has a higher priority and the SMS channel has a lower priority. With these settings, the system will look at the column with the email address first, and in case the email address is missing, the system will check the column with the phone number – if available, the system will send the flow via SMS.

To create a new rule, there needs to be at least one Distribution channel created.

You can start setting up the distribution rules by visiting the Distribution channels section in Settings and clicking the “+ Create rule” button. A new window pops up where you name the rule first. The name usually represents the campaign the rules & channels are connected to (name of the team, structure entity, product, etc.). Since every rule needs at least one channel, you can add them by clicking the “+Add channel” option.

A new window opens where you select relevant channels by checking the checkbox next to their name. Confirm your selection using the “Add” button and save your new rule.

If you only use one channel, you can save the new rule via the “Save” button.

If more channels are used, you set the priority by dragging and dropping the channels to the preferred position/order. The channel placed at the top has the highest priority.

If you want to use both channels in one campaign (to send both email and SMS from one interaction), choose the option “Continue” from the “Action” dropdown.

If you want to use only one channel, keep there the preselected option “Stop if successful“. Check out the Distribution rules adjustments if you need to adjust anything within a created rule.

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Duplicating a distribution rule

If you need to create the same Distribution rule as one already in use or create a similar one, feel free to use the “Duplicate” option. This can be done in two different ways:

1. By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the rule that you want to duplicate and choosing the “Duplicate” option.

2. By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the rule you want to duplicate and choosing the option “Duplicate” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you’d like to duplicate more than one rule at once.

If you need to adjust the duplicated rules, visit the section Adjusting a distribution rule for more info.

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Adjusting a distribution rule

When it comes to changes within Distribution rules, you can do the following:

1. Renaming the rule:
By clicking on the row where the rule is placed or by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the rule that you want to rename and choosing the “Edit” option. Replace the original name with a new one in the “Rule name” input field. Don’t forget to confirm the change via the “Save” button.

2. Deleting the rule:

• By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the rule that you want to delete and choosing the “Delete” option.

• By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the rule that you want to delete and choosing the option “Delete” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you want to delete more than one rule at once.

⚠️ Please note channels used in the group won’t be deleted if you delete the rule only.

3. Changing priority of channels in the rule:
By clicking on the row where the rule is placed or by clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the rule that you want to adjust and choosing the “Edit” option. Use the drag-and-drop option to replace the channels and change the priority. Channel placed at the top has the highest priority. If you want to use both channels in one campaign (to send both email and SMS from one interaction), choose the option “Continue” from the “Action” dropdown. If you want to use only one channel, keep there the preselected option “Stop if successful“.

4. Adding channels to the rule: You have several options here:

• By clicking on the row where the rule you need to make the changes to is placed and choosing the “+Add channel” option.
• By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel that you want to add and choosing the “Add to rule” option.
• By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the channel you want to add and choosing the option “Add to rule” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you’d like to add more than one channel at once.
• By clicking on the row where the channel is placed and choosing the “Add to rule” option in the “context menu (three dots)” situated in the top right corner.

5. Removing channels from the rule: You have several options here:

• By clicking on the row where the rule you need to make the changes to is placed and choosing the option “Remove from the rule” from the “context menu (three dots)” in the row where the channel is placed.
• By clicking on the “context menu (three dots)” placed at the end of the row of the channel you want to remove and choosing the “Remove from the rule” option.
• By checking the check box placed at the beginning of the row of the channel that you want to remove and choosing the option “Remove from the rule” from the “Actions” dropdown. This option is better when you want to remove more than one channel at once.
• By clicking on the row where the channel is placed and choosing the “Remove from the rule” option in the “context menu (three dots)” situated in the top right corner.

You’ll always be asked if you are sure about this action, and after your confirmation, the channel(s) will be removed successfully.

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Staffino providers pricing

Emails are free of charge in Staffino, and the distribution is managed through the Mandrill provider.

For SMS and Viber, we only invoice the real spent (cost of the message) without any additional fees, and the messages are distributed through the NTH provider. Up-to-date pricing can be found here.

We are also able to integrate with your gates. In such a case, please reach out to [email protected].