Founder Pricing·First 25 merchants, locked in for life·22 of 25 spots left
Town Circle

Help & Support

Answers to common questions about Town Circle.

Need to reach a human?

Email us at hello@towncircle.co and we'll get back to you within one business day.

Got here from a text message? If you replied HELP to one of our messages, this is the right place. For billing issues or to stop all messages, reply STOP to any text and you'll be unsubscribed immediately.

Getting started

How do I add my first member?

Print your QR code (Sidebar → My QR) and put it somewhere customers will see it — counter, table tent, door. Encourage them to scan. They text their phone number to opt in, and members appear in your Customers list within seconds.

How do I create my first offer?

Click "+ New offer" on your dashboard. Add a title, description, and discount details. Save — you'll be taken to "Notify members" to send it out via SMS.

What's the difference between Customers and Members?

Same thing. We use both terms interchangeably — "Customer" is the person; "Member" emphasizes they've opted into your SMS list.

Where do I see who's signed up?

Sidebar → Customers. Shows everyone who's opted into your circle, when they joined, and how many redemptions they've had.

Sending campaigns

How do I send a broadcast to all my members?

Open the offer you want to send → click "Notify members →" → write your SMS body (or use the default template) → click Send.

Can I schedule a campaign for later?

Growth+

Yes — on the Notify page flip the "Schedule for later" toggle and pick a date and time. The campaign auto-sends at that time. Available on Growth and Pro plans.

Can I send to only a subset of my members?

Growth+

Yes — tag members in your Customers list, then on the Notify page choose "Specific segments" instead of "All members." Available on Growth and Pro plans.

How do my members reply to messages I send?

They text back to your dedicated SMS number. Their replies are handled by your AI agent (set up in Settings → Agent rules), and you can see all conversations under each Customer's detail page.

Billing & messages

What counts as a message?

Every outbound SMS we send for you counts as 1 message. Inbound texts from customers don't count. So if you broadcast to 50 members, that's 50 messages.

What happens if I run out of messages?

We'll notify you. You can buy a top-up pack ($59 for +200 or $99 for +400) or upgrade your plan. Top-up credits never expire.

How do I change or cancel my plan?

Sidebar → Billing → Manage subscription. Opens your Stripe billing portal where you can switch plans or cancel.

What's the difference between Starter, Growth, and Pro?

Starter ($49 / 200 msgs/mo) covers a small list. Growth ($129 / 500 msgs/mo) adds scheduled campaigns and member segments. Pro ($249 / 2,000 msgs/mo) is for high-engagement and multi-location merchants. The AI agent is included in every plan.

AI agent

What does the AI agent do?

When a customer texts your number, the AI replies in your voice using your business profile, hours, FAQs, and current offers. Handles questions like "what time do you close?", "do you have WiFi?", "what's on tap tonight?" 24/7.

Can I turn off the AI agent?

Yes. Settings → Agent rules → toggle off. When off, customer messages are queued for you to respond to manually.

How do I customize what the AI says?

Settings → Agent rules → "Persona" and "Tone." Add FAQs in the FAQ section to teach it specific answers. You can also preview replies on the "Test agent" page.

Will the AI text my customer too much?

No. We cap AI replies at 10 per customer per hour to prevent runaway conversations. Beyond that, the customer's next text goes to your conversation view for you to respond manually.

Compliance & privacy

Do I need to worry about TCPA / SMS regulations?

We handle it. Every broadcast auto-appends "Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help." Members must opt in via QR or shortcode — we never let you upload random phone numbers. Opt-outs are honored automatically.

Can I see my customer's full phone number?

Growth+

Phone numbers are masked in lists for shoulder-surf protection. You can export full numbers via the CSV download (Growth+ feature) on your Customers page — your data, your call.

Common issues

My members aren't getting my messages — why?

Check: (1) the campaign status in /dashboard/campaigns (does it say "completed"?); (2) your SMS number is configured (contact support if not); (3) your message body doesn't include "STOP" or "HELP" (those words trigger carrier filters). If still stuck, use the Get help button.

How long does it take to set up my Town Circle account?

About 10 minutes. The 6-step onboarding wizard walks you through your business profile, brand visuals, member welcome, AI agent, preview, and QR code. After that, you're live.