Symphony Core Platform Training Guide

Welcome to your Symphony Core platform training guide. This document covers the essential features you need to master for day-to-day business operations.

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Training Overview

This guide is organized by priority - features that directly impact revenue and customer experience are covered first.

Total Training Time: 18-20 hours over 2 weeks Format: Hands-on sessions with real business examples

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Pre-Training Checklist

Before training begins, ensure these are configured by Symphony Core:

• Phone number purchased and configured
• Stripe account connected for payments
• Email domain authenticated (SPF/DKIM)
• Company logo and branding colors uploaded
• Privacy policy and terms of service pages live
• A2P 10DLC registration submitted/approved
• Sample customer contacts created for practice

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Training Priority Matrix

Priority	Module	Time	Why It's Critical
HIGH	Phone System	2h	Missed calls = lost business
HIGH	Calendar & Scheduling	1.5h	Prevents double-booking, confirms appointments
HIGH	Contact Management	1h	Foundation for all CRM features
HIGH	Invoicing & Payments	1.5h	Cash flow depends on fast invoicing
HIGH	Pipelines	1.5h	Track leads from inquiry to close
HIGH	SMS + A2P Compliance	2h	Required for SMS delivery
HIGH	Basic Workflows	2h	Automates repetitive follow-ups
MEDIUM	Email Marketing	1.5h	Nurture sequences, announcements
MEDIUM	Forms	1h	Lead capture from website
MEDIUM	Conversations Tab	1h	Unified inbox for all messages
MEDIUM	Social Media Planner	1h	Schedule posts across platforms

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Module 1: Phone System

Why This Matters

When potential customers call, they expect a quick response. If you miss calls, they'll call your competitor. Phone handling is directly tied to revenue.

What You'll Learn

1. Answering Calls

   • How calls route to your phone
   • Missed call notifications
   • Call forwarding when you're away

2. Making Outbound Calls

   • Click-to-call from contact records
   • Call logging and notes
   • Recording calls (if enabled)

3. Voicemail Setup

   • Professional voicemail greeting
   • Voicemail-to-text transcription
   • Missed call text-back automation

Best Practices

• Check voicemails at least twice daily
• Update call forwarding when your schedule changes
• Always log call notes for future reference
• Respond to missed calls within 2 hours during business hours

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not checking voicemails daily
• Forgetting to update call forwarding
• Not logging call notes (makes follow-up harder)

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Module 2: Calendar & Scheduling

Why This Matters

Double-booking wastes time and frustrates customers. Proper scheduling with automated reminders reduces no-shows and keeps your day organized.

What You'll Learn

1. Calendar Types

   • Service calendars for appointments
   • Round-robin for multiple team members
   • Blocking time for internal tasks

2. Booking Links

   • Shareable calendar link for website
   • Embedding in email signatures
   • SMS appointment links

3. Appointment Reminders

   • SMS reminders (24h and 1h before)
   • Email confirmations
   • Rescheduling options

Best Practices

• Set buffer time between appointments (travel, prep)
• Send appointment confirmation immediately after booking
• Send reminders 24 hours and 1 hour before
• Include clear instructions for rescheduling

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not setting buffer time between appointments
• Sending too many reminders (3 max per appointment)
• Allowing same-day bookings without review

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Module 3: Contact Management

Why This Matters

Every inquiry is a potential customer. Proper contact management ensures no lead falls through the cracks and past customers can be reactivated.

What You'll Learn

1. Creating Contacts

   • Manual entry from phone calls
   • Auto-creation from forms/calls
   • Required fields for your business

2. Contact Organization

   • Tags for segmentation (Lead, Customer, Past Customer)
   • Custom fields for your business specifics
   • Smart lists for targeted outreach

3. Contact Timeline

   • Viewing all interactions
   • Adding notes after conversations
   • Task assignments

Recommended Tags

Tag	When to Apply
Lead	New inquiry, not yet a customer
Estimate Scheduled	Appointment booked for quote
Quote Sent	Estimate provided
Customer	Actively doing business with you
Past Customer	Completed past project
VIP	High-value or referral source

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not tagging contacts (makes follow-up impossible)
• Skipping notes after conversations
• Letting duplicate contacts accumulate

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Module 4: Invoicing & Payments

Why This Matters

Professional invoices build trust. Online payment options get you paid faster. Tracking outstanding balances prevents cash flow problems.

What You'll Learn

1. Creating Invoices

   • Line items for products/services
   • Deposits and partial payments
   • Due dates and payment terms

2. Payment Collection

   • Stripe integration for online payments
   • Payment links via SMS/email
   • Tracking paid vs. outstanding

3. Invoice Templates

   • Branded invoice template
   • Standard terms and conditions
   • Thank you message

Best Practices

• Request deposits for large jobs
• Send invoices within 24 hours of service
• Include direct payment links in every invoice
• Follow up on overdue invoices at 7, 14, and 30 days

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not requesting deposits upfront
• Sending invoices without payment links
• Forgetting to follow up on overdue invoices

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Module 5: Pipelines

Why This Matters

Pipelines let you see every deal at a glance - who needs follow-up, who's scheduled, who's ready to close. This prevents leads from slipping through the cracks.

What You'll Learn

1. Pipeline Structure

   • Stages for your sales process
   • Moving opportunities between stages
   • Pipeline value tracking

2. Opportunity Management

   • Creating opportunities from contacts
   • Adding notes and tasks
   • Setting expected close dates

3. Pipeline Views

   • Board view (Kanban)
   • List view
   • Filtering by stage, date, value

Recommended Pipeline Stages

Stage	What Happens Here
New Lead	Inquiry received, needs contact
Appointment Scheduled	Meeting/estimate booked
Quote Sent	Proposal provided, awaiting decision
Negotiating	Customer has questions
Won	Deal closed, work begins
Completed	Service delivered, paid
Lost	Did not close (track reason)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not moving opportunities between stages
• Creating opportunities without contact attachment
• Ignoring stale opportunities (set follow-up reminders)

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Module 6: SMS + A2P Compliance

Why This Matters

SMS is essential for appointment reminders and quick customer communication. Without A2P registration, your messages may not be delivered reliably.

What You'll Learn

1. A2P Registration

   • What it is and why it's required
   • Registration process (1-3 business days)
   • Required: Privacy policy, Terms of service

2. Sending SMS

   • Manual one-to-one messages
   • Template messages
   • Bulk SMS (use carefully)

3. SMS Automations

   • Appointment reminders
   • Follow-up sequences
   • Review requests

Sample SMS Templates

Appointment Reminder (24h):

Hi {{contact.first_name}}! Reminder: Your appointment with [BUSINESS NAME] is tomorrow at {{appointment.start_time}}. Reply YES to confirm or call to reschedule.

Quote Follow-Up (3 days):

Hi {{contact.first_name}}, following up on the quote we sent. Do you have any questions? We're happy to help. - [YOUR NAME]

Review Request:

Hi {{contact.first_name}}, thank you for choosing [BUSINESS NAME]! We'd love your feedback. Leave a quick review here: {{reputation.review_link}}

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Sending SMS before A2P approval (messages fail)
• Not including opt-out language in bulk messages
• Over-texting customers (max 3-4 messages per interaction)

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Module 7: Basic Workflows

Why This Matters

Automations save hours of manual follow-up. Lead responses, appointment reminders, and review requests can all run automatically while you focus on your work.

What You'll Learn

1. Workflow Basics

   • Triggers (what starts the workflow)
   • Actions (what happens)
   • Wait steps (timing between actions)

2. Essential Automations

   • New lead auto-response
   • Appointment reminder sequence
   • Post-service review request

3. If/Else Logic

   • Different paths based on response
   • Stopping workflows when goal achieved

Starter Workflows

1. New Lead Response

• Trigger: Form submission or missed call
• Action: Send SMS within 5 minutes
• Result: Instant acknowledgment while you're busy

2. Quote Follow-Up

• Trigger: Quote sent (manual tag or pipeline stage)
• Wait: 3 days, then send SMS
• Wait: 4 more days, send email
• Result: Automated follow-up without manual tracking

3. Review Request

• Trigger: Job marked complete
• Wait: 2 days
• Action: Send review request SMS
• Result: More reviews without remembering to ask

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Creating overly complex workflows (start simple)
• Not testing workflows before going live
• Forgetting to stop workflows when customer responds

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Daily Workflow Recommendation

Morning (5 min):

1. Check pipeline for leads needing follow-up
2. Review today's scheduled appointments
3. Glance at Conversations for overnight messages

After Each Customer Interaction (2 min):

1. Update contact with notes
2. Move pipeline opportunity to appropriate stage
3. Set follow-up task if needed

End of Day (5 min):

1. Log any calls/interactions from the day
2. Return missed calls
3. Review tomorrow's calendar

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Mobile App Essentials

The Symphony Core mobile app keeps you connected when you're away from your desk:

• Notifications: Enable push notifications for new leads
• Calendar: View and manage appointments
• Contacts: Look up customer info before meetings
• Conversations: Respond to messages on the go
• Calling: Make/receive calls from your business number

Download from: App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android)

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Getting Help

Symphony Core Support:

• Email: support@symphonycore.com
• Response time: Within 24-48 hours

Help Resources:

• In-app help: Click the "?" icon in the platform
• In-app Help Center in app.symphonycore.com

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Post-Training Support

Period	Support Level	Activity
Week 1-4	Weekly	30-min check-in calls
Month 2-3	Bi-weekly	Check-ins, reducing dependency
Month 4+	Monthly	Strategy reviews + as-needed support

Success Metric: You're using Symphony Core confidently for daily operations within 30 days.

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Next Steps

After completing this training:

1. Practice daily - Use Symphony Core for every customer interaction
2. Ask questions - Reach out when something's unclear
3. Review workflows - Check automations are working correctly
4. Track metrics - Monitor pipeline value and conversion rates

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Document Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2025-12-22 Maintained By: Symphony Core Systems Team