Your agent gets a real phone number. Save it as a contact: text it like a friend, call it and talk, and let it phone people for you. Book a table, move an appointment, check if a shop has something in stock. When others call, your agent answers as your assistant, takes a message and sends you a short note.
Setup takes three steps on a page linked from your server page: paste your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token (a free Twilio trial works), pick a number from the list, and enter your own mobile number. Your agent texts you to say hello.
What you get
- Texting: your agent's number becomes a chat with your agent (Hermes' built-in SMS channel). It texts anyone you ask it to, and reads texts from others, including verification codes
- Calls both ways, in 8 languages: your agent listens, thinks and speaks on the phone. It calls people with a purpose you give it and reports back with a summary
- When others call: your agent answers and takes a message, or your phone rings first, or plain voicemail written out for you. Optional PIN for your own calls
- A contact card with QR code, so the number is in your phone in seconds
- WhatsApp on the same number: with the WhatsApp Bridge kit, register WhatsApp Business on your agent's number; the code shows up on this page. One contact for texts, calls and WhatsApp
Costs at Twilio, paid to Twilio: a US number is about $1.15 a month, texts and call minutes a few cents each. Other countries cost more and often need an address or ID at Twilio first.
How it works: the kit configures Hermes' own SMS channel with your Twilio number and answers Twilio's call webhooks on your server's public kit address (every request is checked against Twilio's signature). Each turn of a call goes to your agent through Hermes' local API, so calls use your agent's usual model and tokens. Only your own number can chat with your agent; texts and calls from others are treated as messages, never as instructions.
Outbound connections: api.twilio.com and pricing.twilio.com.
Requires the Hermes agent (choose Hermes when deploying a POCKETCORP) and a Twilio account. Installing asks for one sudo approval on your dashboard, for the page's background service; turn on auto-approval first for a hands-free install. Uninstalling takes the number away from your agent; the number stays in your Twilio account until you release it.