Automated messaging: United States Patent 9992642

Approaches provide for generating an introductory text message to be delivered to a recipient when a voice-enabled communications device is used to send a message to the recipient for a first time. For example, audio input data that includes an instruction to send a text message can be received and an application can analyze the audio input data to determine an instruction to send a text message, a message body, and an intended recipient of the text message. The application can determine whether a text message has previously been sent to the intended recipient using the voice-enabled communications device or another device associated with the customer's account. In the situation where a text message has been sent, a text message is generated that includes the message body and the application causes the text message to be sent to the intended recipient. In the situation where it is determined that this is the first time a text message is being sent to the intended recipient using the voice-enabled communications device or another device associated with the customer's account, an introductory text message is generated and the application causes the introductory text message and the text message that includes the message body to be sent to the intended recipient.