Automate feedback with an FTP or SFTP feed

If your systems can produce a regular file of customer interactions (for example a daily CSV of everyone whose repair you completed, claim you settled, or case you closed), CustomerSure can collect that file from your server automatically and schedule a feedback request to each customer by email or SMS. No manual uploads, no ongoing effort once it’s running.

This runs on your SFTP or FTPS server. We don’t provide a file host for you to upload to; instead CustomerSure connects out to a server you control, so access stays entirely in your hands.

On a schedule you set, we download any new files, schedule the feedback requests, and delete each file from your server once it has been collected successfully.

Is this the right option for you?

FTP is a good fit when you can drop a file on a server but can’t easily call our API. If your IT team can integrate at the code level, our API is the most flexible and secure option and is worth considering first. If you’d just like to talk it through, get in touch and we’ll help you pick the best route.

Protocols we support

We support two secure protocols. Both encrypt the connection, so the right choice usually comes down to what your server offers and your IT team’s preference.

• SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is our most secure option. It uses SSH and authenticates with a key pair we generate for you, so there’s no password to share. Setting up SFTP involves a quick bit of help from us (see below).
• FTPS (FTP over TLS) is FTP secured with TLS. It uses a username and password and supports both explicit FTPS (usually port 21) and implicit FTPS (usually port 990). You can set FTPS up yourself in your account.

Before you start

Whichever protocol you use, your IT team will need to:

1. Host an SFTP or FTPS server that we can reach over the internet.
2. Allow our connection through your firewall by whitelisting our outbound IP address: 68.183.255.180 (this is static and won’t change).
3. Decide the folder we should collect files from.

Security details for your IT team

You’re welcome to share this page with your IT or security team.

Outbound IP address: 68.183.255.180 (static). All connections to your server come from this address.

SFTP

• Authentication: public key (preferred) or password.
• Keys: we generate a dedicated 4096-bit RSA key pair for your connection and provide the public key to install on your server. Authentication signatures use RSA with SHA-2 (rsa-sha2-512 or rsa-sha2-256). The public key may still be labelled ssh-rsa — that identifies the RSA key format and does not mean the legacy RSA/SHA-1 signature is used. Your private key is stored encrypted in your account, and we can rotate your keys on request.
• Port: 22 by default (customisable).
• Library: our SFTP support is built on the well-established net-ssh Ruby library.

Allowed SSH algorithms for SFTP connections

• Host key
  • ssh-ed25519
  • ecdsa-sha2-nistp256/384/521
  • rsa-sha2-256
  • rsa-sha2-512
• Key exchange
  • ecdh-sha2-nistp256/384/521
  • diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
  • diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
• Encryption
  • aes256-ctr
  • aes192-ctr
  • aes128-ctr
  • aes256-gcm
  • aes128-gcm
• Message authentication (HMAC)
  • hmac-sha2-512-etm
  • hmac-sha2-256-etm
  • hmac-sha2-512
  • hmac-sha2-256
• Client authentication (RSA with SHA-2)
  • rsa-sha2-512
  • rsa-sha2-256

We don’t accept legacy SHA-1-based algorithms such as ssh-rsa, diffie-hellman-group14-sha1 or hmac-sha1. Your server needs to support the modern algorithms above. Any reasonably current SSH/SFTP server does.

FTPS

• Encryption: TLS, using either explicit (AUTH TLS, usually port 21) or implicit (TLS from connection start, usually port 990) mode.
• Certificate verification: optional. If your server presents a valid, publicly-signed certificate, you can switch on certificate verification for an extra layer of protection. It’s a simple tick box you control.

Set up an FTPS feed yourself

FTPS can be set up entirely in your account.

1. Add your host

1. Hover over your name on the main menu and click Company Settings.
2. Click Integrations on the secondary navigation.
3. Use Add a new integration → Add an FTP feed, then add a new host record with your server’s address, username, password and port.
4. If your server requires implicit FTPS, tick Connect using Implicit FTPS.
5. If your server has a valid public certificate, tick Verify the host’s SSL certificate.

2. Create the feed

Choose the host you added, then set:

• the folder path we should collect files from;
• an optional file name filter (only files containing your term are collected);
• the survey and email/SMS template to use;
• the time of day we should check for new files.

3. Test it

On your feed, open Options → Test connection and list files. This connects to your server and shows exactly which files would be picked up at the next scheduled run, or a clear message if anything needs fixing. It’s the quickest way to confirm everything’s set up correctly.

Set up an SFTP feed

SFTP uses a key pair we generate, so setup is a short back-and-forth with us:

1. Get in touch to let us know you’d like an SFTP feed.
2. We generate your key pair and send you the public key to install on your server.
3. Once your server is ready, send us the connection details.
4. We add them to your account, install your private key, and confirm we can connect and collect a file from your folder.

Run as many feeds as you need

You’re not limited to a single feed. Once your host is connected you can create as many feeds against it as you like. Each one can collect a different file from a different folder and schedule a different survey with its own email or SMS template, so you can gather feedback at several points across your customer journey. Some of our customers run more than fifty.

File formats

We can process CSV and Excel (.xlsx) files. Each file should contain the customer details needed to send a feedback request: at minimum a name and email address (or mobile number for SMS). If your file includes columns that specify the survey or template, you can leave those blank on the feed and we’ll use the file instead.

Encrypted files (PGP)

If you’d prefer to encrypt files at rest, we can accept PGP-encrypted CSV or Excel files (.gpg) on either protocol. We’ll give you a public key to encrypt your files with, and CustomerSure decrypts them automatically when it collects them. Get in touch and we’ll set this up for you.

Column mappings

CustomerSure works out which column is which (email address, name, mobile number and so on) from your file’s column headers. Each feed remembers the mapping it used on its first successful import and reuses it from then on, so you don’t need to confirm it on every run.

You can view, add or change a feed’s mappings at any time from Options → View and edit column mappings. This is also how you set up a column that isn’t recognised automatically, before the feed’s first file even arrives.

See how CustomerSure maps the columns in your FTP files for the full detail: how mappings are decided, the rules that apply, and the limitations to know about.

Need a hand?

We’re always happy to work with your IT team to find the best approach. Just get in touch and we’ll help you get set up.