The Ultimate Guide to SMS Communication
Text messaging offers a cost-effective solution for a variety of business needs, including boosting collections, providing real-time updates to your customers and reaching your audience instantly. However, navigating compliance, integrations and analytics can make texting complex. That’s why TCN compiled this guide, complete with do’s and don’ts when using text messages — so you have everything you need to integrate seamlessly, automate efficiently, track your results and reap all of the benefits of texting without stressing about the fine print.
Request a Demo Learn MoreThe benefit of text messaging for contact centers
Text messaging offers your contact center a convenient, personalized and fast way to communicate with customers. It has a variety of uses for your contact center, including quick order confirmations, appointment reminders and real-time updates. In addition, automated responses can efficiently address common questions. Ultimately, by leveraging this tool, you can improve customer satisfaction by enhancing customer interactions – all while boosting overall efficiency.
Traditional channels vs. texting communication
TCN’s 2024 Consumer Survey revealed texting as the fastest-growing and most preferred communication channel for 28% of respondents. By offering one-touch responses and secure, personalized messages, your customers will love the ability to respond on a familiar channel, which then leads to increased loyalty and engagement.
Texting offers speed, convenience and cost-effectiveness while traditional methods like phone calls, emails and chat can be more time-consuming and require more agent attention. While these established practices still have their place, text messaging can complement these channels to provide a more comprehensive and efficient customer experience.
The do’s and don’ts of text messaging
Texting is a powerful tool for engaging customers, but it requires a strategic approach. From ensuring compliance and crafting effective messages to handling customer data and continuing to offer communication options on other channels, TCN understands the challenge of deciphering how to use texting effectively. That’s why we’ve broken it down into this simple list so you can get the most out of text messaging without risking a compliance breach:
Do:
- Obtain explicit, verifiable consent to contact your customers before initiating text messaging communication.
- Provide an easy opt-out mechanism in each correspondence.
- Keep your messages brief and to the point to maximize impact.
- Utilize customer data, like open, click-through and conversion rates, to see what’s working with your audience and adjust accordingly.
- Personalize messages – address your customers by name and cater to their individual needs and preferences.
Don’t:
- Send messages outside of typical business or waking hours.
- Offer texting as your only communication channel. Integrate it seamlessly into your overall omnichannel strategy to give customers the flexibility to engage across multiple channels and boost customer satisfaction.
- Send messages too often. Limit your texting communication to about 2-6 messages per month to avoid overwhelming your customers and hurting your engagement.
- Use a one-size-fits-all approach by sending the same message to all of your consumers. Segment your customer base based on demographics, behavior and preferences to deliver targeted, relevant messages.
Adhering to these guidelines will allow you to use texting to enhance customer engagement, improve communication and drive meaningful results within your contact center without putting you at risk for breaking compliance.
Your go-to texting compliance checklist
You can’t reap the benefits of text messaging in your contact center without being absolutely certain that you are complying with the regulations mandated upon your business. But don’t worry – with the help of TCN, you won’t get lost in the fine print. Here’s a go-to compliance checklist you can turn to for reminders and use to help make sure your compliance is on the right track:
- Before sending any messages to your customers, obtain express written consent to contact them and keep a record of that consent.
- Clearly communicate your terms and conditions to ensure subscribers understand what to expect in your messages.
- Maintain an internal Do Not Call list to help with only contacting those you have consent to contact.
- Provide clear opt-out methods in every message and honor those requests.
- Don’t send messages before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
- Only collect the data necessary for sending text messages and use that data only for the purpose for which consent was given.
- Don’t send text messages on prohibited topics, such as those prohibited under the SHAFT acronym (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms and tobacco).
- Be aware of the guidelines set forth by the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA), such as avoiding generic link shorteners.
Whether you’re looking to ensure compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or other regulations, having easily accessible resources is a great way to help you stay organized and compliant. Check out TCN’s Compliance Center for even more information.
Level up with text messages, no matter your industry
Many customers prefer texting as their primary communication channel, so if your business isn’t utilizing it, you’re missing out on direct, high-engagement opportunities. This is important no matter what industry your business is a part of. In fact, here are a few ways it can work in different industries:
- Healthcare: Effortlessly send appointment reminders and confirmations to free up agents’ time.
- Collections: Increase collections by forwarding payment reminders that show balance updates and allow customers to quickly authenticate themselves and make a payment.
- Customer service: Send timely order status updates and delivery notifications to boost customer satisfaction.
- Financial services: Receive feedback and surveys via text so you can provide the best customer experience possible.
- Utilities: Save time and cut costs by utilizing texting for urgent alerts and service outages.
- Digital media: Send SMS updates regarding subscriptions and forward alerts to keep customers informed of any potential service interruptions.
These industry examples highlight just how essential and impactful texting communication can be for connecting with customers and streamlining operations, no matter your industry.
Choosing the right text messaging strategy for your business
Did you know that there’s more than one way to send a text message to your customers, and that the option you should utilize depends on your unique business needs? In fact, the most widely known type of text messaging, SMS, is just one way to communicate with your customers. Here are the three types of text messaging and when you should use them in your contact center:
Short Message Service (SMS)
As the most basic form of text messaging (supported by all mobile phones and carriers), SMS messages are ideal for concise messages like payment reminders, account balance inquiries and confirmations of payment. However, when drafting these messages, it is essential to remember that they are limited to 160 characters.
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
MMS messages are not as limited when it comes to character count. In fact, not only do they allow content ranging from 550 KB to 1 MB, depending on the carrier, but they can also include images, audio and video clips. As such, MMS messages are ideal for communications such as payment links with clear branding, visual explanations of payment options or longer text-based disclosures that wouldn’t fit in a single SMS message.
Rich Communication Services (RCS)
RCS messages open up a whole new world of text messaging by allowing high-resolution media, interactive buttons, carousels, suggested replies, read receipts, typing indicators, verified sender profiles with logos and more. For example, these messages can transform debtor engagement by including interactive buttons for making payments or a carousel of payment plan options. However, it is important to note that the use of RCS messages is dependent upon carrier and device compatibility.
Understanding the difference between phone numbers
Not only are there different types of text messages, but there are also different types of phone numbers. Understanding these numbering types is critical because each type has distinct characteristics regarding cost, deliverability, brand perception and message volume.
Check out this chart to learn everything you need to know about the three different number types: 10-digit long code (10DLC), toll-free and short code, and how you can choose the best one for your contact center.
| Feature | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10DLC | Standard 10-digit local phone number (e.g., (555) 123-4567). Designed for person-to-person (P2P) messaging, but also enabled for application-to-person (A2P) messaging. Volume typically ranges from 5,000 to 50,000 messages per brand per day | – Can feel less intimidating than an unknown 800-number – Generally lower setup and monthly costs – Supports inbound and outbound messaging as well as voice calls – Faster to provision than short codes | – Limited message volume – More susceptible to carrier filtering without proper registration and compliance |
| Toll-free | 10-digit number with a recognizable prefix (e.g., 800, 888, 877). Free for callers. Usually allowed to send messages in the range of 10,000 to 100,000 messages per day. | – Widely recognized as trustworthy – Supports SMS, MMS and voice calls – Better than long codes for A2P messaging, suitable for mid-volume campaigns – Carriers are generally more forgiving when it comes to compliance once toll-free numbers are verified | – Verification can take up to two weeks – Lacks a local area code – More expensive than long codes |
| Short code (5-6 digits) | Short, memorable five or six-digit number (e.g., 12345, 888888). Primarily for high-volume A2P, potentially hundreds of thousands to millions of messages per day. | – Designed for very high message volumes and rapid delivery – Easy to remember for calls to action (e.g., “Text PAY to 12345”). – Instantly identifiable as official business communication – Pre-vetted by carriers, leading to the highest deliverability | – Significant setup and ongoing monthly fees – Carrier approval can take 4-8+ weeks – Cannot be used for voice calls – Very strict compliance requirements |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Consent is permission to opt-in to receive communications from a business and is required by law under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Additional resources can be found on TCN’s Complete Guide to TCPA Compliance.
Yes. Consent is required before sending text messages to an individual. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforces rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to protect consumers from unwanted calls or text messages.
Express consent comes in the form of an individual agreeing to receive future text communication and can be obtained by asking the customer via text (after they have texted you), a website, verbally or in written form.
No, you cannot send text messages to customers who have replied STOP or have opted out entirely. Using TCN’s Natural Language Compliance to manage consent profiles is easy and will alleviate the nuance of tracking consent profiles and communication preferences, keeping your call center compliant.
Yes. Customers can opt back in at any time or future date following similar opt-in processes.
Today, consumers want more ways to pay bills and receive notifications from businesses they interact with. Increasingly more devices are text-ready. Text messaging is effective at improving engagement, reducing costs and increasing collection rates.
No. There is no additional cost to have your texting numbers verified or registered as a trusted sender with TCN. For more information, please contact us at 866-745-1900.
It’s advisable to avoid using the term “test” when sending test messages, as these could trigger blocks. Additionally, sending similar messages at intervals of half an hour or more to the same destination number from a single source number may result in blocking, as they may be flagged as potential spam.