Texting for good client relations

If you're a business owner or entrepreneur, every text message you send your clients should enhance your client relations and should always be compliant with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). Spam messaging remains a persistent issue for Canadian consumers. If you send commercial texts on behalf of a business and you want to maintain trust in your communication with consumers, you've landed on the right page.  

You're likely wondering how you can ensure that your business is using this method of communication in manner that is responsible, and in line with CASL requirements? We've got you covered with a list of things to consider before hitting send on the next commercial text message you fire off on behalf of a business.

• Did the individual provide consent (implied or explicit) to receive SMS messages?

  CASL is technology neutral. You must obtain consent to send commercial electronic messages, including text messages.

• Is your business name included/visible in the SMS message?

  It's important to include your business name in commercial messages, including texts. You can find guidance on ensuring you're identifying yourself in a CASL-compliant manner on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC)'s website.

• Is personal information included in the SMS message or are you asking for personal information?

  Businesses doing e-marketing must be aware of, and abide by, the rules involving the collection and disclosure of personal information. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has developed Guidance for businesses doing e-marketing, which includes steps you can take to avoid contravening the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

• Did you include an unsubscribe option? "STOP" or opt out by other means?

  When you receive a "STOP" text request from a customer, make sure that you respect it. It is not enough for a business to simply offer their clients a "STOP" response. Your customer's wishes must be respected when that unsubscribe mechanism is used.

  Visit the CRTC's frequently asked questions about Canada's Anti-spam Legislation page to learn more about the requirements of a CASL-compliant unsubscribe mechanism.

Train all your employees to follow these practices and make sure that third parties communicating important information to customers on your behalf are also adopting these practices. By following this advice for sending text messages to clients, not only will you be taking important steps towards CASL compliance, you are building your reputation as a business who respects its customers' time.

Beyond CASL: Tips for texting consumers

Pay attention to metrics. You should promptly act on requests for removal from your mailing lists. If your unsubscribe numbers are high, customers could be perceiving your messages as spam, even if they aren't.

Although CASL doesn't stipulate how businesses conduct e-marketing outside of compliance with the legislation, there are additional considerations for using text messages to communicate with consumers in a manner that encourages good client relations:

• If the text is about a transaction: do you reference the customer's order number or provide other details that would allow them to identify what the text message is about?

  Consumers should never click on unknown links so remember that customers will likely hesitate to click on even the legitimate links in your texts. When possible, provide transaction details in the message so customers can easily refer back to a receipt or a purchase confirmation.

• Are you sending SMS messages sparingly? Is there a need to send the message? Is there a call to action that customers need to respond to?

  Making sure you're only using text to communicate the most important information to your customers can help maintain good client relations. They might be more inclined to pay attention when they receive your message if you've set the expectation that you only text them important updates.

Just like for other forms of commercial electronic messages like email or direct messages, CASL compliance is an important part of communicating with consumers when using texts.

Want to learn about the advice we're giving consumers for triaging their texts, check out our Hung up on mobile spam page.