Texting Guide for Compliance Communication

Compliance communication works when messages are timely, accurate, and easy to acknowledge. Clear texts reduce risk by guiding employees and customers to the correct action. TextUs helps teams deliver compliant notices with tracking and fast responses.

How TextUs Fits Compliance Communication Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can send policy updates, attestations, and incident notices to defined groups from your HRIS, CRM, or compliance system. You can attach PDFs or images, such as policy one-pagers, acknowledgment forms, or reference cards, so people can act inside the thread.

Keywords like ACK, INFO, or HELP can enroll contacts in Sequences that confirm receipt or route questions to the right team.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox where compliance, HR, and legal can assign owners and respond with templates. Integrations can sync contacts, timestamps, and acknowledgment outcomes back to your system of record.

You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs to support audits and training reports.

What to Set Up First

Connect your HRIS, CRM, or training platform so roles, locations, and compliance groups can sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically.

Define the communication types you will send, such as policy updates, regulatory reminders, attestations, and incident advisories.

Create templates for each scenario so language stays consistent. Prepare versions for acknowledgment, clarification, escalation, and completion. Assign Shared Inbox coverage by team and hours so high-priority replies receive immediate attention.

Build segments that reflect your compliance model. Examples include New Hires, Safety-Sensitive Roles, Regulated States, Customer-Facing Teams, and Contractors. Smaller lists can reduce noise and increase acknowledgment speed.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment such as “Safety-Sensitive Roles.” This can make sure the notice reaches the right people.
2. Write your message: Keep it precise and action-led. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, policy [Name] is updated. Reply ACK to confirm or INFO for the one-page summary.”
3. Attach media: Add a PDF summary or short instruction image when needed. Attachments can reduce questions and delays.
4. Set up an A/B test: Test two openers or CTAs to find the fastest acknowledgment rate. Keep the better performer for future notices.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during business hours by region. For urgent notices, send immediately and follow with a confirmation reminder.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as ACK or INFO and reference it in your message. TextUs can recognize the reply automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the policy link or confirmation note. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no acknowledgment.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch the campaign, watch acknowledgment rates, and route complex questions to legal or HR in the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks, {{first_name}}. Your acknowledgment for [Policy Name] is recorded.”
• Step 2 (reminder): “A reminder to confirm [Policy Name]. Reply ACK to record receipt or HELP for assistance.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by role, jurisdiction, and risk profile so each text drives one action. Useful dimensions include location, manager, certification status, and system access level. Exclude those already acknowledged or not in scope.

Personalize lightly with name and a single context field, such as policy name or due date. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, your [Certification] is due on [Date]. Reply INFO for the steps or ACK when complete.” Set fallbacks so no message looks broken.

Refresh segments daily during active campaigns. Clean lists can protect deliverability and prevent duplicate reminders.

Template Library for Compliance Communication Scenarios

Keep a compact library your team can reuse without rewriting. One purpose per message and one clear action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, policy [Name] is updated. Reply ACK to confirm or INFO for the summary.”
• “Reminder that your [Training] is due by [Date]. Reply INFO for the link or ACK when complete.”
• “Incident advisory for [Location]. Review the guidance now: [short URL]. Reply ACK after reading.”
• “We require your annual certification. Reply START for instructions or HELP with a question.”
• “Thank you. Your acknowledgment is recorded. Need a PDF copy? Reply RECEIPT.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Rotate clearer phrasing, retire low performers, and keep files lightweight so they open quickly on mobile.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs weekly. Join that data with HRIS or LMS outcomes such as completions, expirations, and overdue counts. Preserve campaign name, segment, keyword, variant, and send time so you can run cohort analysis.

Track delivery rate, time to acknowledgment, and completion rate by segment. Compare A and B variants to improve clarity and speed. Publish a one-page summary that highlights acknowledgment time, overdue reduction, and the top-performing opener.

Risk Reduction and Audit Trail

Standardize language so every policy text states the action, deadline, and help path. Confirm that each message includes who to contact for questions. Use keywords that prove receipt, such as ACK or YES, and store timestamps with contact IDs.

Maintain an audit trail that links each send to the policy version or training module. Export CSVs and attach them to the policy record in your system of record. During audits, provide the list, message, send time, acknowledgment count, and exception handling notes.

Escalate overdue items with a clear path. After the second reminder, notify the manager and add a brief note in the Shared Inbox thread. Close the loop with a final confirmation when the recipient completes the step.

Policy Updates and Acknowledgments

Use a simple structure for policy updates. State what changed, why it matters, and how to comply. Link the one-page summary and ask for an acknowledgment with ACK.

For multi-region teams, send state- or country-specific versions. Map each version to the correct segment so guidance remains accurate. Keep messages short and consistent with the attached policy summary.

For critical policies, add a same-day reminder for non-responders. Provide HELP as a keyword that routes to the compliance mailbox. Confirm acknowledgment automatically and log it to the employee record.

Sensitive Data Handling and Secure Links

Do not include protected data in SMS. Use secure links for any document that contains personal, medical, or financial information. Set links to expire on a schedule and provide a contact if access is blocked.

If a recipient shares sensitive details by mistake, move the conversation to a secure channel immediately. Send a short guidance message that explains the next step. Add a note in the Shared Inbox so the incident is documented.

Keep attachments relevant and small. Summaries, checklists, and confirmation letters are ideal for mobile. For longer content, link to a secure portal page.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so compliance, HR, and legal see the same context. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so ownership is clear. Templates can standardize answers, while one personal line can support trust.

Use tags like Policy Update, Training Due, Incident, Acknowledged, and Escalation to organize threads. Add short notes before forwarding to managers or legal so context travels with the conversation. Keep notifications on during local business hours to resolve issues quickly.

Compliance and Deliverability for Compliance Communication

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all compliance traffic. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Include a short line in the first message that says “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid spam triggers by limiting links, punctuation, and all caps. Send during business hours and space reminders reasonably. Keep the tone factual and respectful.

Store message copies and attachment versions with send dates. This practice supports audit readiness and provides a clean history of communications.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Compliance Communication

Can I attach policy summaries or training guides to my texts?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Many teams attach one-page policy summaries or training checklists so people can act quickly.

Can I capture acknowledgments automatically?

Yes. You can use a keyword such as ACK to record receipt. TextUs can enroll the contact in a Sequence that confirms acknowledgment and logs the timestamp.

How do Keywords and Sequences help with compliance deadlines?

When someone replies with a keyword like ACK or INFO, TextUs can send the correct link and schedule a timed reminder if there is no completion. This approach reduces manual chasing and improves on-time rates.

How does the Shared Inbox support compliance teams?

All replies appear in one shared view, so compliance, HR, and legal can coordinate. Ownership, tagging, and notes make handoffs clear and auditable.

What metrics should I track to prove compliance impact?

Start with delivery, time to acknowledgment, and completion rate. Export TextUs data and match it to LMS or HRIS records for a full view. Weekly reports can highlight overdue reduction and acknowledgment speed by segment.