In a world where every beep and buzz vibration competes for our attention, one medium stands out for its efficacy: SMS. With open rates for text messages reaching 98% and response rates around 45% - compared to email's relatively modest 20% and 6% - it's no wonder businesses embrace texting with open arms. But as this powerful communication tool garners both attention and utility, it’s become critically important for businesses to stay compliant with a tapestry of regulations and safeguards.
The evolution of business texting
For businesses, SMS has emerged as a lightning-fast way to engage customers. However, the methodology of SMS has evolved over the years. For instance, one of these evolving methodologies pertains to the unique codes that businesses adopt to send SMS marketing messages, similar to a phone number. Unregistered long codes, originally not designed for high-volume business messaging, have faced issues such as low throughput, poor deliverability, and an increased risk of messages being flagged as spam, leading to carriers imposing penalties and surcharges.
Meanwhile, in 2003, carriers introduced short codes, which enabled organizations to send high-volume business messages. But short code messages don’t come cheap.
Enter 10DLC, or 10-digit long code, which comes at a lower cost than traditional short codes, making it a more efficient and cost-effective solution for businesses. It also offers high messaging throughput.
Tailored for businesses
10DLC is designed to bridge the gap between long codes and short codes. 10DLCs are phone numbers specifically crafted to allow businesses to send bulk SMS or MMS messages without the hefty price tag of short codes. Beyond a one-time brand registration fee, businesses encounter monthly charges for campaigns and phone number leases, as well as per-message fees.
But the benefits go beyond savings. 10DLC is designed to be a more controlled environment for business-to-consumer text messaging, aiming to balance the needs of businesses for higher throughput with the need to protect consumers from unwanted spam messages. 10DLC can achieve up to a staggering 4,500 transactions per minute.
10DLC integration ensures that messages aren’t just read but that they resonate with the recipient, strengthening brand-customer relationships. This can be done by asking yourself a few key questions. Are customers getting their questions answered promptly? Is the marketing team able to dispatch high-volume promotional messages without hiccups? By mapping out these touchpoints, businesses can identify where 10DLC can fill gaps or enhance existing systems.
Operations departments can streamline real-time communications, and communications and marketing teams can leverage 10DLC's capabilities for targeted campaigns and feedback collection (as well as timely crisis communication). Plus, with the inherent trustworthiness and reduced spam potential of 10DLC, brands can ensure their messages are both seen and valued by their recipients.
The regulatory landscape
The regulations around 10DLC usually involve providing various details about the business and its messaging campaign, often going through a vetting process that might include providing documentation to prove the legitimacy of the business. Businesses must also adhere to guidelines for message content and frequency, and ensure the messages comply with carrier requirements. These steps are geared towards ensuring that the 10DLC numbers are used responsibly and not for spamming or other fraudulent activities.
Businesses manage 10DLC registration and compliance by submitting details about their company and intended use cases to a regulatory body or service like The Campaign Registry - an information hub that allows businesses to register 10DLC messaging campaigns.
If an organization doesn’t comply with 10DLC regulations such as campaign registry, it risks having messages get blocked by carriers or receiving fines. Failure to comply with regulations can result in message delivery issues, financial penalties, service disruptions and loss of customers.
Prioritize trust with 10DLC compliance
In an age where communication is both immediate and constant, businesses must ensure they’re not just heard but also trusted. 10DLC regulations have emerged as a beacon of trust and efficiency in the vast sea of business texting. But beyond the technical and regulatory benefits lies a more profound value - the establishment of a deeply personal connection with customers. Unlike more impersonal digital touchpoints, SMS adds a human element to interactions. Each carefully crafted message fosters a sense of closeness and immediacy with customers. In the long run, this personal touch, backed by the reliability of platforms like 10DLC, fosters brand loyalty and deepens customer relationships.
By embracing 10DLC, exploring complementary messaging avenues, and preparing for the future, businesses can ensure their messages land not just in inboxes, but also in the hearts of their recipients. Here’s to clear, compliant, and compelling communication in the ever-evolving world of business texting.
