Opt-in & Opt-Out Workflow for Texting

Table of Contents

Overview

Step 1: Getting Consent

Option 1: Verbal Consent

Example Conversation

Option 2: Customer Preferences / Account Settings

Option 3: Claim Submission

Option 4: Policy Terms and Conditions

Step 2: Sending the Welcome Message

Step 3: Customer Confirmation

Step 4: Ongoing Customer Interaction Options

Step 5: Need to Resend the Welcome Message? No Problem!

Manual Opt-Out

Translation

Conclusion

Overview

In this guide, we’re going to walk through the process of getting your customers’ consent to text with you through Hi Marley. We know compliance can sound a bit intimidating, but don’t worry – we’ve got it all laid out for you, step by step. Not only does this ensure everything’s by the book, but it also creates a great experience for your customers!

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Getting Consent

Before you send that first text, you need to make sure the customer is on board. This means you’ll need to ask for their consent. There are several ways to get consent from customers.

Option 1: Verbal Consent

How do you get verbal consent?

• Maybe you’re on the phone with them and they agree to text communications.
• Or perhaps it happens during an in-person chat where they give the go-ahead for texting.

No matter how it happens, this is the all-important first step. If they give the green light, you’re ready for Step 2!

Example Conversation

Operator:
Hi [Customer’s Name], I understand you're calling about your claim. To help make things as smooth as possible, we want to make sure you can easily get updates and stay in touch with us.
In fact, one of the quickest ways to get updates on your claim is through text messaging. Texting allows you to reach us fast, and we can share important updates without any delays.

Customer:
That sounds helpful!

Operator:
I’m glad you think so! So, would you be willing to sign up to receive text messages about your claim from us at [Carrier Name]? This will help us send you real-time updates like when your claim is moving forward, when repairs are approved, or any next steps you need to take.

Customer:
Yes, that would be great!

Operator:
Awesome! I’ll get that set up for you right now.

I will send an introductory text message to you now. When you receive the message, reply with "YES" to enroll in the program for us to register your preference and communicate via text. At any time you can get help by replying HELP to these texts, or you can opt out completely by replying STOP. You can find our texting terms and privacy policy (himarley.com/tp). Messaging and Data Rates may apply.

Once you reply YES, you’ll officially be opted in, and we can start sending you updates on your claim right away. The frequency of texts may vary depending on the claim. The Introductory text will also show our terms, privacy policy, and how you can opt-out if you change your mind at any time.

Customer:
That makes sense. I’ll look out for the message.

Operator:
Great! You should see the message pop up in just a moment. Be sure to reply “YES,” and you’ll be all set! If you ever need to switch back to phone or email, just let us know.

Option 2: Customer Preferences / Account Settings

With this approach, customers can sign up for text alerts directly through a dedicated sign-up page. This page can be part of the communication preferences within Account Settings on the website, where customers can easily opt in to receive text updates.

Example Process:

1. Customers navigate to their Account Settings on the website.
2. Under Communication Preferences, they select the option for Text Alerts.
3. They review and agree to the terms, confirming their preference for text updates.

This method would provide customers with control over how they receive notifications, allowing them to adjust their preferences as needed

Sample Account Settings Page

Option 3: Claim Submission

Customer texting preferences can be collected and stored as part of the digital claim submission process. This approach ensures that customers have the opportunity to opt in to text communications when they initially submit their claim, streamlining the setup for receiving real-time updates and notifications.

Example Process:

1. During the online claim submission, customers are prompted to review and select their communication preferences, including the option for text messaging.
2. They are informed about the benefits of receiving claim updates via text, such as timely notifications and simplified communication.
3. Once they agree to the terms and select text messaging, their preference is recorded and stored along with their claim information.

This method makes opting into text alerts a seamless part of the claim setup, enhancing customer experience by integrating communication preferences directly into the submission workflow.

Sample Claims Submission screen collecting Opt-In

Option 4: Policy Terms and Conditions

Insurance carriers can incorporate texting terms and conditions within the overall Policy Terms and Conditions. By doing so, customers consent to receive text communications when they agree to the policy, making it a convenient and compliant way to enable text updates without additional steps.

How It Works:

1. Texting terms are embedded within the general Policy Terms and Conditions, clearly outlining consent for text messaging, message frequency, and opt-out instructions.
2. When customers sign up for a policy or renew their coverage, they review and agree to these terms, which include consent to receive claim updates, reminders, and other important notifications via text.
3. Customers are informed that they can easily opt out at any time by replying “STOP” to any text or updating their communication preferences through their account.

This approach simplifies the consent process, integrating it seamlessly into the policy agreement and ensuring compliance by setting expectations around text communication from the start.

Step 2: Sending the Welcome Message

After you’ve got the consent to text, it’s time to set up the case in Hi Marley which triggers a message to confirm Opt-In. 

What does the message say?

Here’s an example: "Hi [Customer Name], Thank you for reporting your claim [Claim Number] to us. We need your consent to communicate about this Claim. Please reply YES to agree to the terms and privacy policy (himarley.com/tp). Msg and data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt out."

This message is short and sweet, letting them know:

• What to expect when they start texting with you
• How they can opt-out if they change their mind
• Where they can find the privacy policy and other helpful info
• A reminder that standard message and data rates may apply (you know, the usual fine print).

Step 3: Customer Acknowledgement / Confirmation

Upon receiving the welcome message, your customer has a choice: do they want to engage a conversation via text or they do not want to receive text messages? Let’s break down the responses they might send.

Accepted Responses When They Receive the Welcome Message:

1. Yes (or any fun variant of it):
   • Examples: Yes, Y, Yup, Yep, Yeah, Yea, Ok, Okay, Si, Sí, Ya
   • What happens: They’re in! This officially opts them into the texting program, and you can start communicating right away. From there, you can send updates, reminders, or anything else related to their insurance needs.
   • Pro tip: It doesn’t have to be just “Yes.” They can get creative – punctuation like “Yes!” or “Ok.” is totally fine. They can even throw it into a full sentence like “I agree. Yes.”. Just note that if they respond with something like “Yes?”, it won’t count – we need something a little more confident!
2. STOP (or other variants):
   • Examples: Unsubscribe, End, Cancel, Stopall, Quit, Optout, Opt out, Revoke
   • What happens: If they send STOP or any of the other keywords above, they’re choosing to opt out. They’ll get a confirmation message back letting them know they’ve been unsubscribed:
     • "You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe."
   • When to use it: Maybe they don’t want to receive texts right now, and that’s okay! This option is there if they decide texting isn’t for them – at least for the moment.
3. HELP:
   • What happens: Need a little more info? No problem! If they text HELP, they’ll get a message explaining how they can get support. It might look something like:
     • "Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & Data Rates May Apply."
4. START (or resubscribe options):
   • Examples: START, UNSTOP, YES
   • What happens: Maybe they opted out earlier but now want back in. Easy! By sending START or YES, they’ll be resubscribed, and the conversation can pick back up where it left off. They’ll see a message like:
     • "You have successfully been re-subscribed to messages from this number. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & Data Rates May Apply."
   • When to use it: Perfect for when they’ve had a change of heart and want to reconnect.

Until Consent is Received...

The customer must reply to the welcome message to complete the double opt-in process and confirm their agreement to receive messages. Until this confirmation is received, the insurance professional cannot continue texting with the customer.

Note: No outbound messages can be sent to the customer until they reply with their consent. Here’s what that looks like:

Key Things to Remember:

• They can reply with these options when they first get the welcome message or any time after. It’s flexible!
• Once they say Yes, you’re good to go. They’ll be able to use STOP or HELP at any time during your conversations if they need to.

Here is an example of what that experience looks like for a customer: 

Step 4: Ongoing Customer Interaction Options

So, now that your customer is fully opted in, Insurance Professionals can send informational text messages about policies or claims to consumers.

Customers have the following options for managing their text preferences whenever they need:

1. Opt-Out: The customer can choose to stop receiving messages by sending STOP or any of the other opt-out keywords at any time

   Once they opt out, they’ll see this confirmation message: "You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe."

2. Help: If your customer needs help down the line, they can text HELP anytime. Here’s the response they’ll get: "Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & Data Rates May Apply."
3. Resubscribe: If they opted out but decide they’d like to start texting again, they can text START or YES to get back in. They’ll receive a confirmation message, and the conversation can continue.

Step 5: Need to Resend the Welcome Message? No Problem!

If your customer didn’t respond to the initial welcome message, don’t worry! You can always resend it. This gives them another opportunity to opt in, opt out, or ask for help.

And remember, they can reply with any of the response options – Yes, STOP, HELP, or START – at any time while they’re interacting with you through text.

An automation can be configured to send the Welcome Message again if it is not responded to after 24 hours. For more information, please contact your Client Executive or Customer Success Manager.

Manual Opt-Out

Adjusters have the option to manually opt-out a policy holder from the 'Actions' drop-down menu.

A prompt will appear to confirm the operator action:

A grey message will appear confirming that the policyholder has been opted out:

Translation

In the event that the case has been created but the language is not correct for the policy holder you can have that updated within the case itself. Using the screenshot below as a reference where it says English (Default) you can click there and update the language as you need.

Cases can be created with Translation enabled and Translation can be turned on or modified to another language at any time.

Conclusion

By following this process, you’re making sure that everything stays clear, compliant, and easy for your customers. Plus, you’re giving them the control to manage their preferences – all while keeping communication friendly and flexible.

Need more help? Feel free to reach out to your Customer Success Manager, or send us an email at [e-mail]. We’re here for you!