Overview
End users do not sign up for SMS communications through a public website or self-service form. SMS enrollment is initiated entirely within the Accountable CRM application by an authorized loan officer, and no SMS messages are sent to a contact until that contact has actively confirmed enrollment by replying to a confirmation text. The process is described step by step below.
Step 1 — Consent Confirmation at Contact Creation
After a contact is successfully created in the CRM, the Contact page displays a consent confirmation prompt directly below the phone number field.
• A checkbox requires the user (loan officer) to confirm that the contact has previously provided consent to receive SMS communications regarding their mortgage.
• Until this checkbox is checked, the SMS option in the top right corner of the contact page remains disabled, and no SMS can be sent to that contact.
Consent checkbox on the Contact page
Step 2 — Automated Enrollment Confirmation SMS
Once the loan officer confirms consent in Step 1, the system automatically sends the contact an initial SMS to confirm enrollment:
“[Financial Institution Name]: Hi John, this is Mike, your loan officer. You previously provided consent to receive SMS regarding your mortgage. To confirm enrollment, reply YES. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help.”
• A pending-confirmation indicator is displayed next to the contact’s name in the CRM, showing that enrollment has been requested but not yet confirmed.
Pending-confirmation indicator in the CRM
Confirmation SMS as received by the contact
Step 3 — Active Reply Required (YES)
The contact must actively reply YES to confirm SMS enrollment. No enrollment is assumed or pre-checked on the contact’s behalf.
The enrollment confirmation is recorded in the CRM application. Subsequent SMS communications are enabled only after the contact replies YES.
Contact replies YES to confirm enrollment
Confirmed status reflected in the CRM
Step 4 — Subsequent Messages (Customer Care / Transactional Only)
Once enrollment is confirmed, the pending-confirmation indicator changes to a confirmed state and the SMS option becomes enabled for that contact, allowing the loan officer to send further SMS communications.
Subsequent messages are limited to customer-care and transactional mortgage communications, such as appointment reminders, scheduling, follow-ups, and loan-process communications. For example:
“[Financial Institution Name]: Hi [First Name], we wanted to follow up and see if you have any questions about your home financing plans. We’re here when you need us. Reply STOP to opt out.”
SMS enabled after enrollment is confirmed
Example follow-up message sent from the CRM
Step 5 — Viewing Opt-In Details
When the user wants to know whether and when a contact accepted the opt-in confirmation, clicking the indicator next to the contact’s name displays the opt-in details, including the confirmation status and timestamp.
Opt-in details, including confirmation status and timestamp
Step 6 — Opt-Out and Declined Consent Handling
• A contact may opt out at any time by replying STOP — whether at the initial enrollment stage or after enrollment is confirmed.
• If the contact declines the initial consent request (e.g., replies STOP instead of YES), the system does not allow the user to send further SMS to that contact, and the indicator next to the contact’s name changes to “Opt-In Declined.”
• Once a contact has opted out, no further SMS communications are sent to that contact under any circumstance.
Opt-out reflected in the CRM