Six stop words to check before a customer text

• Verify the 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time window for outbound telemarketing calls to a person’s home unless prior consent was given.
• Recognize that a text message is treated as a call under the rules cited by Cornell Law School.
• Identify the six opt-out keywords: STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, QUIT, and ARRET, listed by ServiceTitan.
• Check the customer’s prior consent before sending messages outside the standard hours.
• Stop sending messages immediately if a customer replies with any of the six stop words.

ServiceTitan lists STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, QUIT, and ARRET as opt-out keywords, according to ServiceTitan. If a customer uses any of these words in a reply, the job system treats it as an opt-out request.

The Federal Trade Commission defines abusive acts under the Telemarketing Sales Rule, such as calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., according to Federal Trade Commission.

The scope of this check covers three specific areas before any outbound communication. First, verify the time of day against the abusive hours limit. Second, determine if the message counts as a call under applicable rules. Third, review the customer’s history for any of the six stop words listed by the job system.

Dispatchers must treat these checks as a single pre-send routine. This time window applies to the specific acts described in that guidance. It does not automatically apply to every type of message without further review of the text-as-call rule.

For the handoff, see Field Service Work Order Checklist for Dispatch Handoffs.

The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance on complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule states that unless a telemarketer has a person’s prior consent to do otherwise, it is a violation to make outbound telemarketing calls to the person’s home outside the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time at the location called, according to Federal Trade Commission. This specific clock applies to outbound telemarketing calls directed at a residential location. The rule ties the permissible window to the local time at the location being called, rather than a fixed time zone for the caller.

The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, as published by Cornell Law School, defines delivery restrictions for residential telephone subscribers. It specifies that restrictions apply to any residential telephone subscriber before the hour of 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., according to Cornell Law School. This definition establishes the same 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. boundary for residential subscribers within the context of delivery restrictions.

For a dispatcher managing customer communications, the practical application of these rules involves checking the local time at the customer’s location before sending or making a sales-related call. The sources distinguish between the general rule for telemarketing calls and the specific delivery restrictions for residential subscribers, but both point to the same morning and evening limits.

For visit-day texts, see Customer arrival updates: 4 messages and owners.

In the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, the term “call” includes a text message, including a short message service (SMS) call, according to Cornell Law School. This definition applies within the specific paragraph addressing delivery restrictions. It does not automatically apply to every state rule or every product behavior. The dispatcher must treat the text channel as subject to the same regulatory framework as the voice channel when sending messages under this rule.

Written consent has a specific legal definition that goes beyond a simple checkmark on a digital form. Prior express written consent means an agreement, in writing, bearing the signature of the person called that clearly authorizes the seller to deliver or cause to be delivered to the person called advertisements or telemarketing messages using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice, according to Cornell Law School. The definition requires the agreement to identify the specific telephone number to which the signatory authorizes such advertisements or telemarketing messages to be delivered.

SMS Consent refers to the permission granted by individuals to receive text messages from companies, according to Housecall Pro. This definition focuses on the permission aspect rather than the legal signature requirements. It describes the state of the customer relationship regarding text messaging. The dispatcher should understand that while the legal definition requires a signed agreement for specific types of automated messages, the operational definition tracks whether the customer has given permission to receive texts.

Before the next customer text goes out, verify the specific keywords that trigger an automatic opt-out and confirm your phone number complies with carrier registration standards. If you receive an opt-out keyword in a text to one of your business numbers, the sender won’t receive notifications from you again unless they text the opt-in keyword, according to ServiceTitan. You can turn off notifications for an individual customer if they want to opt-out, according to ServiceTitan. The Housecall Pro Help Center notes that if you reply with "STOP," the company will stop sending you messages by text, according to Housecall Pro. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and mobile carriers have established guidelines to enhance spam protection for end users, according to Housecall Pro.

The messaging infrastructure requires a specific type of phone number for application-to-person traffic. A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC (10-digit long code) is the standard that United States telecom carriers have put in place to ensure that SMS traffic to US end users through long code phone numbers is verified and consensual, according to Twilio. A 10DLC phone number contains 10 digits, and is also called a local phone number, according to Twilio. Anyone sending SMS/MMS messages over a 10DLC number from an application to the US must register for A2P 10DLC, according to Twilio. A2P 10DLC improves the end user experience by making sure that people can opt in and out of messaging and also know who is sending them messages, according to Twilio.

The following table lists the six stop words identified in the job system documentation, with the publisher and source page for each entry.

Each row names the publisher and cites the exact rule or definition from their page.

A dispatcher checks the local time at the customer’s home before a sales text. At 7 a.m., that time is before 8 a.m., so the outbound telemarketing call waits unless prior consent was given. At 10 a.m., the call is inside the window that runs to 9 p.m. The text counts as a call. One of the six stop words is in the last reply, so no further message is sent. The sending number has 10 digits.

Write the six stop words on a card by the dispatch phone and read them before the next customer text is sent.

On the same pass, see Work order statuses: 6 words to check at dispatch.

What clock does the telemarketing guide put on calls to a home?

The Federal Trade Commission states that it is a violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule to make outbound telemarketing calls to a person’s home outside the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time at the location called, unless the telemarketer has the person’s prior consent to do otherwise, according to Federal Trade Commission.

Does the phone rule treat a text as a call?

The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations defines the term “call” in paragraph (a)(9) to include a text message, including a short message service (SMS) call, according to Cornell Law School.

What does written consent have to include?

The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations defines prior express written consent as an agreement, in writing, bearing the signature of the person called, according to Cornell Law School. This agreement must clearly authorize the seller to deliver advertisements or telemarketing messages using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice. It must also specify the telephone number to which the signatory authorizes such messages to be delivered.

Which six words does the job system treat as opt-out?

The ServiceTitan documentation lists STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, QUIT, and ARRET as opt-out keywords, according to ServiceTitan.

What is a 10-digit long code on the messaging page?

Twilio describes A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC (10-digit long code) as the standard that United States telecom carriers have put in place, according to Twilio. This standard ensures that SMS traffic to US end users through long code phone numbers is verified and consensual.