Frequently Asked Questions

WorkforceTXT™️ is an easy-to-use text messaging platform available for Flimp Communications clients with options for Flimp Managed Campaigns, Annual Employer Self-Service Accounts, or the Multi-Tiered and Multi-Tenant Accounts for brokers, enrollers, or carriers.

Key Features:

• Simple – Intuitive user interface and quick results
• Compliant – HITRUST (The Health Information Trust Alliance) and HIPAA compliant
• Trackable – Detailed reporting dashboard to view engagement metrics

Key Benefits:

• High Engagement – Our text messaging solutions drive an average 95% employee engagement rate compared to open rates of 15-20% for traditional email communication
• Accessible Information – As mobile smartphones become a part of everyday life, text messaging continues to become the preferred method of communication by employees 

Reliable Distribution – Internet isn’t required as text messages are delivered via mobile carrier networks (International text messaging is also available within specific countries)

Pricing*: $500 Annual Fee + $0.08 per SMS Text Message ($0.10 for MMS texts)

Flimp Communications allows employers to be completely hands-free of contact management, campaign creation, and message distribution while still having access to engagement metrics within the WorkforceTXT platform. After all service order estimates have been accepted, the intake process can be completed with text messages ready to be distributed within 24-48 hours.

Annual Employer Self-Service Accounts

Pricing*: $2,400 Annual Fee + $0.05 per Text Message + Complimentary 30,000 SMS Texts Messages ($0.10 for MMS texts)

Annual Employer Self-Service Account allows all authorized users under the account to manage administration, update contact information, create message campaigns, schedule message distribution, and have access to the metrics dashboard. After all service order estimates have been accepted, our team will create your account and schedule a demonstration of the platform. During this demonstration, we will cover all platform features, answer any questions, and introduce you to our dedicated technical support team for the WorkforceTXT platform. 

Multi-Tiered and Multi-Tenant Self-Service Platform License

Pricing*: Annual Fee + $0.04 per SMS Text Message

(Annual fee is TBD until scoping the project and needs are completed and $0.10 for MMS texts)

Multi-Tiered and Multi-Tenant Self-Service Platform License is ideal for large-scale employers, brokers, and enrollers that handle texting messaging and IVR campaigns for clients. The Multi-Tiered and Multi-Tenant system allows a limitless business-to-business relationship to be established with the primary account administration operationally managing all accounts. After all service order estimates have been accepted, our team will create the primary account, schedule an initial demonstration, and give the option for an additional demonstration for any potential users of the platform (clients, regional offices, etc.). During these demonstrations, we will cover all platform features, answer questions, and record each training while providing you with support to further your team’s familiarization with the WorkforceTXT platform.

* For foreign-language translation services contact your account manager for pricing.

A short code is a unique 5-digit or 6-digit phone number used by organizations as a secure two-way communication method when text messages are being sent at scale. A short code is important when distributing any text message campaign for both security and recognition purposes. These 5-digit and 6-digit numbers are licensed, regulated, and follow compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and other mobile communication authorities.

Short code numbers offer the fastest possible send speeds, up to 1,000,000 mph (messages per hour). They’re great for organizations with sizable opt-in lists or campaigns that are planning large-scale engagement. With being shorter than a usual long-digit phone number they offer the chance to be more memorable, the best options for branding, and are also more trusted among individuals that are receiving messages from these 5 or 6-digit numbers.

A 10 Digit Long Code, or a “10DLC”, is a 10-digit phone number used by smaller organizations as an alternative option to using a licensed Short Code. These 10-digit numbers are very limited to being secure during distribution while also having a less confident recognition process when being sent from an employer to an employee. In comparison to the regulations and compliance standards that surround Short Codes, the requirements and setting of SMS best practices for 10 digit numbers are still in the beginning stages of implementation. As more major carriers begin to support application-to-person distribution (A2P) for 10DLCs, new guidelines and fees are being created to try and contain the abuse of text messaging while protecting consumers.

10 Digit Long Code numbers have much slower send speeds, about 36,000 mph (messages per hour). This type of text message communication is better for smaller organizations with the need to only contact a small list of contacts. Carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon will be the ones to ultimately determine your organization’s campaign’s send speeds. Along with this sense of throttling distribution performance, the capabilities of 10DLC phone numbers also depend on which mobile carriers your recipients use.

Application-to-Person messaging (A2P) is any kind of text message traffic in which a person is receiving messages from an application (WorkforceTXT) rather than receiving messages from another individual or device. These applications are used in the anticipation of not replying to a message sent from the recipient. A2P messaging can include, but is not limited to, any and all marketing communications, appointment reminders, chat bots, notifications, and any one-time passwords (OTPs) or PIN codes. Wireless carriers treat A2P and Person-to-Person (P2P) traffic differently in terms of the type and volume of traffic that they allow. It is important to understand your use case so you can use the correct tools, such as verified phone numbers, licensed short codes, or a registered Alphanumeric Sender ID.

Carriers in the US and Canada have a strict interpretation of A2P, and consider all messaging that passes through WorkforceTXT — or other messaging application platforms — to be A2P.

Person-to-Person messaging (P2P) is any kind of text message traffic in which two or more people communicate over text messaging. For example, when you send a text message from your phone to another person’s phone. Under some circumstances, this may also include traffic that goes through an API to connect two people, however some countries (including the US and Canada) do not consider any application-mediated traffic to be P2P. Wireless carriers treat P2P and A2P traffic differently in terms of the type and volume of traffic that they allow. It is important to understand your use case so you can use the correct tools, such as verified phone numbers, licensed short codes, or a registered Alphanumeric Sender ID.

Carriers in the US and Canada have a strict interpretation of P2P. All messaging that passes through WorkforceTXT is considered to be A2P and not P2P.

Flimp Communications does not require clients to execute a contract to use our WorkforceTXT solution. However, we do have a contract to execute, as may be required, because we realize that some clients and their legal, compliance, and procurements teams do require a contract to ensure that both Flimp, the supplier of WorkforceTXT, and the client sending text messages to their employees and contacts (defined as the “end-client”) are both in accord as to its use and ensuring all parties associated are in compliance at all times with both CTIA’s “Messaging Principles and Best Practices” and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and only implement and use WorkforceTXT and the associated services for end-client, approved communications.

NOTE: If a contract is required then only the end-client may execute it with Flimp, not an intermediary acting on behalf of an end-client. If applicable, please contact your account manager to review our “WorkforceTXT™ Messaging Subscription Agreement”.

Currently, in the United States (Europe and Canada are more strict), it is legal to text your employees – both “exempt” and “non-exempt” – after hours for employer communications on benefits, important events, emergencies, and more related to work that would help the employee, including information regarding open enrollment deadlines. As long as the text does not require or ask a non-exempt employee to take immediate action or perform tasks outside of their normal working hours (see example below) and is informational, there is no violation within the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) guidance. For exempt employees, we believe that an employer can text their employees anytime an employer desires and that there are no issues if asking exempt employees to take immediate action or if just informational; it’s up to the exempt employee to manage expectations and to take immediate action or not. Here is a helpful website explaining this: https://www.textline.com/blog/texting-employees-off-the-clock

Unless you operate in one of the few countries that have already made it illegal, you can text your employees during, before, and after business hours. But before you do, a note of caution and we suggest doing this as part of your business best practices: text your employees after “working hours” only in an emergency or to provide critical information to make their lives easier, better, and fun. A good rule of thumb for managers sending texts; put yourself in your employee’s shoes for a moment and ask yourself: “Does an employee need to receive a text message after their designated working hours unless it’s an emergency? Can my non-emergency text messages wait to be sent during “normal working hours”?

• Examples: Texting Non-Exempt Employee vs. Exempt Employee

1. Non-Exempt Employee: If a text message requires a “non-exempt employee”, defined as an hourly employee with a maximum work week of 40 hours with at least minimum wage payment and eligible for overtime pay, to work beyond their regular rate for time worked of over 40 hours in a workweek, if that is their arrangement with their employer, then compensation may be required. FLSA mandates that employers pay non-exempt employees for all overtime they work. This includes time spent responding to e-mails, texts, and voicemails. An emergency help text should not be an issue.
2. Exempt Employee: If a text message requires an “exempt employee”, defined as salaried and not eligible for overtime pay, to work beyond their normal work day hours defined with their employer there should be no issues as it is up to the employee if and when they want to reply or not to the text message received. Note – laws are murky because the FLSA does not define full-time employment or part-time employment clearly. This is a matter generally to be determined by the employer and the agreed hours defining a “full work week” with their exempt employee. More can be found on the US Department of Labor website related to FLSA here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/faq

The first steps in using WorkforceTXT will depend on which licensing option is chosen through WorkforceTXT. Our Flimp Communications support team for WorkforceTXT will require specific information for this implementation process.

Flimp Communications Managed Campaign

1. Contacts: Our team will request all contact phone numbers to be populated in a CSV file, which we will initially provide during the intake process.
2. Text Message Content: Our team will request a 160-character count message that is considered to be an SMS or MMS. The character count limit for a single text is 160 characters. Anything that exceeds this limit will be considered 2+ segments.
3. Distribution Specifics: Our team will request the specific date(s) and time(s) for which each separate message is to be sent. A specific time zone will be required as well.
4. Optional Media: It is optional to include any working website URL can be inserted into texting but be aware that we must receive the full URL before shortening it. This URL can be a Flimp Communications-created live page or any specific URL of your choosing.

Annual Self Service Account & Annual Multi-Tenant Accounts

1. Implementation: Our team will request new user information prior to the respective account becoming operational. The information needed would include the Users First Name, Users Email Address, and the desired 8 character first time password.
2. Platform Training: Our team will schedule and provide step-by-step training for any number of attendees which will cover the entire WorkforceTXT platform. This training is able to be recorded and broken into separate segments if the situation permits.
3. Collateral Exchange: Our team will follow up the Platform Training with all collateral created for processes to perform certain tasks within the WorkforceTXT tool.
4. Support: Our team is dedicated to specific needs through the process of implementing our communication tools and methods. If there are any particulars needed which are not already provided by Flimp Communications, a request for those materials can be made.

WorkforceTXT Collateral

• WorkforceTXT Implementation & Best Practices
• WorkforceTXT User Guide: Uploading contacts, creating and distributing campaigns
• WorkforceTXT User Guide: Creating User Accounts
• WorkforceTXT Intake Request Document

• Dashboard:
• Metric Reporting
• Attempted Messages, Delivered Messages, Error Messages, Received Responses, Scheduled Messages, Undelivered Messages 
• Consent Management / Engagement Rate
• Total Contacts Opted-In (95% avg) vs. Total Contacts Opted-Out (5% avg)

✶ Additional Reporting is available when using media created by Flimp Communications including views, touches, time spent on content, device type used to view, response rates, etc…

• Admin Administration / Tenant Administration:
• Tenant Management
• User Management: Activate, Deactivate, Password Creation, Login Stats
• Tenant Tiering Management: Activate, Deactivate, Tenant Specific Metrics

• Contact Management:
• Contact Book
• Group Creation, Sub-Group Creation, Contact Card Details (First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Group Membership/Identifier, Consent Management, Contact Status), Single Contact Upload, Multiple Contact Upload, CSV File Download, Excel Export Customized Census

• Campaign / Message Management:
• Campaign Creation
• Campaign Creation Template Assistance (Naming, Character Count, GSM Encoding Tool, Keyword Response Tool, Consent Management Response Tool, First Name Personalization Tool)
• Keyword Response Campaigns, Chain / Tree Response Campaigns 
• Short Link Manager
• Redirect Link Manager (This tool will redirect and shorten your original URL’s to be used effectively in text messaging by reducing character count. Using branded links will also enhance your campaign’s visibility and reach by deterring carrier network filtering)
• Campaign Trigger Link Manager (This tool will trigger the delivery of a campaign text message when a recipient clicks or navigates to the URL link. This is ideal whenever you have a list of phone numbers and want to provide a unique URL link to capture text consent via an email)

• Distribution Management:
• Delivery Date Selection (Real Time vs. Future Scheduling), Recipient Selection (Single Number, Contact Group, Contact Field Match), Campaign / Message Selection, Short Code Identifier, Time Zone Identifier, Verification Message

• Attempted Message – Any outbound text message that is successfully sent from the WorkforceTXT platform in anticipation of reaching any one or multiple contacts.
• Delivered Message – Any outbound text message that has been successfully delivered to a phone number and verified as “received” from a carrier produced “received receipt”.

• Alphanumeric Sender ID – An Alphanumeric Sender ID is your company name or brand name used as the Sender ID in one-way SMS messages sent to supported countries. An Alphanumeric Sender ID may be up to 11 characters long. Accepted characters include both upper- and lower-case Ascii letters, the digits 0 through 9, and the space character. They may not be only numerals.
• API – An Application Programming Interface (API) is provided by a service owner so that others may use the features and functions enabled by the service. APIs describe how a consumer will make requests of the service, and what they will receive in return.
• API Key – An Application Programming Interface (API) Key is a unique identifier that is used to authenticate a developer or program to an API.
• Application – An Application, often shortened to ‘app’, is a program, or set of programs, that allows end-users to perform particular functions. For example, ecommerce companies provide applications to customers to facilitate purchases and services.
• Application-to-Person Messaging – Application-to-Person messaging (A2P) is any kind of message traffic in which a person is receiving messages from an application rather than another individual, and which is not expected to receive a reply. A2P message includes, but is not limited to, marketing communications, appointment reminders, chat bots, notifications, and one-time passwords (OTPs) or PIN codes.
• Campaign – Text campaigns are campaigns sent via text message or short message service (SMS). Text campaigns rely on SMS messages to send information directly to end users mobile devices.
• Click-to-Call – Click-to-call, sometimes called click-to-talk or click-to-dial, is a way to let people connect with a company by phone when receiving a text message.
• CTIA – Cellular Telephone Industries Association (Carrier enforcement).
• Custom Field – A custom field is a database field that is created to allow for data to be appended to an email or cell phone number record. Defining the field allows for the database to be customized for data collection or integration with other systems.
• Dedicated Short Code – A “dedicated” short code is a short code that is managed by a provider that is leased from the Common Short Code Administration for dedicated uses by a brand or company.
• GSM Encoding – A character encoding standard most commonly used with letters and numbers. GSM-7 encoded SMS messages can carry up to 160 characters.
• Keyword – Keywords are typically 2-10 characters without spaces that are texted-in by an end user to opt in to a Short Code program or to receive a response.
• Long Code – A long code number is a standard phone number used to send and receive voice calls and SMS messages. Phone numbers are typically called “long codes” (10-digit numbers) when comparing them with SMS short codes (5-6 digit numbers).
• MMS – Short for Multimedia Messaging Service, is a standard way to send multimedia such as pictures, videos, and other attachments over text messaging channels.
• Opt-In – The end user action of giving “express written consent” to a brand or company to receive SMS messages utilizing a method compliant with current best practices, carrier guidelines and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Typically this is done by the end user initiating a keyword text-in to a short code and replying “YES” to a compliant opt-in message.
• Opt-Out – The end user action of revoking consent from a brand or company to receive SMS messages. Typically this is done by the end user initiating a keyword text-in to a short code with the word “STOP”.
• Person-to-Person Messaging – When two or more people communicate over text messaging. For example, when you send a text message from your phone to another person’s phone, that’s P2P. Under some circumstances, this may also include traffic that goes through an API to connect two people, however some countries (including the US and Canada) do not consider any application-mediated traffic to be P2P.
• Personally Identifiable Information (PII) – Personally Identifiable Information, or personal data, is data that corresponds to a single person. PII might be a phone number, national ID number, email address, or any data that can be used, either on its own or with any other information, to contact, identify, or locate a person.
• Platform – A platform is any combination of hardware and software used as a foundation upon which applications, services, processes, or other technologies are built, hosted, and/or run. Platforms offer the ability to build within an existing technical framework, decreasing both development time and cost.
• Push Notification – A push notification (also known as a server push notification) is the delivery of information to a computing device from an application server where the request for the transaction is initiated by the server rather than by an explicit request from the client. While ‘push notification’ is most often used to refer to notifications on mobile devices, web applications also leverage this technology.
• Short Code – A short code is a special telephone number designed for high-throughput, two-way messaging. Short codes are used to send and receive SMS and MMS messages to and from mobile phones.
• SMS – SMS stands for Short Message Service and is another name for a text message. An SMS is generally sent from one mobile device to another over the cellular network. SMS is a text-only standard first formalized in 1985 in the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standards.
• SMS Character Limit – A single SMS message technically supports up to 160 characters, or up to 70 if the message contains one or more Unicode characters (such as emoji or Chinese characters). However, modern phones and mobile networks support message concatenation, which enables longer messages to be sent. Messages longer than 160 characters are automatically split into parts (called “segments”) and then re-assembled when they are received. Message concatenation allows you to send long SMS messages, but this increases your per-message cost, because SMS are billed per segment. The 160-character limit is for messages encoded using the GSM-7 character set. Messages not encoded with GSM-7 are limited to 70 characters.
• SMS Delivery – SMS Delivery is a measure of the percentage of outgoing SMS and MMS messages which are received at their intended destination.  While sometimes referring to the status of a single message, SMS delivery usually is a rate of delivered versus intended messages and summarized as an ‘SMS Delivery Rate.’
• SMS Gateway – An SMS Gateway enables a computer to send and receive SMS text messages to and from a SMS capable device over the global telecommunications network (normally to a mobile phone). The SMS Gateway translates the message sent, and makes it compatible for delivery over the network to be able to reach the recipient.
• SMS Notification – SMS Notifications are out-of-band text messages sent in response to events or transactions which occur somewhere else. While often used as a marketing tool to increase the percentage of returning visitors, SMS notifications are very useful for organization and public safety purposes as well.
• String Identifier (ISD) – A unique key used to identify specific resources.
• Subscriber – A recipient of email and/or SMS/MMS text messages.
• Tenant – Within the WorkforceTXT Portal, an individual user may be managing one or several brands, creating different tiered accounts called “Tenants”.
• Unicode – An international character encoding standard that provides a unique number for every character across languages and scripts, making almost all characters accessible across platforms, programs, and devices.
• User – A user is a person who has account credentials to access the WorkforceTXT platform for one or multiple tenants within a specific account. 
• Virtual SMS – Virtual SMS enables you to send and receive SMS text messages over the internet without having to use a physical phone. This is especially useful when you want to use software to communicate with telephone networks that would be impossible on a physical phone.
• Webhook – Webhooks are user-defined HTTP callbacks. They are triggered by some event in a web application and can facilitate integrating different applications or third-party APIs