TIME INVESTMENT CORPORATION TEXTING INSTRUCTIONS AND POLICY April 16, 2013 – Amended 5/26/15
The following is a detailed instruction guide and our company policy for the use of texting. It is our intention to cover all aspects; however we reserve the right to make changes as needed.
In order to have the capability of texting through absVision your computer must be set up to allow this process. To do so: Go to My Computer>H:\Allied\DbUpdate and double click on the regabsst.bat file, press a key to continue. Make sure that you see a successful register of the dll files.
The employee must also have permission to actually send the text. This must be done by a Supervisor through File/Maintenance/User Security. Select the employee and put a check in the box to Allow Texting then OK.
Our company policy allows for only one text to be sent within a 24 hour period. This setting is found in File/Maintenance/General System Information/TxtHourLimit/24. Also you must set TxtHourLimitNumberOfTimes to the value of 1. This requires at least a Manager’s security level to make any changes to this area.
Only Home Office approved texts can be sent. We have several texts set up in the ABS system and these are the only ones that are allowed. We may at times add a new text to the system but this must have Home Office approval. This approval will come most likely through an email with the complete wording of the new text to be added. We then require that the offices reply when the text has been added to their system. We have the ability to allow ABS to also add a new text through a system update. In order to add any new texts does require a Manager’s security level.
No personal or company cell phones can be used to send a customer a text of any type.
Customer must authorize the use of texting on their account. The TFS Texting authorization form must be signed and dated by the customer. This completed form must be kept in the customer’s loan folder. Former borrowers must sign a new authorization form when they reopen their loan. (Any paid out customer would need a new form completed). Refinances will not have to complete a new form each time as long as there is a current form completed in the file.
Once you have the customer’s authorization to text the “texting” block located in the customer’s home address section in absVision must be checked.
When we send a text the customer can respond and that response will be sent to the main email account for that branch, usually the Manager’s computer.
A customer can request that we stop texting after they have authorized us to do so. They can do so in various ways. We must honor their request immediately and make the necessary changes to the system.
STOP and RE-SUBCRIBE – 1. STOP Service. In keeping with regulatory guidelines, the customer can block text messages from TFS. If they reply to one of our text messages with any of the following words, being the FIRST or ONLY word in the text, their cell number will no longer receive text messages sent from absVision:
STOP
END
CANCEL
UNSUBSCRIBE
QUIT
2. RE-SUBSCRIBE. Our customer can re-subscribe and start receiving text messages again by simply texting RESUME to number that originally sent the text (our company phone line). If the customer deletes the text message in error or experiences problems with re-subscription the branch will need to contact supportservices@alliedbiz.com.
OR the customer can simply request it by calling or visiting the office. In all cases, we must note this in the memopad, make a note on the authorization form in the loan folder and date it, then uncheck the allow text box in the address section of the customer’s account in absVision.
ABS has added another response that the customer can send and that is HELP. This sends a message to the branch email address alerting the branch that their customer needs help. You may respond by calling that customer to see how you may assist them.
There are 2 ways to send texts to our customers. You can do a text “BLAST” in scroll; this will send the same message to several accounts at the same time. Or you can send an individual text through a customer’s summary screen.
BLAST Texting: Set your parameters up through Scroll delinquency. Once the list has been created you will see an option of Text Mode at the bottom of the screen, select this option. This will show everyone within the parameters that has consented to texting. You can now select all of these by selecting TAG ALL. You then select Text Msg at the bottom of the screen. The next screen shows “Auto Memos” as your first box, use the drop down arrow to select the text you need to send. Select “Send Messages” to complete. Make sure that you are fully staffed and that everyone is aware that this has been done, since you may get a lot of response very quickly!
INDIVIDUAL Texting: You can do this while scrolling through your accounts or when you bring up a customer’s summary screen. If the Text Message option located in the middle right part of the screen is active you can check this box and it will show the approved list of text messages in the absVision system, simply select the message you want to send from the Auto Memos drop down arrow and select Send Text. If the Text Message box is grayed out the customer has not consented to having text messages sent.
Texting is a great tool. If used properly you can solicit a customer, collect a payment, request updated address information due to returned mail, advise a customer of a returned check, etc. There are endless possibilities available. Like all other correspondence it must be used professionally and most importantly, correctly.
