Best Practices

The Skinny on A2P 10DLC

In the fast-paced world of recruitment, connecting with potential candidates through text messages has become a valuable tool for hiring companies. Text messaging offers a quick and efficient way to engage with candidates, provide updates, and build rapport throughout the hiring process. However, to ensure that this communication method remains effective and compliant with regulations, hiring companies must prioritize 10-DLC (10-Digit Long Code) compliance. In this blog, we will explore what 10-DLC compliance entails and why it is essential for hiring companies to maintain best practices when texting candidates.

What is it?

A2P 10DLC refers to a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers. Carriers’ A2P 10DLC offerings provide better delivery quality and lower filtering risk than long code SMS of the past, using the same phone numbers.

How does it work?

There are two important requirements under the new A2P 10DLC system:

• Businesses must identify who they are to the carrier networks (Brand registration).
• Businesses must register what type of messages they are sending, i.e. application status updates (Campaign registration).

Who needs to register?

You’ll need to register if you’re planning on sending text messages to candidates in the US. Effective August 31, 2023, all businesses leveraging Grayscale to communicate must be fully registered before you can begin texting – any messages attempted will be blocked.

The Specifics:

Part 1 – Brand Registration

1. It registers the phone numbers you’re using back to your brand so US Carriers know you’re a legitimate business.
2. It assigns a Trust Score to your brand using a reputation algorithm – the bigger your brand and the greater your market presence, the higher your trust score is bound to be and, thus, a higher messaging throughput (or MPS)
3. Messaging throughput is measured in message segments per second (MPS) – again, the higher your Trust Score, the higher your messaging throughput is going to be – the more messages you can send at once!

Part 2 – Campaign Registration

For our purposes, your “campaign” is your use-case. Since Grayscale is a high volume hiring tool, your use-case is essentially to engage with candidates throughout the application or hiring process. You may also be communicating with current employees and that is a-ok too!

By submitting your campaign registration, you’ll be providing all US Carrier Networks with an overview of what you’ll be using Grayscale for. Here are the things they’re looking for:

1. Consistency in brand, website and sample messages
2. Consumer consent is being collected appropriately – The call-to-action must be explicitly clear and inform end users of the use-case.
   1. I.e. End users opt-in by visiting [www.grayscaleapp.com] to apply for a position with [Grayscale App]. Applications include the following question:
      OPT-IN FOR TEXT MESSAGES | Would you like to Opt-in to receive text messages about jobs at [Grayscale App]? Please answer with Yes or No.
   2. If you indicate that opt-in is collected through a paper form or behind a login, please provide a hosted link to the image of your opt-in form.
   3. If you indicate that a website is used for opt-in, please provide a link to the website. The website needs to have Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

In Conclusion

Text messaging has revolutionized the way we hire and interact with candidates; however, to maintain its effectiveness and adhere to today’s legal requirements, you must prioritize 10-DLC compliance. By obtaining consent, crafting relevant messages, respecting candidates' preferences, and safeguarding their data, you not only protect your company's good reputation but also demonstrate respect for your candidates throughout the hiring process.

by Sam Abello

How to Text at Work & Avoid HR Nightmares

With remote work taking off, a lot of the lines between work and play have begun to blur. Consider the addition of mobile phones and apps, and some of us have struggled to draw appropriate boundaries between work and the rest of our lives.

Imagine this: It’s 6 PM on a Friday and you’re at happy hour with a few friends. All of a sudden, your phone starts ringing and it’s work…

I know. The thought that immediately crosses your mind is this one…

Turns out, the beauty of technology can easily be overshadowed by the newfound level of accessibility that comes with it. Sure, it’s amazing and a total blessing to FaceTime your family around the country. But the convenience of firing off a work message when it pops into your head can be disruptive to those trying to unplug and relax outside of work.

If you’re wondering what it looks like to balance professional communication standards on conventionally unprofessional channels, we have a few tips to help you text like a pro and keep it classy.

Timing Above All Else

If you’re opting to text your employees or candidates outside of work, be intentional about the hours in which you do it.

Think about: 

• Time zones 
• Working hours (9-5)
• Working days (M-F)

When it comes to contacting coworkers or applicants outside of inherent work channels such as email, Slack, or Teams, try to connect with them during or as close to standard work hours as possible.

Bare minimally, don’t send texts for work during sleeping hours. Keep your texting window from after breakfast to before an average bedtime, say 8 PM-ish.

Keep it Simple

When using text as a means of communication, be thoughtful about making it easy for the recipient to respond. No need to fill a text message with unneeded information or overwhelm them with details that aren’t relevant.

If you’re texting for work, keep it short, keep it simple, and keep it straight to the point. You’ll want to communicate with clear, actionable language so the person receiving the text understands next steps.

Ask questions or give directions that require short and easy responses. Don’t expect your recipient to write you a novel spur-of-the-moment.

Stay Professional

Remember, when you’re communicating, especially in an HR function, everything you say can be used in court if the situation were to require it.

Avoid casual phrases, when in doubt. Lean on the side of formal; write with brevity and clarity so nothing can be misinterpreted. When possible, keep the conversation work-oriented. Avoid personal details and questions.

While it can seem polite to ask someone about their recent vacation or how their family is, leave these personal details for work meetings, emails, or longer forms of communication instead of dragging out a text with information not relevant to the current request.

Above all, remember that while texting may occur “off the clock,” it’s not off the record. Your reputation and job, along with the company's reputation and legacy, could be impacted based on your actions. Move with integrity and long-term benefit in mind.

It is possible to maintain professional boundaries and use texting as a communication channel at work. When it comes to reaching out to remote employees, candidates, and other members of your team, remember to be thoughtful of timing, considerate of the content, and professional throughout.

Here at Grayscale, We Believe Texting Is a Powerful Channel to Incorporate in Your Recruiting Process

Like all new things, it takes time to learn how to implement it, and along that journey, you experience hiccups. Thankfully, with the help of these three tips, you can avoid most major snafus as you start implementing texting as a means of communication for your employees.

Due to the accessible nature of texting, your recruiters will likely see drastic shifts in candidate engagement, and texting has been known to help limit ghosting.

Explore:

• SMS for Hourly Hiring
• Text Recruiting 101
• Candidate Experience 101

by Randalyn

It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It

Since the pandemic, remote work has been on the rise. As things began clearing up and life started getting back to normal, more and more people suggested that remote work become a long term part of corporate culture.

With so many companies allowing employees to work fully remotely or in a hybrid role. It’s anticipated that 22% of Americans will be working remotely by the year 2025. This is a drastic increase in the amount of full time remote employees from pre-pandemic times.

As remote work is on the rise and workplace cultures are shifting to adjust, it’s becoming more and more important to set company-wide standards about the communication channels you frequently use.

Below we’ll detail out a few ideas to help you shape your own policies around the communication expectations you have for your team and your recruiters. It’s important to note that your team will set the communication precedent and help encourage the same behavior from the candidates in your pipeline.

So, what should you use and when?

When to Zoom

If you’re working on a team with remote employees. Zoom is best treated as the equivalent of having a face-to-face, in person, meeting with someone.

1 in every 4 people admit to experiencing Zoom fatigue from the stipulations that come with remote work. While not everyone is impacted, a large portion of the workforce is more easily drained by the thought of being online all day long. In order to keep employees productive, we suggest limiting the amount of time they are required to be on video calls each day/week.

For employees craving more, provide some optional ways for them to get connected, without enforcing the expectation that everyone be involved.

We recommend reserving Zoom for:

• Performance reviews
• Regular one-on-ones
• Sharing performance related feedback
• Team updates
• Formal or final stage interviews

When to Call

Working with less centralized teams, as many companies are embracing remote work and/or hybrid models, can make it hard to get to know the members of your team. While it’s usually best to bring most conversation into the video chat space, sometimes a call will suffice.

If you’re looking for a way to personally connect with your team while easing the burden of being online all the time (and avoid dreaded wi-fi problems 😩), phone calls can be a great way to bridge the gap.

We recommend phone calls for:

• Quick check-ins; to ask for clarification or more information
• Times when your wifi or other tech isn’t cooperating
• As a quick way to share thoughts when you have multiple things to catch up on or ask questions about
• Explaining a complicated task that would be a pain to type

When to Email

Email, probably the most abused form of work communication on the market. Did you know the average person sends and receives 121 business emails per day.

It’s really no surprise that it’s a channel we push away when we’re busy. Email comes with an overwhelming amount of information to consume, digest, and take action on. It’s nearly impossible to not feel overwhelmed when you look at your inbox.

So, how can we better support our coworkers inboxes?

• Send important contracts and formal job offers through email
• Follow up on employee development conversations
• Document things like meeting notes, takeaways, action items, etc.
• Instead of a meeting, use email to distill consumable information to your team as a whole
• Serve as a continuation of an in-person, video, or phone meeting to help keep the conversation moving

It’s important to have reasonable expectations about when someone will be able to respond to your email. While some people embrace accessibility, it’s critical to understand the boundaries your workplace shares around communication timelines.

When to Text

While texting was once an informal communication channel, it’s become increasingly professionalized as time has gone on.

After all, we get texts from everyone, our doctors, our dentists, our grocery stores, our favorite restaurants, and more! Most of these texts are to remind us about the things our busy life might make us forget.

Texting is an untapped communication channel for most companies. While it may not be appropriate to expect our employees to text for all matters, here’s a few ways to incorporate texting into your communication plan to help your team stay connected, informed, and efficient.

Where does texting come into play?

• In the hiring/onboarding process, think - stage changes, scheduling, interview reminders, etc.
• For direct communication to your contractors/freelancers/employees about quick requests or updates regarding meeting locations/times
• To push someone to take action in another location, for example, using a text to remind someone about an emailed contract they need to review

At the end of the day, it’s mission critical to follow your mother’s advice, and remember, “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it!”

By choosing the appropriate communication channels you can help your team build stronger connections and embrace remote work without feeling tied to their technology.

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by Randalyn