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Compliance & Best Practices

Stay compliant with SMS regulations. Voka handles much of this for you on toll-free numbers — here's what's automatic and what's your responsibility.

Overview​

SMS compliance protects your business from fines, protects customer privacy, and keeps your messages deliverable. Voka's SMS runs entirely on carrier-verified toll-free numbers and builds the core compliance controls in.

What Voka Handles Automatically​

  • Toll-free verification — Voka submits your business details and a compliant opt-in workflow to the carriers for approval (see SMS Setup & Verification). There is no 10DLC registration — toll-free is the only route Voka uses.
  • Opt-out enforcement — every outbound message is checked against your opt-out list before sending.
  • STOP / START / HELP keywords — handled automatically (see below).
  • Compliance footer — "Reply STOP to opt out." is appended to outbound messages for you.
  • Verbal consent script — the in-call consent disclosure is built into your assistant.

Your responsibility is to make sure the consent behind each message is real and accurately described — and to keep messaging transactional and respectful.

Before texting a caller during a call, your assistant must obtain explicit verbal consent. The assistant reads a disclosure that covers message frequency, that message and data rates may apply, the STOP (opt-out) and HELP keywords, and that you won't share their number with third parties — then waits for a clear "Yes."

This exact opt-in workflow is what Voka submits to the carrier on your behalf. If the caller declines or hesitates, the assistant will not text them.

Two-way conversations (inbound = opt-in)​

When a customer texts your number first, their inbound message is the opt-in. The assistant replies without re-reading a consent script, and the "Reply STOP to opt out." footer is included on the first reply of each conversation.

Marketing vs. transactional​

  • Transactional (appointment links, confirmations, info the customer asked for) — consent is implied when the customer initiated contact or verbally consented.
  • Marketing (promotions, offers) — requires explicit prior consent and a clear opt-out. Voka's SMS is designed for transactional use; do not send marketing blasts from it.

Opt-Out Management​

Automatic keyword handling​

Keyword matching is case-insensitive and applies when the keyword is the whole message:

  • Opt out: STOP, STOPALL, STOP ALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT → the customer is added to your opt-out list and no further messages are sent to them.
  • Opt back in: START, UNSTOP, SUBSCRIBE → the customer is removed from the opt-out list.
  • Help: HELP, INFO → standard help info is returned automatically.

Your opt-out list​

  • View and manage opted-out numbers from the SMS dashboard (Opt-Out Management).
  • Opt-outs are enforced before every outbound send — in-call texts, booking links, and two-way replies all respect them.
  • Never message a number that has opted out unless they text START.

Required Message Elements​

Identify your business — set your SMS Display Name so your name appears inside messages.

Appointment confirmed for tomorrow at 2pm. - Style Studio

Opt-out instructions — added automatically as "Reply STOP to opt out." (don't duplicate it).

Clear, transactional purpose — the recipient should immediately understand why they got the text.

Timing​

Send during reasonable local hours — the industry standard is 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM in the recipient's time zone; 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM is safer. For multi-location businesses, respect the customer's time zone, not your own.

Content Restrictions​

Avoid spam triggers: ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation!!!, rows of $ symbols, "FREE!!!", and unexplained shortened URLs. Always send links from your SMS Link Library so URLs are clean and consistent.

Never send adult content, illegal-activity content, deceptive claims, phishing, or malware links. Voka's two-way assistant is also instructed to avoid sensitive topics (e.g. medical, legal, or financial advice) over SMS.

Industry-Specific Notes​

Healthcare (HIPAA)​

Keep Protected Health Information out of SMS. General reminders are fine; specifics are not.

Avoid: "Reminder: blood test results appointment tomorrow 2pm"
Better: "Reminder: appointment tomorrow at 2pm. - Medical Center"

Financial services​

Don't send sensitive account details over SMS.

Record Keeping​

Voka retains your message logs and opt-out list. Access them under Analytics → Messages and the SMS dashboard's opt-out section, and export periodically for your records. Retain consent and message records per your jurisdiction's requirements (often several years).

Compliance Checklist​

  • ☑ Customer consented (verbal "Yes" in-call, or they texted you first)?
  • ☑ Message is transactional and provides value?
  • ☑ Business name present (via Display Name)?
  • ☑ Within reasonable local hours?
  • ☑ Recipient not on the opt-out list?
  • ☑ Links come from your Link Library?

Resources​

Standards: FCC TCPA guidelines, CTIA Messaging Principles.

Need help? Compliance questions: compliance@vokaai.com.