Transactional SMS
Transactional SMS refers to a category of text messages that businesses or organizations send to their users or customers to convey information related to specific transactions or interactions. These messages are typically triggered by user actions or system events and contain critical and time-sensitive information. Transactional SMS is distinct from promotional SMS, as it is focused on providing relevant and necessary details rather than marketing or promotional content.
Key characteristics of transactional SMS include:
1. User-Initiated: Transactional SMS messages are often triggered by specific actions taken by users, such as making a purchase, updating account information, or initiating a transaction.
2. Time-Sensitive Information: These messages are designed to deliver immediate and time-sensitive information to users. Examples include order confirmations, account alerts, and password reset confirmations.
3. Personalized Content: Content in transactional SMS is highly personalized, providing information specific to the user's transaction, account, or interaction. This personalization enhances the user experience.
4. Automated Delivery: Transactional SMS messages are typically automated, ensuring quick and accurate delivery of information without manual intervention. Automation helps in providing real-time updates to users.
5. Critical Updates and Confirmations: The content of transactional SMS messages includes critical updates, confirmations, and alerts. Examples include order confirmations, delivery notifications, and appointment reminders.
6. Compliance with Regulations: Transactional SMS messages are often exempt from certain regulatory restrictions that apply to promotional messages. Users typically expect and appreciate transactional communications for their informational value.
7. Security and Authentication: Transactional SMS is commonly used for security-related notifications, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, password reset confirmations, and account access alerts.
Examples of transactional SMS messages include:
1. Order Confirmation: "Thank you for your purchase. Your order #12345 has been confirmed. You will receive updates on the delivery status shortly."
2. Appointment Remainder: "Hello! This is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. Smith on [date] at [time]. Please confirm your attendance."
3. Password Reset Confirmation: "Your password for [account] has been successfully reset. If you did not initiate this change, please contact support."
Transactional SMS plays a crucial role in enhancing customer communication by delivering important and timely information to users. It is widely used in e-commerce, banking, healthcare, and various other industries where providing immediate updates to users is essential.
As per the latest TRAI guidelines, now it is possible to send out messages through Transactional SMS to DND (Do not disturb) / NDNC registered customers. With Transactional SMS messages, one can send informative, generic, critical data or information. All SMS content needs to be transactional and should not contain any promotional content on this SMS route. Hence all the SMS content are approved in advance with variables. You could only send out those pre-approved SMS templates by changing the variables from the SMS template.
SMS messages needs to be approved in the form of SMS templates when you use Transactional SMS Gateway.
Let's take an example here for sending pre-approved Transactional SMS template message.
A school wants to send out attendance report to the parents. So, when school wants to send out the following message.
“Dear Parent, Your child's attendance for the month of July 2013 is 20 days.
From the above quoted message will be approved with variable from SMS Gateway Center as follows:
“Dear Parent, Your child's attendance for the month of xxxx xxxx is xx days.
So, while sending SMS you just need to change the variable which has xxxx and then send Transactional SMS to parents.