RPC Software – SMS Use Case Verification

Business Name: RPC Software

Website: www.corebusinesssystem.com

Headquarters:
1431 Opus Pl, Ste. 605
Downers Grove, IL 60515

Email Contact: info@corebusinesssystem.com

Purpose of SMS Usage

Industry: B2B Software for Office Furniture Dealerships
Use Case: Internal Staff Communication & Customer Notifications
Message Direction: Two-way (Dealership system <--> Employee / Customer)
Phone Number Type: Toll-Free / 10DLC

Partnership and SMS Agreement

Agreeing to use the system-generated consent message, which is only sent after a recipient provides their mobile number and explicitly consents to receive SMS communications through a distinct and affirmative action (such as replying YES to an initial opt-in message).
Ensuring that no further messages are sent unless the recipient replies with a clear "YES"
Handling and honoring any opt-out requests from recipients
Using the SMS feature exclusively for business-related communication with employees and customers

Dealership Consent Initiation

The decision to initiate SMS communication is made by the dealership, based on prior agreements or ongoing communication with employees and customers. However, the system enforces a consent-first policy: no SMS message is delivered until the recipient explicitly confirms their consent by replying "YES" to a system-generated opt-in message or sending a recognized opt-in keyword (e.g., CONSENT or START). This ensures that SMS communication always begins with verified, affirmative recipient authorization. This approach ensures compliance with Twilio Toll-Free SMS Verification guidelines.

A standard SMS Authorization Form is available for dealerships to complete and sign:
Download Dealership Authorization form to RPC Software

How SMS is Used – Dealership Employees

Send job-related notifications to drivers, installers, and sales reps
Receive confirmations or replies such as Y, YES, N, or NO
Allow opt-in/opt-out control via SMS (e.g., reply "YES" or "STOP"; reply "START" to re-subscribe)

How SMS is Used – Dealership Customers

Appointment confirmations
Delivery and service reminders
Opt-in/opt-out control via SMS (e.g., reply "YES" or "STOP"; reply "START" to re-subscribe)

Consent and Compliance

Consent to receive SMS messages is never bundled with account creation or phone number submission. Dealership services do not require SMS consent, and users must opt in separately via an explicit and affirmative action.

No messages are sent without prior positive consent
Consent is collected via:
- Replying "YES" to an initial opt-in message
- Sending the keyword "CONSENT" to the dealership's SMS number
- Sending the keyword "START" to re-subscribe after opting out
Upon receiving "CONSENT", the system sends a consent message, allowing the recipient to reply with "YES" or "STOP"
Recipients can opt out anytime by replying "STOP", and re-subscribe anytime by replying "START".
The system logs and enforces opt-in/opt-out rules automatically

Message Types

Our system exclusively sends transactional messages to recipients who have provided explicit consent. These messages include job notifications and service-related communications. We do not send promotional or marketing messages.

Opt-Out Handling

RPC Software uses Twilio’s built-in opt-out functionality to ensure carrier-compliant message blocking when a recipient replies STOP. This automatic mechanism immediately prevents further messages from being delivered to that number.

In addition to Twilio’s enforcement, the SMS microservice logs all STOP replies internally to avoid unnecessary attempts to send messages through the Twilio API. This ensures efficiency and helps prevent errors or rejected requests.

Please note: even after an opt-out, Twilio may send an automated confirmation message such as:
“You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe.”
No dealership or system-generated messages will be sent until the recipient explicitly opts back in.

Messaging Infrastructure

RPC Software uses Twilio as the SMS service provider. All messages are sent through either:

A registered A2P 10DLC brand and campaign, or
A verified toll-free (1-800) phone number

Each dealership is assigned a dedicated sender ID that is registered and verified through Twilio to ensure compliance with U.S. carrier requirements. Brand and campaign registrations are submitted through Twilio’s vetting process and automatically integrated into the SMS microservice configuration. This ensures that all outbound messaging adheres to industry standards and is eligible for reliable delivery and throughput.

SMS Microservice Architecture

The SMS microservice governs all aspects of message handling, consent enforcement, and integration with Twilio. It exposes the following API methods:

login – Performs license-based authentication and returns a bearer token for secure API usage.
sendsms – Accepts a list of pre-constructed SMS messages generated by the dealership software (CORE).
smslist – Returns a list of inbound SMS messages for the dealership’s assigned phone number. Outbound message status is not tracked here, as delivery confirmations and recipient responses are handled through the callback.
twiliocallback – Handles inbound messages and delivery status updates from Twilio. This endpoint is secured and verified using Twilio’s signature validation process.

This microservice ensures that consent validation, message formatting, delivery status handling, and audit logging are all performed centrally and securely, independent of dealership-side configuration or user action.

Error Handling and Message Failures

Each SMS message is attempted only once. If delivery fails (e.g., due to an invalid number, carrier rejection, or network issue), no retries are performed. Failed messages are logged, and the dealership is advised to follow up with the recipient directly — by phone or email.

Logging and Auditing

The SMS microservice logs all messaging activity, including:

Outbound content, recipients, timestamps, and delivery status
Consent replies (YES, STOP, START)
Message failures and error codes

Dealerships may request access to their message history in CSV format only if the request is compliant with RPC Software's SMS Data Privacy Policy .

Automation and Message Triggering

All SMS messages are triggered automatically by the system based on scheduled operational workflows. Each day, at the end of business hours, a scheduled job identifies all work orders planned for the next day. The system then:

Determines assigned employees and the on-site customer contact
CORE checks for mobile number and SMS checkbox
CORE sends SMS list to the microservice
If no prior consent exists: send consent SMS, wait for YES
If prior positive consent exists (e.g., recipient previously replied "YES"): send job notification SMS
Twilio callback sends response and status
Microservice logs event and sends response type to CORE
CORE updates status as Notified and Accepted or Notified and Rejected

The number of SMS recipients per dealership varies depending on the size of the dealership and the number of scheduled work orders. On average, a dealership may notify 2 to 200 recipients per day, including both employees assigned to jobs and customer contacts.

Message Frequency: Each recipient typically receives 3 to 4 messages per working day, such as a consent request (if applicable), a confirmation or job notification, a reminder, and potentially a follow-up if a response is required, depending on their interactions.

All job-related SMS templates are predefined by each dealership through system configuration. However, the consent message is standardized and centrally managed by the SMS microservice to ensure consistent language and compliance across all dealerships. Dealerships cannot modify the consent message template.

Message Samples

Consent:

    [DealerName]: To receive SMS updates, reply YES to confirm.
    Msg & data rates may apply.
    Reply STOP to opt out.
    Questions? Email dispatch@dealership.com.

Unsubscribed (Opt-Out by Twilio):

    You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number.
    Reply START to resubscribe.

Employee Notification:

    [DealerName]: You are scheduled for an installation job tomorrow at 2 PM.
    Reply Y to confirm, N to contact the office, or STOP to opt out.
    Questions? Email dispatch@dealership.com.

Customer Reminder:

    [DealerName]: Your furniture delivery is scheduled for tomorrow between 9–11 AM.
    Reply STOP to opt out.
    Questions? Email service@dealership.com.

Opt-In Workflow

Dealership-Initiated Opt-In

The dealership may initiate the request to send an SMS message based on prior business relationships or service agreements with employees or customers. However, the decision to send a message does not bypass compliance: Before any SMS is delivered, the microservice checks whether positive consent already exists. If no such consent is found, the system sends a standardized opt-in request and waits for a valid affirmative response (e.g., "YES") before proceeding.

If no positive consent is found (the recipient has never responded YES), the microservice automatically sends an initial consent message and logs phone number, message, and timestamp:

      [DealerName]: To receive SMS updates, reply YES to confirm.
      Msg & data rates may apply.
      Reply STOP to opt out.
      Questions? Email dispatch@dealership.com.

If the user replies "YES" to confirm, the microservice logs the response and proceeds with sending the intended message.
If the user replies "STOP", Twilio's built-in opt-out mechanism will automatically send a confirmation message (e.g., "You have successfully been unsubscribed"), and the microservice will receive a callback and log the number as opted out.
If the recipient replies with anything other than "YES", "STOP", or "START" (e.g., "ok", "maybe", or other text), this is treated as no valid consent, and the system does not proceed with any further messages.

If prior positive consent exists (e.g., recipient previously replied "YES"), the microservice proceeds with sending the intended message.
If a previous rejection is found (e.g., recipient replied STOP or ignored the last consent message), the message request is silently ignored — no messages are sent.

Dealership-Initiated Opt-In Flowchart

Recipient-Initiated Opt-In

The recipient sends the keyword CONSENT to the dealership’s assigned SMS number.
The system automatically responds with:

      [DealerName]: To receive SMS updates, reply YES to confirm.
      Msg & data rates may apply.
      Reply STOP to opt out.
      Questions? Email dispatch@dealership.com.

If the user replies "YES", the microservice logs the response and treats the number as opted in.
- SMS communication begins only after this confirmation.
If the user replies "STOP", the system logs the response and treats the number as opted out.

If the recipient was previously unsubscribed by replying STOP, the system cannot send them any further messages, including consent prompts. In such cases, the recipient must first re-initiate communication by sending the keyword START to the dealership’s SMS number. This triggers Twilio’s built-in opt-in process and allows future messages to be delivered.

Recipient-Initiated Opt-In Flow

Examples & Screenshots

Consent Request with positive response:

Saved to Database 1
Consent Request

Negative response (STOP):
Consent Request

Saved to Database 2
Consent Request

Re-subscribe and communicate
Consent Request

Message Concerns and Inquiries

Recipients who have questions or concerns about an SMS message they received should contact the dealership directly. Each dealership is responsible for the content and timing of its outbound messages and can assist with clarifications, opt-out confirmation, or follow-up communication. Dealerships are encouraged to include a contact email or phone number in their SMS message templates to ensure recipients can easily reach out if needed. This practice promotes transparency, builds trust, and aligns with carrier expectations for responsible messaging behavior. If necessary, RPC Software may support dealerships in investigating message-related issues reported through official channels.

Flowchart – SMS Messaging Process

The flow consists of the following steps:

Scheduled job runs daily at the end of the business day
Next-day work orders are identified
For each work order:
All assigned employees (delivery, installation, etc.)
The on-site customer contact
For each person:
If a mobile number is provided
If the SMS consent checkbox is selected
CORE sends an SMS list to the SMS microservice
If no prior consent exists:
The microservice sends a consent SMS
Waits for a YES reply before sending further messages
If consent already exists:
The microservice sends a job notification SMS
Twilio sends callbacks to the SMS microservice with replies and delivery status updates
The microservice logs all activity
The microservice sends response type (positive or negative) to CORE
CORE updates the resource status as "Notified and Accepted" or "Notified and Rejected"

Download Flowchart – SMS Messaging Workflow (PDF)

Conclusion

RPC Software is committed to supporting responsible and compliant SMS communications across all dealership partners. Our system is designed to ensure consent-first messaging, reliable delivery, transparent logging, and full traceability. We welcome feedback from Twilio, carriers, or regulatory stakeholders to further strengthen our messaging framework.