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Building an IVR Flow to Collect SMS Consent and Send a Message

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This article provides best practices for verifying or collecting a caller's consent before sending them a text message.
Note that there are multiple IVR actions and conditions in this flow that will be individually built. You can learn about with their dedicated linked articles.

Use Case

  • You'd like to remain 10DLC compliant and offer a caller an automated SMS message to their number

Recommended IVR Flow

Though your exact needs may vary, it's recommended your IVR flow takes the following steps once a caller in an IVR or skill queue has opted to receive an SMS message. Note that this does not cover requesting a text from a live agent unless the agent wraps up the call and sends the caller to this IVR.


  1. Caller enters a dedicate IVR Flow built to focus on these steps.

  2. "Collect Confirmation" Action

    1. This will be used to collect consent from the caller to receive SMS messages.

    2. Set the session parameter as "SMS_Consent" or similar. Note this parameter name as you'll need it later.

    3. Set the "Consent Announcement" message with a full 10DLC opt-in prompt. The message should end with having the customer press "1" to accept or "2" to withhold consent.

      1. Check current 10DLC opt-in requirements. At the time of this articles creation, your prompt should include:
        • Your brand name
        • Message frequency disclosure
        • "Message and data rates may apply" disclosure
        • Customer care contact information 
(Text HELP for help, contact [email address] for support, etc.)
        • Opt-out information
(Text STOP to cancel)
        • Where a customer can find your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use documentation.

    4. Learn more about the Collect Confirmation action here

  3. "Parameter Condition" Action

    1. Though you'll quickly want to have a customer verify their best SMS number, there is no need to offer the number collection step if they did not give consent in the step above. Using a Parameter Condition here will help determine if consent was officially given first.

    2. Set the conditional check to look for the session parameter defined in the Collect Confirmation step and if it "is True"

      1. The "True" value was set if the customer pressed "1" during the Collect Confirmation Step

    3. If using this method and the condition is met, you can use the "Confirm Caller Number" and "Send SMS" actions as sub-actions for the condition.

    4. Learn more about Parameter Condition options here.

  4. Create a sub-action for "Confirm Caller Number" under the Parameter Condition made in step 4.

    1. Using this as a sub-action only has the customer go through the steps of setting their best phone number if consent was given.

    2. This step is technically optional as you could just have the SMS sent to the caller's recognized caller ID number.
      But, in the event they're not calling from a phone that can receive text messages OR they are using a blocked number, offering this step allows them to verify or provide the best number.

    3. Review the dedicated article for this action for a full understanding. The important thing to not here is the session parameter name assigned in this step. In this example, I set the verified number as "PhoneNum"

  5. "Send SMS" Action

    1. For a full breakdown of this feature, review the article here.

    2. You'll use the two saved session parameter names in this menu:

    3. "Consent Parameter" will need to match what you used in step 2 above.

    4. "Target Number Session Parameter" will need to match the name used in step 4

    5. You'll need to select "Verified Number" under the "Target Number Source" to switch to this method.

  6. (Optional) Use a Parameter Condition Action before all of these steps to first check if the caller has already provided consent.

    1. This could be following a data base dip if you store flags for clients who have given SMS consent
    2. If it's likely that caller gave consent in a previous IVR on the same call or has likely returned to this IVR
    3. If used correctly, you can skip collecting consent again and move onto other steps to confirm their number and/or send the SMS.

  7. End the IVR with your desired termination action. This could be sending the caller back to a digit menu they were last in, transferring them to another IVR, or dropping the call as just a few examples.

  8. As always, save your changes by making your new IVR live with the "Make Live" button.

Updated 9 days ago