GoTab has partnered with OpenPhone to ensure GoTab customers utilizing SMS messaging stay compliant with the new, significantly more stringent industry standards and regulations.
Starting September 30, 2024, our current SMS platform provider will begin blocking unregistered text message transmissions. This means that your assigned phone numbers will not be able to communicate with your guests about order confirmations, KDS ticket completion, or support two-way texting between you and your guests via the KDS and Manager Dashboard. This will not affect your ability to communicate with GoTab chat support via your KDS, Manager Dashboard or GoTab Manager App.
Why We’re Making This Change
Over the years, business-to-consumer text messaging regulations have become increasingly more complex. A combination of regulatory and telecommunications industry standards have solidified into a set of mandatory requirements for any business that engages in SMS communications with consumers. These new rules require all GoTab customers to take action to become compliant.
In short, you will need to:
- Register your brand with the Campaign Registry
- Register separate campaigns for each type of messaging you send
- Gather opt-in consent from your consumers
- Honor opt-out requests from your consumers
GoTab has prepared for this change and simplified the steps you need to follow to remain in compliance, receive better message deliverability rates and build trust with your guests. As a result, there are several changes coming soon in how GoTab and you communicate with your guests.
GoTab and OpenPhone Partnership
GoTab has partnered with OpenPhone, a leading provider of business voice and text messaging solutions to ensure continuity of your existing customer SMS flow. By creating an account with OpenPhone, you will have a streamlined process to register and fully certify your phone number(s) to be in compliance with current requirements.
OpenPhone will guide you through a review conducted by The Campaign Registry, a third-party agency chosen by the major US cellular carriers, for a two stage review. Approval of your phone number(s) requires an EIN or other tax identification number to get started and involves completing a form with other business specific information. Once you complete your application, it generally takes 2-5 days for approval. Details about this registration process are provided below.
Key Deadline - Set Up Your OpenPhone Account by September 30, 2024
In order to continue the full two-way text messaging capabilities you have today, you must set up an active OpenPhone account no later than September 30, 2024. In preparation for this, we will activate the prerequisite consumer opt-in functionality in the GoTab QR ordering experience by September 30, 2024.
Managing Consumer Opt-Ins
Per the requirements laid out by CTIA (the wireless industry trade association), consumers must explicitly opt in to receive SMS communications from you, with the exception of 2-factor authentication use cases. GoTab will soon start sending text message consent prompts and we will also update the KDS and Manager Dashboard chat functions to reflect your guests' communication preferences.
What if I Can’t Meet the Deadline?
We realize you may not be able to adhere to this deadline for any number of reasons. If that is the case, GoTab will offer a grace period of 1 month from September 30 until October 31, 2024. During the grace period we will continue to deliver outbound text messages to your guests using GoTab's registered brand and campaigns. However, you will not have access to 2-way chat from the KDS or Manager Dashboard. We will continue to send order confirmations and order fulfillment messages from a pool of phone numbers belonging to GoTab.
On November 1, 2024, GoTab will discontinue outbound messaging for operators who have not transitioned to OpenPhone.
Are There Other Benefits of OpenPhone?
Yes. Beyond full compliance to continue sending SMS to your customers, an OpenPhone account also provides a number of other significant additional benefits including:
- AI message responses
- Port phone numbers from other carriers
- Auto-replies and scheduled messages
- Voicemail transcriptions
- Unified text messaging view between GoTab, your business, and your guests
- Streamlined brand and campaign registration on your behalf
Click here for step by step instructions on creating an OpenPhone account and registering your new OpenPhone number for business-to-consumer text messaging.