{"id":1679,"date":"2019-11-13T16:05:42","date_gmt":"2019-11-13T22:05:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/efgintelligence.com\/dealershipcorridor\/?p=1679"},"modified":"2019-11-13T16:27:46","modified_gmt":"2019-11-13T22:27:46","slug":"text-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/efgintelligence.com\/dealershipcorridor\/text-regulations\/","title":{"rendered":"May I Text You?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Contributing
Contributing Author:
Steve Roennau
Vice President
EFG Companies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This might seem like a trite question in today\u2019s digital, over-socialized world. While obtaining permission from a customer to text them has always been a legal requirement, recent court cases have reminded the retail automotive industry that indeed, dealerships must have permission prior to sending a text. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the past, regulators were focused on companies sending out marketing texts to customers they did not have permission to text. Now, regulations may be enforced on something as simple as a salesperson texting a customer with a follow-up message on an available vehicle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Telephone Consumer Protection Act<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Specifically, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governs any dealership\u2019s phone call or text message marketing. Let\u2019s review the rules under the TCPA.<\/p>\n

If you want to send a customer a text message, you must obtain prior written<\/u><\/strong> consent before sending anything. Written consent can include hand-written signatures or even a simple email. You can also obtain consent by including it in your contact form on your website. Simply add a checkbox asking if the customer consents to being contacted via email, phone call, or text.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You may call\/text your current customers and former customers for 18 months after your relationship with them ends<\/strong>, even if they are on the national Do-Not-Call list. This includes both sales and service relationships, i.e., when they buy a car or even rotate their tires.<\/p>\n

You may also call\/text consumers who haven’t bought anything from you yet, but who have recently expressed an interest in what you\u2019re selling for up to 3 months after their initial visit<\/strong> as long as they have provided written consent<\/strong> to be contacted.<\/p>\n

If you’re simply inviting the consumer to visit your dealership, or you received the consumer\u2019s name and number from another customer, you cannot make that call without checking the Do-Not-Call list.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n