Twilio SMS opt-out compliance for field service teams

When customers text STOP, Twilio blocks every future SMS from your number to that recipient. Replying manually won’t fix it—and sending marketing texts after an opt-out can draw fines. Use this guide to stay compliant and keep communications flowing.

1. Understand STOP/START/HELP keywords and error codes

| Keyword | Meaning | Toolfy/Twilio behavior | | --- | --- | --- | | STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT | Customer revokes consent | Twilio blocks outbound SMS and returns error code 21610. Toolfy timeline shows “SMS opt-out”. | | START, YES, UNSTOP | Customer re-consents | Twilio re-enables messaging and delivers queued reminders. Toolfy updates the contact record once re-consent is processed. | | HELP | Customer requests info | Twilio auto-responds with compliance message; you should follow up with support details. |

Error codes to know:

• 21610 – Attempted to send to an unsubscribed recipient
• 30005 – Unknown destination (often deactivated numbers)
• 30007 – Carrier spam filter (adjust wording)

2. Toolfy workflow for STOP events

1. Timeline banner – Invoice/customer timeline shows “SMS opt-out received”.
2. Reminders auto-pause – Toolfy stops sending SMS reminders to that contact (email continues).
3. Switch channel – Send the same reminder via email or call the customer.
4. Log outcome – Note in the customer profile that SMS consent was revoked.
5. Follow-up – If the customer verbally re-consents, ask them to text START to the Toolfy number (Twilio requires it).

3. Re-consent templates

Email template:

Subject: Confirm SMS reminders for {{business_name}}
Hi {{first_name}}, you previously opted out of SMS reminders from us, so invoices and visit updates only go via email. If you’d like to resume text reminders, reply to our number with START. Questions? Call {{office_phone}}.

Phone script:

“Just a heads-up: our system shows you opted out of text reminders. If you want to receive them again, text START to our usual number and it will re-enable automatically.”

Support macro:

Thanks for the update. To receive SMS reminders again, please send START to {{toolfy_sms_number}}. Once we see that, reminders resume automatically.

4. Audit checklist (especially for regulated industries)

• ✅ Make sure every opt-out is logged in the customer profile
• ✅ Keep opt-out data for at least 24 months (backups/export) in case of audits
• ✅ Train staff on STOP/START handling; use macros to keep responses consistent
• ✅ Monitor Twilio console or Toolfy Reminders → Activity for spikes in opt-outs
• ✅ Use email fallback templates so time-sensitive reminders still go out

5. Configure once, stay compliant

• Connect Twilio inside Toolfy → Reminders → SMS settings
• Customize the HELP auto-reply to include your support email/phone
• Turn on finance/ops Slack alerts so STOP events get flagged immediately
• Review reminder copy quarterly to avoid words that trigger carrier spam filters

Next step: open Toolfy → Reminders → SMS settings, confirm Twilio is connected, and paste the templates above into your manual reminder macros. Compliance handled, communications intact.