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SMS

SMS in RecSphere is the right channel for short, urgent, one-way updates such as shift confirmations and last-minute changes. It works alongside email and WhatsApp in the same Inbox.

When to use SMS vs WhatsApp or email​

Each channel has its sweet spot:

  • SMS is best for short, urgent, one-way messages. Almost everyone reads an SMS within minutes, and no app install is needed.
  • WhatsApp is best for two-way conversations and longer threads, including media.
  • Email is best for detailed information, attachments and anything candidates might want to refer back to.

A good rule: if it is shorter than a tweet and the candidate needs to act on it now, send an SMS.

Sending an SMS from a candidate record​

  1. Open the candidate record (for example, Sarah Williams).
  2. Go to the Communications tab.
  3. Click New message and choose SMS.
  4. Type the message, or pick an SMS template.
  5. Click Send.

The SMS goes out from your agency's sending number and lands in the candidate's phone within seconds.

Sending an SMS from a shift​

When confirming a booking, you can SMS the candidate directly from the shift.

  1. Open the shift (for example, a Senior Nurse shift at Bristol Royal Infirmary).
  2. Click New message and choose SMS.
  3. Pick the 'Shift confirmation' template or type your own.
  4. Click Send.

The candidate receives the confirmation, and the SMS is logged against both the shift and the candidate record.

SMS templates​

SMS templates work the same way as email templates, with two differences:

  • The body is plain text only - no formatting, no images.
  • The character count matters (see below).

See Message templates for how to create and share templates.

Character limits and pricing​

SMS messages are billed per segment. One segment is 160 characters for plain ASCII text, or 70 characters if the message contains Unicode characters such as emoji or accented letters. Longer messages are split across multiple segments and billed accordingly.

The compose window shows a live segment count as you type, so you can see when a message is about to roll over to a second segment.

Cost per message

SMS is billed per segment; long messages may use multiple segments. See your subscription for included volumes.

Tracking delivery​

Each SMS shows a delivery status:

  • Sent - handed off to the carrier.
  • Delivered - confirmed received by the candidate's phone.
  • Failed - the carrier could not deliver, usually because the number is wrong or off-network.

You will see these statuses in the conversation view next to each message.

STOP replies and opt-out​

UK and most international carrier rules require honouring stop keywords. If a candidate replies with 'STOP', 'UNSUBSCRIBE' or similar, RecSphere automatically marks them as opted out of SMS and blocks future sends to that number. You will see a clear opt-out indicator on their record.