Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Engagement.
Attributed (Snapshot) surveys only
Overview
SMS survey delivery lets you send Engagement survey invitations and reminders directly to employees' mobile phones. This helps reach frontline, shift, or deskless workers who may not use email regularly, ensuring your feedback is inclusive and representative.
SMS Checklist
Plan Ahead — Understand timelines and carrier registration (Crucial for US).
Before You Start — Data and consent prerequisites.
Step 1: Upload Employee Data — Formatting phone numbers and timezones.
Step 2: Enable and Test — Activating the feature and sending tests.
Step 3: Launch and Delivery — How Launch and Delivery works.
Step 4: Final Checklist — Final Pre-Setup Checklist.
Step 5: Post-Launch Monitoring — How to track delivery and opt-out health.
Troubleshooting/FAQs — Common errors and troubleshooting.
Plan Ahead: SMS Setup Timelines
SMS setup requires significant lead time due to global telecommunications regulations. We recommend beginning this process at least 6 weeks before your desired launch date.
Process | Timeline / Notes |
Initial SMS Setup | Up to 6 weeks. Involves registration and A2P 10DLC configuration for US carriers. See US Registration Requirements in the Before You Start section. |
Subsequent Surveys | Typically 1–2 weeks. Setup is faster if no new countries are added or participant volume remains stable (increases of <10,000). |
Before You Start: Access and Legal Considerations
Before enabling SMS, ensure you have carefully reviews the SMS Legal and Compliance Guidance and that your survey and internal processes meet the following requirements:
Supported Survey Types
Supported Survey Types
Must be an Attributed (Snapshot) survey. SMS is not available for Effectiveness, Onboard/Exit, Unattributed surveys or Performance Cycles.
Country Availability
Country Availability
Verify that SMS is deliverable in all target countries. Refer to the SMS Delivery by Country section below.
Mandatory Consent (Global)
Mandatory Consent (Global)
Regardless of region, you must obtain explicit, documented consent from employees. Culture Amp does not require non-US customers to submit proof of this consent; however, by uploading timezone and mobile numbers into the platform, you are formally confirming that you have obtained the required consent internally.
🇺🇸 US Registration Requirements
🇺🇸 US Registration Requirements
To complete your SMS campaign registration, US carriers are required to provide evidence of how you collect employee consent for text messages. Please review Twilio's requirements here and then provide Culture Amp the following:
Screenshot of your opt-in process - Upload to Google Drive or OneDrive (set to "anyone with link can view") and share the link
Privacy Policy URL - Must be live and publicly accessible
Terms of Service URL - Must be live and publicly accessible.
Your Opt-in process must meet these carrier standards:
Checkbox is NOT pre-selected
Consent language includes company/brand name
Consent language includes message frequency (e.g., "Message frequency varies")
Consent language includes "Message and data rates may apply"
Consent language includes opt-out instructions (e.g., "Reply STOP to cancel")
Privacy Policy link works and is publicly accessible
Privacy Policy states mobile info won't be shared with third parties
Terms of Service link works and is publicly accessible
Opt-in Best Practices (Global)
Opt-in Best Practices (Global)
While only US carriers require a formal audit, we recommend all customers follow the "US Registration Requirements" listed above as a baseline for legal and carrier compliance.
Right to Disconnect
Right to Disconnect
Laws vary by jurisdiction. You are responsible for understanding and complying with local "Right to Disconnect" laws. Our system defaults to sending only during 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. local time to assist with compliance.
Opt-Outs
Opt-Outs
All SMS communications include a mandatory opt-out option. If an employee replies "STOP," they will be automatically unsubscribed from future SMS communications.
Regional Numbers
Regional Numbers
Culture Amp can only send SMS from local numbers in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. For all other countries, messages are sent from an international number, which can make delivery less predictable
NZ Customers
NZ Customers
Local carriers have recently increased message filtering, which may affect SMS delivery. Due to this, NZ is now considered Tier 2.
SMS Delivery by Country
Tier | Country | Dial Code |
Tier 1 - fully supported | Canada | +1 |
| United States | +1 |
| United Kingdom | +44 |
| Australia | +61 |
Tier 2 - partially supported | Any country not listed in this table |
|
Tier 3 - not supported | Algeria | +213 |
| Nigeria | +234 |
| Tunisia | +216 |
| Zimbabwe | +263 |
| Afghanistan | +93 |
| Azerbaijan | +994 |
| Bangladesh | +880 |
| Bhutan | +975 |
| China | +86 |
| Indonesia | +62 |
| Iran | +98 |
| Iraq | +964 |
| Israel | +972 |
| Korea, Democratic People’s Republic (North Korea) | +850 |
| Pakistan | +92 |
| Russia / Kazakhstan | +7 |
| Sri Lanka | +94 |
| Syria | +963 |
| Tajikistan | +992 |
| Vietnam | +84 |
| Belarus | +375 |
| Cuba | +53 |
Understanding Tier 2 Delivery (Partially supported countries)
Understanding Tier 2 Delivery (Partially supported countries)
Any country not listed in Tier 1 or Tier 3 is considered Tier 2. While delivery rates in these regions remain strong, the process is less predictable due to the following factors:
International Sending Numbers: Messages are sent from a Tier 1 international number rather than a local one. Employees will see the SMS as an overseas message.
Carrier Filtering: Local carriers may filter, delay, or re-route messages because they originate from abroad.
Device-Level Spam: Some devices (particularly Android) may automatically move international messages into spam or "Blocked" folders.
Limited Delivery Confirmation: Culture Amp can confirm when an SMS has been successfully handed off to the local carrier, but we cannot track whether it was successfully delivered to or opened on the employee’s device.
Resends: If a message is filtered, resending it typically will not improve delivery, as the restriction is happening at the carrier or device level.
Step 1: Uploading Mobile Numbers and Timezones
To send SMS, you must manually upload data via CSV. HRIS sync is not currently supported for these fields.
Field Name | Description | Format Example |
Mobile Phone Number | A valid number in E.164 format. |
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Timezone | A valid timezone in IANA format. |
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To upload:
Go to Account Settings > Users > Export.
Add columns for
Mobile Phone NumberandTimezone. (exact exact name and casing)Ensure employees you want to reach have both fields populated; the system will skip users missing one or the other.
Re-import the file.
Step 2: Enabling and Testing SMS
Once your data is ready, contact your CSM or Product Support Specialist to activate the feature for your survey. To test:
In your survey, navigate to the Communications section.
Under SMS communications you'll see see previews of the invite and reminders.
Click Send test to trigger a message to your own device. (Note: Your own profile must have a mobile number and timezone uploaded to test).
Tip: Consider sharing the sender phone number from your test message with employees in advance. This helps them recognize the invitation as an official communication and prevents it from being mistaken for spam or reported as a suspicious message.
Note: Unlike other demographics, mobile numbers can be updated mid-survey. If you update a participant's number while a survey is running, future communications will go to the new number.
Step 3: How It Works
Launch & Reminders: Employees receive a text at launch and for scheduled reminders.
Message Content: Includes the employee’s first name, a unique survey link (containing your subdomain and Culture Amp domain), and opt-out instructions.
Customization: SMS messages are standardized and cannot be edited. This ensures compliance and improves deliverability.
Delivery Windows: Messages are only sent Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the employee's local timezone. If you launch on a Friday or late in the day, delivery may be paused until the next eligible window to comply with local work-time laws.
New Participants: No additional setup is needed for new hires. As long as they have a mobile number, timezone, and consent has been provided, they will automatically receive the SMS when added to the survey.
Step 4: Final Pre-Setup Checklist
Complete these steps before contacting Support to ensure your request can be processed without delays:
Survey Type: Confirmed your survey is an Attributed (Snapshot) survey.
Employee Data: Verified all target participants have both a Mobile Phone Number (E.164 format) and Timezone (IANA format) in your user data.
Consent: Obtained explicit, documented consent from all employees receiving an SMS.
Country Support: Reviewed the SMS Delivery by Country section to confirm target countries are supported (Tiers 1 & 2).
🇺🇸 US Registration (Required for +1 numbers): Prepared your Opt-in Screenshot and live policy URLs for external verification.
🇺🇸 US Privacy Compliance: Confirmed your Privacy Policy explicitly states mobile info will NOT be shared with third parties for marketing.
When you contact Culture Amp Support, please provide:
Survey name
Target countries
Approximate number of participants
Whether this is your first SMS setup or a subsequent survey
(For US only) The registration assets listed in the Before You Start section.
Step 5: Post-Launch Monitoring
To monitor the health of your SMS communications, you can request a manual export of your notification statistics. These metrics are tracked off-platform and while they confirm hand-off to the carrier, they don’t confirm whether the message was received or opened on an employee’s device.
How to request: Message Product Support or "Ask a Person" in a support conversation.
Timeline: Please allow 2–3 business days for the export to be generated.
Included Metrics
Number of opt-outs: Total employees who replied "STOP."
Opt-out rate (%): The percentage of your audience that unsubscribed.
Number of failed sends: Messages that did not reach the carrier. (listed as "Messages with errors" in the report).
Error rate (%): Percentage of messages that encountered delivery issues (often due to invalid formatting or landline numbers).
Tip: For SMS survey communications, an opt-out rate between 2–5% is considered a standard, healthy range. If your rate exceeds 5%, we recommend reviewing your internal pre-survey communications to ensure employees understand why they are receiving these texts.
Troubleshooting/FAQs
Question | Answer |
How much does SMS Survey Communications cost? | Currently included with Engage subscriptions at no extra cost (subject to future monitoring). |
Can I send SMS messages in different languages? | Not at this time; messages are sent in English only. |
Why can't I customize the message text? | Consistency ensures we comply with anti-spam laws in the US, AU, and UK and improves deliverability. |
What if employees report not receiving the SMS? |
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Can I use my HRIS to upload mobile phone numbers or timezones? | No. Please use a manual CSV upload for mobile numbers and timezones. |
Where will my employees' data be stored? | Employee mobile numbers and timezones are securely stored within Culture Amp. SMS content and delivery data (including phone numbers and message text) are managed by our trusted third-party provider, Twilio. For more on how Twilio handles data, refer to their privacy policy. |
Will employees see 'Culture Amp' as the sender? | No, SMS messages are sent from a standard phone number based on your region; they won’t appear as coming from “Culture Amp.” |
Can SMS invitations be sent to just some employees? | Yes. You can target specific groups by only providing mobile and timezone data for the employees you wish to reach.
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💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a support conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.