Short messaging service (SMS, also referred to as text messaging) is proving to be the most cost efficient and productive way to reach the candidate base of recruiting and staffing companies when it is a race to fill their requirements (REQS).

It’s important to remember that text messaging programs are not about sending “mass” text messages (especially within the recruiting industry), but rather targeted messages to candidates who are “opted-in” and want relevant job alerts sent to their mobile phone. After all, one of the core benefits of text messaging is that most people have a cell phone and carry it with them all the time. So when recruiters or staffing companies send a text to candidates or consultants / contractors, a quick response is highly likely.

Compare the response time of SMS with email. Not everyone checks email frequently, and not everyone has email capability on their mobile phone. Another consideration is the fact that with email the message can be filtered as “spam” and wind up in the junk mail folder or trash folder. This doesn’t happen with text messages.

Mobile messaging is a true mix of art and science to ensure brand compliance, carrier compliance, and that a staffing companies’ mobile programs are effective.

By integrating SMS into a current customer relationship management (CRM) / applicant tracking system (ATS), staffing companies can control and track the messaging, as with their other recruiting activities. Metrics can be measured and so can the two-way messages between the candidates / consultants and the staffing firms.

To have a truly effective mobile program, it is vital to look at how mobile can create efficiencies, solve business challenges, and help staffing companies communicate with their consultants / contractors and candidates.

My Mobile Applications, a mobile messaging services company with one of the most reliable communications networks across North America and Latin America, has partnered with 3Cinteractive, an industry leading mobile technology firm, to provide businesses a high quality mobile messaging, short message service (SMS), Premium SMS, and multimedia message service (MMS) solution.

My Mobile Applications has selected 3Cinteractive to handle all of the aggregation and migration of all of their SMS in the United States on AT&T, Sprint-Nextel, and Verizon Wireless. This includes the processing of millions of messages using My Mobile Applications’ and 3Cinteractive’s services to deploy powerful and complex mobile messaging functions.

Today the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is scheduled to announce new rules that will prohibit interstate commercial truckers and bus drivers from sending text messages (or SMS) while they are operating moving vehicles.

At an October summit on the subject of distracted driving, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood pledged to crack down on distracted driving by truckers and bus drivers. He also indicated that the DOT would establish rules governing not just the use of phones and other devices by truckers and bus drivers to text and talk, but also the use of computers mounted on dashboards that are used to communicate with dispatchers.

The Department of Transportation said that it is still working on additional regulations that would govern the use of such computers by truckers, as well as when truckers are allowed to use cellphones for conversation. Truckers and bus drivers who violate the new rules on SMS, which are effective immediately, face civil or criminal fines of up to $2,750.

While the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute research study found that those truckers who used on-board computers faced a ten times greater risk of crashing, nearly crashing or wandering from their lane than truckers who did not use those devices, that figure is lower than the 23 times greater risk when truckers texted.

This is could be a lead reason why the DOT began issuing regulations banning texting. “We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the road with them to be safe,” Secretary LaHood said in a news release. “This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”

States in dark blue ban texting for all drivers. Light blue indicates states weighing legislation to ban texting for all drivers. Gray indicates states with no active legislation. White indicates states with no legislative session scheduled for 2010. Click to enlarge.

Leading the charge for “taking more” steps to eliminate distracted driving may be the states. Twenty-three states are debating legislation to ban texting while driving, a practice that 19 states currently prohibit. One hundred ninety-four bills concerning various forms of distracted driving, including texting, are being debated in 34 states.

According to the Department of Transportation, 5,870 people — 16% of all highway fatalities — died in distracted-driving crashes and 515,000 were injured in 2008.

Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has introduced federal legislation to ban texting or emailing while driving. States that don’t go along with the proposed ban would risk losing 25% of their federal highway funds.

MINT Magazine, a company that publishes full color, direct-mail savings publications with an annual distribution of over 17.3 million homes, recently partnered with an American-based, multinational casual dining restaurant chain to run a test campaign for interactive SMS marketing. The call-to-action was promoted on the cover of the magazine and offered a free entree at any five city-specific restaurant locations. During the two-week campaign, the call-to-action reached an approximate 400,000 household circulation in the metro area.

The results of the interactive marketing campaign demonstrated the value of mobile text messaging. Over 10,200 total unique customers texted in to get the restaurant entree offer, with over 3,500 of those unique entries opting in for future Mint offers in the metro area. The response rate was 2.5% of the 400,000 household circulation and the campaign generated an average of 2,042 potential covers per local restaurant.

AT&T* announced that customers can now make collect calls to mobile phones by dialing 1-800-CALL-ATT® (1-800-225-5288), to access a new service called AT&T Collect to Wireless. AT&T is the first major telecommunications provider to expand its collect calling services to reach wireless customers in the U.S.

This opportunity is provided through a strategic relationship with 3Cinteractive’s Text Collect™ service. AT&T Collect to Wireless is part of the 1-800-CALL-ATT® product suite, which provides customers access to the AT&T network for all alternatively-billed calls, including calling card, credit card and collect calls.

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3Cinteractive would like to address the recent development of the TeleCommuncations Systems, Inc. (TCS) patent regarding SMS applications. The process patent, broadly covering MO-to-application via SMS short codes, has been making its way around the mobile industry for the past several weeks. 3Ci would like you to know that we are highly aware of this patent and that we are working closely with the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and other industry organizations to stay up to date on all of the latest news and updates. The facts as 3Ci understands them today are:

1. The MMA has engaged legal counsel to review the TCS infringement notices;
2. The MMA has suggested that the infringement notices were prepared “in anticipation of litigation”;
3. The MMA is exploring the possibility of a joint defense or declaratory judgment action;
4. Identifying “prior art” may invalidate the patent or showing that MO-to-application via SMS short code was commercially used prior to April 18, 2000. Any knowledge or lead regarding this should be immediately sent to Kristine van Dillen of the MMA;
5. 3Ci clients should exercise their best business judgment regarding a response to a TCS notice; and
6. 3Ci clients should consult with legal counsel before responding to any TCS notice.

If you should have any specific questions regarding TCS or their process patent in regards to your relationship with 3Cinteractive, please contact 3Ci General Counsel Mitch Kass at 561-443-5505.

In 1989, Apple Computer started developing the Newton platform.  Complete with state-of-the-art handwriting recognition software, the platform was brilliant.  As amazing as the platform was, the world wasn’t ready for the Newton.  Steve Jobs and others have looked back on the Newton and speculated its inability to capture a large audience.  The booming success of the iPhone—inspired by the Newton and iPod—has only made people look harder.

Jobs thought the Newton was too focused on input when it should have been focused on consumption. The technology was sound, but consumers shied away from another input device. Jobs had the same feeling about Palms, and other PDA’s: they wouldn’t become mainstream because of their design.

The iPhone’s design made it easier for users to adapt. The device allowed the user to spend more time consuming information and not inputting information.

The same is true for traditional cell phones. No one likes creating a new address book contact. You’re lucky if a person types a first and last name, let alone a full address. Consumers want to spend a few seconds entering a phone number, or pushing a few buttons, and the rest talking or reading.

SMS is the same way. A lot of companies want to use mobile to capture e-mail addresses, or full responses from end-users. My response is always the same, “Yes it will work, but there are much more effective ways to use mobile.”

The biggest, relative hump in a mobile marketing program is the initial opt-in. This is usually the largest input from the end-user (i.e. keyword & short code), and it must be initiated by the user. After the initial opt-in, the best mobile programs minimize input, at most, asking for number, letter, or keyword replies.

I’m a junkie for companies that have mobile alerts or services. Right now my favorites are Mint, Twitter, and Jott. Mint and Jott are used more frequently than Twitter. Why? Jott and Mint send me alerts that I consume to stay on track. Even on an iPhone, I rarely use Twitter to Tweet; instead I use mobile alerts to know when I receive a direct message.

For the most effective mobile program, capture your consumers and PUSH them alerts or actions.