SMS Communication Policy

1 Purpose and Program Identity

This SMS Communication Policy governs text messages sent by or on behalf of Meridian Digital Workforce ("Meridian") through Meridian’s website, CRM, scheduling, support, consulting, implementation, AI, or Digital Workforce™ operations. The program name and message sender are Meridian Digital Workforce.

The program supports Meridian’s consulting-first client journey, beginning with an Initial Inquiry and a 60-minute Business Intelligence Session™, then continuing through a Business Intelligence Record™ / assessment, Business Transformation Proposal™, Partnership Agreement or Statement of Work, kickoff and onboarding, Digital Workforce Design™, CRM implementation, workflow automation, AI Voice Receptionist or Digital Employee™ implementation, quality assurance, deployment, 30-Day Hypercare™, support, ongoing Digital Workforce Management™, optimization, and Quarterly Business Reviews™.

2 Types of Messages

Depending on the user’s request and consent, Meridian may send:

• appointment confirmations, reminders, rescheduling notices, and cancellation notices;
• Business Intelligence Session™, and other appointment scheduling messages;
• answers to requested information and inbound inquiries;
• customer support, service, and account-related messages;
• reasonable follow-up concerning a user’s inquiry, consultation, proposal, or active engagement;
• onboarding notices and requests for client deliverables, approvals, access, or scheduling;
• implementation, quality-assurance, go-live, Hypercare™, and project status updates;
• security, service interruption, billing, or other operational notices; and
• promotional or marketing messages only after separate, express consent for promotions.

Meridian does not use SMS as a substitute for emergency services. A person facing an emergency should call 911 or the appropriate local emergency service.

3 Consent Standard

Meridian sends recurring automated SMS or MMS messages only after the recipient has provided the level of consent required for the disclosed message purpose. Consent must be clear, affirmative, specific to Meridian, and associated with the telephone number submitted. Consent for one Meridian campaign or purpose is not sold, assigned, or transferred to another company or unrelated campaign.

An SMS checkbox is not preselected and is not bundled into general website terms. Transactional or service consent and promotional consent are presented separately when both are offered. The consent disclosure identifies Meridian, describes the message purpose, states that frequency varies, discloses that message and data rates may apply, gives STOP and HELP instructions, states that marketing consent is not a condition of purchase, and links to the Privacy Policy and this SMS Communication Policy.

4 How Users Opt In

4.1 Website Contact Forms

A user may enter a mobile number on Meridian’s Contact page and affirmatively select an unchecked SMS consent checkbox before submitting the form. Submission of the form or telephone number without selecting the checkbox does not create consent for recurring automated text messages.

4.2 Consultation and Booking Forms

A user may select an unchecked consent checkbox while requesting or booking a 60-minute Business Intelligence Session™. The consent covers scheduling confirmations, reminders, rescheduling, requested information, and reasonable service-related follow-up described at the point of collection. Promotional messages require a separate checkbox.

4.3 Website Chat Widget

A user who chooses an SMS channel in Meridian’s GoHighLevel chat widget may enter a mobile number and affirmatively accept the SMS disclosure. A web-chat conversation alone does not authorize SMS unless the user requests a text reply or completes the displayed opt-in.

4.4 Future Facebook Lead Ads

If Meridian uses Facebook Lead Ads in the future, the lead form will display Meridian’s SMS disclosure near the mobile field, use an unchecked consent control, and link to the Privacy Policy and this SMS Communication Policy. A social-media lead without that affirmative selection will not be enrolled in recurring SMS.

4.5 Future Referrals

A referral does not constitute SMS consent. Meridian may contact a referred person through a lawful, non-SMS method or respond if that person initiates contact. Recurring SMS begins only after the referred person directly provides a valid opt-in to Meridian.

4.6 Future Inbound Inquiries and Keywords

When a person initiates a text to Meridian, Meridian may respond to the requested inquiry within that conversational context. Recurring notifications or promotions require the applicable additional consent. If Meridian later publishes a keyword such as START or INFO, the call-to-action will disclose the program terms before the keyword is used, and the confirmation message will identify Meridian and repeat STOP and HELP instructions.

4.7 Verbal or Written Consent

Where legally permitted, a user may ask Meridian in a recorded or documented conversation to send service-related texts. Meridian records the date, source, disclosed purpose, and scope of consent. Promotional texts require prior express written consent that satisfies applicable law.

5 Message Frequency

Transactional, appointment, support, onboarding, implementation, and account message frequency varies with the user’s request, appointment activity, project stage, and support needs. Promotional messages, when separately authorized, are limited to up to four messages per month. Message frequency may temporarily increase when a user is actively rescheduling, requesting support, or participating in an implementation milestone.

6 Message and Data Rates

Message and data rates may apply. Charges are determined by the recipient’s wireless plan and carrier. Meridian does not charge a separate fee to receive program text messages, but Meridian service, project, software, carrier, or usage fees may apply under an accepted engagement document.

7 How to Opt Out

Reply STOP to any Meridian text message to opt out. Meridian also honors standard opt-out keywords supported by its messaging provider, which may include CANCEL, END, QUIT, REVOKE, OPTOUT, STOPALL, and UNSUBSCRIBE. Meridian will send one final confirmation that the opt-out has been processed and will then stop non-exempt messages to that number unless the person provides a new valid opt-in.

A person may also request an opt-out through the Contact page. Opting out of SMS does not cancel an appointment, terminate a paid engagement, or unsubscribe the person from email unless separately requested. Meridian may still send a legally permitted one-time response necessary to confirm the opt-out or address an immediate user-initiated request.

8 Help and Customer Support

Reply HELP for help. Meridian may respond with the program name, a brief description of the messaging program, opt-out instructions, and a link to customer support. Support is also available at https://meridiandigitalworkforce.com/contact.

9 Consent Is Not Required for Purchase

Consent to receive promotional or recurring automated marketing text messages is not a condition of purchasing any property, goods, or services. A user may decline SMS consent and still submit a website inquiry or schedule a Business Intelligence Session™ using the available non-SMS contact options. A required telephone-number field does not make SMS consent mandatory; the SMS checkbox remains optional.

10 Promotional Messages

Meridian sends promotional SMS only after a person separately agrees to receive them. Promotional messages may concern Meridian educational resources, service announcements, event invitations, consultation opportunities, or relevant Digital Workforce Transformation™ offerings. Promotional consent is separate from appointment, support, onboarding, and implementation messaging. Meridian does not use purchased lists, referrals alone, or general acceptance of website terms as promotional SMS consent.

11 SMS Privacy and Data Handling

Meridian may process a telephone number, message content, opt-in and opt-out history, timestamps, source form or page, campaign purpose, delivery status, error code, carrier, and CRM contact history. This information is used to deliver requested messages, document consent, honor opt-outs, provide support, prevent misuse, monitor deliverability, and comply with law and carrier requirements.

GoHighLevel may manage CRM, forms, chat, scheduling, workflows, consent records, and message history. Twilio and telecommunications carriers may route messages, assign delivery status, apply filtering, and process standard opt-out commands. Those providers receive only information appropriate to their roles and process it under their terms. Meridian retains consent and suppression records as reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance and ensure an opted-out number remains suppressed.

For additional information about collection, security, retention, user rights, and integrations, review the Privacy Policy at meridiandigitalworkforce.com/privacy-policy.

12 Carrier Disclaimer

Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Delivery depends on carrier networks, device availability, service coverage, filtering, number status, and other conditions outside Meridian’s control. Message delivery is not guaranteed. Not all devices or carriers may support every message type.

13 TCPA, CTIA, and Carrier Compliance

Meridian intends to operate its messaging program in accordance with applicable requirements under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Federal Communications Commission rules, CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices, wireless-carrier policies, Twilio and GoHighLevel requirements, and applicable state laws. Meridian obtains the appropriate consent before messaging; gives clear calls-to-action; identifies the sender; limits messages to the disclosed purpose; maintains consent evidence; provides STOP and HELP functionality; promptly honors revocation; and monitors program use.

Carrier registration or approval does not guarantee delivery and does not shift responsibility for lawful consent. Meridian may block, pause, or terminate a campaign, number, workflow, or user that creates spam, fraud, privacy, consent, deliverability, or carrier risk.

14 Program Changes and Termination

Meridian may modify or discontinue an SMS program, message type, number, frequency, or provider. A material change to the purpose or consent terms will be disclosed, and Meridian will obtain new consent when required. This Policy will be updated at meridiandigitalworkforce.com/sms-communication-policy with a revised effective date.

15 Sample Program Messages

16 Contact Meridian

For SMS support, reply HELP or submit a request through: