Government agencies, like many other organizations, have communications needs. Texting has a lot of advantages in this sense, offering speed and flexibility. As you might guess, there are some qualities a public group absolutely needs to consider that are different from standard business texting programs to help create an Information Society shift that helps new organizations.

Being able to reference proper time and date might end up being essential for tracking messages.Being able to reference proper time and date might end up being essential for tracking messages.

So what are the things these agencies need when they set up texting? Here are four examples:

  1. Accuracy: Being able to reference proper time and date might end up being essential for tracking messages and enforcing accountability. If texts are considered part of the public record, when they're sent and received could be as important as what they contain.
  2. Customized integration: Every institution will have its own concerns, and it makes sense that the fitting text option will easily fit into the current structure. This can apply to archiving and preserving these messages as well as sending them out in the first place. 
  3. Message security: Sensitive material needs safeguards to make sure it's sent and treated correctly. Figuring that out, though, can require both transparency and a clear set of protocols to follow. GCN mentioned this in an article about the potential dangers of an unsecured government texting initiative.
  4. Streamlined oversight: The same source said that texts and emails can all be considered as part of the category of "digital records," demanding a single form of management. Whatever it is, consistency is key, so that the same rules and access applies to all messages.

An SMS API system can be the center of all major shorthand communication for any agency, and can help meet the newest expectations when messaging technology is always changing.