You can now distribute surveys by SMS as well as by email. This is particularly useful for employees who don’t regularly access email. SMS survey invites are sent from our dedicated UK number: +44 7426 914913.
1. Where to find SMS distribution in the platform
Under the Distribution tab, you’ll now see:
Email distribution (collapsible section)
SMS distribution (collapsible section)
Completion status (collapsible section)
Each method has its own tracking (sent, delivered, opened, clicked). The SMS distribution section works in the same way as email, with options to:
Create new batches (by demographic or by recipient)
View scheduled batches
Resend to selected individuals
Check SMS history
2. SMS survey invites: what to expect
SMS invites are sent from a fixed UK number: +44 7426 914913
Messages include a shortened survey link (e.g. http://say.peopleinsight/...)
Sending is only advised between 09:00 and 17:00 (recipient time zone)
We strongly recommend notifying recipents before SMS messages are sent, so they know what to expect. Let them know:
They will receive a message from +44 7426 914913
It’s legitimate and safe
It includes a link to your employee survey
This helps avoid confusion, boosts trust, and improves response rates.
3. Panel file requirements for SMS
To use SMS distribution, your panel file must include employee mobile numbers. These should be in E.164 format (e.g. +447911123456) and placed in:
Column I – Work Phone Number (used if it’s a valid mobile)
Column J – Mobile Phone Number (used as fallback if Column I is invalid)
Updated panel file templates are available in the platform:
Client_Panel_No_Variables (update).xlsx
Client_Panel_With_Variables (update).xlsx
Validation rules:
Mobile numbers must include the + country code, no brackets and no spaces
Invalid numbers will be flagged during upload
Only participants with valid mobile numbers will be included in SMS batches.
4. SMS templates
Under Design > SMS Templates, Super Users or System Admins can:
Create and name templates
Write message content (live character count shown)
Note: the platform will use shortened URLs for survey links.
5. Creating and sending SMS batches
To send an SMS batch:
Go to Distribution > SMS distribution
Click Create new (by recipient) or Create new (by demographic)
(Note: recipient-level selection is recommended due to phone number logic)
Choose a time zone and schedule the message.
Track delivery status in real-time under the Scheduled SMS batch section
6. Resends, history and compliance
Resend SMS to non-responders via the Resend tab
View previous batches in SMS history
If an SMS fails, we retry twice.
7. Organisation-level control
The SMS feature is configurable at the organisation level. If disabled for your organisation, SMS options will not appear in the platform. Contact your People Insight client manager to enable SMS functionality.
🌍 Summary of enabled SMS destinations
North America
🇦🇮 Anguilla
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda
🇦🇼 Aruba
🇦🇸 Ascension
🇧🇸 Bahamas
🇧🇧 Barbados
🇧🇿 Belize
🇧🇲 Bermuda
🇨🇦 Canada
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
🇨🇺 Cuba
🇨🇼 Curaçao and Caribbean Netherlands
🇩🇲 Dominica
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic (all prefixes)
🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇬🇱 Greenland
🇬🇩 Grenada
🇬🇵 Guadeloupe
🇬🇹 Guatemala
🇭🇹 Haiti
🇭🇳 Honduras
🇯🇲 Jamaica
🇲🇶 Martinique
🇲🇽 Mexico
🇲🇸 Montserrat
🇳🇮 Nicaragua
🇵🇦 Panama
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
🇰🇳 St Kitts and Nevis
🇱🇨 St Lucia
🇵🇲 St Pierre and Miquelon
🇻🇨 St Vincent and the Grenadines
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands
🇺🇸 United States
🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands
Asia (excluding high risk & not available*)
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
🇦🇲 Armenia
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇧🇹 Bhutan
🇧🇳 Brunei
🇰🇭 Cambodia
🇨🇳 China
🇹🇱 East Timor
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇮🇳 India
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇯🇵 Japan
🇯🇴 Jordan
🇰🇵 North Korea
🇰🇷 South Korea
🇰🇼 Kuwait
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
🇱🇦 Laos
🇱🇧 Lebanon
🇲🇴 Macau
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇲🇻 Maldives
🇲🇳 Mongolia
🇲🇲 Myanmar
🇳🇵 Nepal
🇵🇭 Philippines
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇷🇺 Russia / 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇹🇯 Tajikistan
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇹🇷 Turkiye
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
🇻🇳 Vietnam
🇾🇪 Yemen
Europe
(All listed countries are allowed)
Includes:
🇦🇱 Albania → 🇻🇦 Vatican City
🇬🇬 Guernsey / 🇯🇪 Jersey / 🇮🇲 Isle of Man (UK-based)
🇷🇺 Russia & 🇺🇦 Ukraine
🇽🇰 Kosovo
🇹🇷 Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
South America
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇧🇴 Bolivia
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇨🇱 Chile
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇪🇨 Ecuador
🇫🇰 Falkland Islands
🇬🇫 French Guiana
🇬🇾 Guyana
🇵🇾 Paraguay
🇵🇪 Peru
🇸🇷 Suriname
🇺🇾 Uruguay
🇻🇪 Venezuela
Africa
(Excludes high risk destinations*)
Allowed:
🇩🇿 Algeria
🇦🇴 Angola
🇧🇯 Benin
🇧🇼 Botswana
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
🇧🇮 Burundi
🇨🇲 Cameroon
🇨🇻 Cape Verde
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
🇹🇩 Chad
🇰🇲 Comoros
🇨🇬 Congo
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
🇩🇯 Djibouti
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea
🇪🇷 Eritrea
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
🇬🇦 Gabon
🇬🇲 Gambia
🇬🇭 Ghana
🇬🇳 Guinea
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
🇰🇪 Kenya
🇱🇸 Lesotho
🇱🇷 Liberia
🇱🇾 Libya
🇲🇬 Madagascar
🇲🇼 Malawi
🇲🇱 Mali
🇲🇷 Mauritania
🇲🇺 Mauritius
🇲🇦 Morocco / Western Sahara
🇲🇿 Mozambique
🇳🇦 Namibia
🇳🇪 Niger
🇷🇪 Reunion / Mayotte
🇷🇼 Rwanda
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
🇸🇳 Senegal
🇸🇨 Seychelles
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
🇸🇴 Somalia
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇸🇸 South Sudan
🇸🇩 Sudan
🇸🇿 Swaziland
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🇹🇬 Togo
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Oceania
🇦🇸 American Samoa
🇦🇺 Australia / Cocos / Christmas Island
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
🇫🇯 Fiji
🇵🇫 French Polynesia
🇬🇺 Guam
🇰🇮 Kiribati
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands
🇫🇲 Micronesia
🇳🇨 New Caledonia
🇳🇿 New Zealand
🇳🇺 Niue
🇳🇫 Norfolk Island
🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands
🇵🇼 Palau
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
🇼🇸 Samoa
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands
🇹🇴 Tonga
🇹🇻 Tuvalu
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
🇼🇫 Wallis and Futuna
Global networks
🛰️ Inmarsat Satellite Network (+870)
🌐 International Networks (+882, +883)
🛰️ Iridium Satellite Network (+881)
* High risk means a high risk of fraud from SMS sending as defined by Twilio.