Some early feedback from users has been a request to get their TRN by text message.
Some users are likely to have easier access to their phones than to the email account they gave.
A text message could behave a lot like a two-factor authentication text message, which users will have some familiarity with.
Adding text messages is not as simple as it looks.
Asking for phone numbers
Users will need to give us their phone number. Users, understandably, may be nervous when websites ask for their phone number. The design must make it clear that we will only use it once, to send their TRN.
The phone number will need to be for a device that can receive text messages.
We will need to accept international numbers.
Cost of text messages with Notify
Notify gives us the ability to send text messages out of the box. We get 40,000 free text messages, when we have used that it will cost 1.72 pence per message. International messages may cost more, depending on the country.
Email access
At the moment a user must have access to the email address they give to recover their TRN.
By adding a telephone mechanism for obtaining a TRN, a user could give us any email address, they would not need to have access to it.
We need to consider the implications of this.
Text messages when there’s no match
If the service finds a match, it’s easy to send a TRN by text message.
If there is no match, a support ticket is raised and a support agent will investigate and send a TRN by email if they find a match.
Users will still have an expectation that their TRN will be sent to them by text message. We will need a process so that matches made through the helpdesk can be sent out by text message.
Screenshots
Do you want to get your TRN in a text message?
Check answers – with phone number
Check answers – without a phone number
TRN sent – with phone number
