Opt a customer out or back in

Customers have the right to say "stop messaging me". If one tells you by phone, email or in person, opt them out in RateMate so no more messages go to them.

Opt a customer out

1. Tap Customers, then the customer.
2. Tap Opt Out (on a computer, under Consent, tap Opt this customer out…).
3. Read the question, "Opt Thandi out? This stops all messages. To message them again, you'll need to record their fresh consent.", then tap Confirm (on a computer, Confirm opt-out). Tap Cancel to back out.

The customer's status changes to Opted out, and they move into the Opted out chip on your Customers list.

From then on, RateMate sends them nothing. They no longer show up when you search to send a request, and the request button on their page reads "Opted out · cannot contact". If a request was already waiting to go, it is not sent. See Send a feedback request.

Record consent and bring them back

Only do this if the customer has told you they are happy to be contacted again. Fresh consent is not an undo of the opt-out. It is a new record, with how it was given.

1. Open the opted-out customer. You see a card called Record new consent.
2. Under How was consent given?, write a short note, for example "Asked on site for job 1042, 6 Jul 2026". It must be at least 5 characters.
3. Tick: "I confirm this customer has given me fresh permission to contact them about their service (logged for POPIA)."
4. Tap Record Consent & Re-activate.

Their status goes back to Contactable. Their Channel resets to Not yet confirmed, because the number may have changed hands.

When a customer replies STOP

Customers can opt themselves out by replying STOP to a message. RateMate records it and sends them a confirmation. See How customers opt out. It applies to the business that messaged them last. If they reply STOP ALL, every business using RateMate stops contacting them.

If a customer replies START, only the business that messaged them last starts contacting them again. Their consent then shows as "Customer replied START". Replied STOP by mistake? See My customer replied STOP by mistake.

Good to know

• Opting out and back in is recorded in the customer's POPIA audit trail, with who did it and when.
• You cannot add an opted-out customer again by adding their number or importing a file. Use the steps above.
• Opting out is different from deleting a customer's data. Deleting is permanent, and removes the customer's name, number and comments. See Handle a customer's data request.
• Members can opt customers out and record consent. Only owners can delete a customer's data.