SMSHR

SMS-powered HR commands for Togo SMEs – no app, no internet needed.

Score: 7.9/10TGMedium BuildReady to Spawn
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

Togolese SMEs suffer frequent internet disruptions that block real-time access to cloud-based HRTech platforms, halting employee management and payroll processing.

Solution

SMSHR lets managers send simple SMS like 'ADD EMP John 50000' to update HR during outages, processed instantly via local gateway or queued. Responses confirm actions; cloud dashboard for oversight and reports when online. Perfect bridge for feature phones and disruptions.

Target Audience

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Togo relying on cloud-based HRTech for employee management and payroll

Differentiator

SMS/USSD interface for zero-data HR ops – rivals need apps/data, we use ubiquitous SMS in Togo.

Brand Voice

friendly

Features

SMS Employee CRUD

must-have15h

Add/edit/view employees via SMS keywords.

Attendance SMS Log

must-have12h

Send 'IN 123' or 'OUT 123' for clocking.

Payroll SMS Trigger

must-have18h

Command 'PAYROLL' to calc/send summaries.

Confirmation Replies

must-have10h

Instant SMS feedback on actions.

Web Dashboard

must-have12h

Full view/sync of SMS actions online.

Bulk SMS Import

nice-to-have8h

Upload employee CSV via web.

Reports via SMS

nice-to-have7h

Request summaries like 'ATTEND WEEK'.

Voice Calls

future15h

IVR for illiterate users.

Total Build Time: 97 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
phonetextNo
emailtextYes

Relationships:

  • one-to-many companies

companies

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
sms_numbertextNo

Relationships:

  • foreign key user_id -> users.id

employees

ColumnTypeNullable
idintNo
company_iduuidNo
nametextNo
salaryintNo

Relationships:

  • foreign key company_id -> companies.id

sms_logs

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
company_iduuidNo
phonetextNo
messagetextNo
processedboolNo

Relationships:

  • foreign key company_id -> companies.id

API Endpoints

POST
/api/sms/webhook

Twilio SMS inbound

GET
/api/employees

Dashboard employee list

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/sms/send

Outbound confirmations

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/payroll/sms

Process payroll command

🔒 Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind
Backend
Next.js API + Supabase
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
Twilio for SMS

Build Timeline

Week 1: Twilio & Auth

20h
  • SMS webhook
  • User/phone auth

Week 2: SMS Parser

25h
  • Command parser
  • Employee CRUD

Week 3: Attendance/Payroll

20h
  • Logics for commands

Week 4: Dashboard

20h
  • Web UI for oversight

Week 5: Testing & Polish

15h
  • Edge cases
  • Payments

Week 6: Launch Prep

10h
  • Docs
  • Deploy
Total Timeline: 6 weeks • 120 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

Basic commands

  • 10 SMS/mo
  • 5 employees

Pro

$30/mo

500 SMS

  • 500 SMS/mo
  • 50 emp
  • Payroll

Enterprise

$99/mo

None

  • Unlimited SMS
  • Custom commands

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 1307%$63$756
Month 618012%$648$7,776

Unit Economics

$15
CAC
$360
LTV
6%
Churn
88%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 24.0xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

HR via SMS – Works Every Time in Togo

Text commands to manage staff during blackouts. No data needed.

Feature Highlights

Instant SMS employee updates
Attendance by text
Payroll triggers
Web dashboard bonus
Cheap Togo SMS rates

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Game-changer for field managers!' – Aminata, Agroe SME"
"'Outages no problem.' – Serge, Shop Owner"

First Three Customers

Post in Togo WhatsApp business groups and Facebook Marketplace sellers; offer free month with custom SMS number; demo via live SMS exchange to convert 3 pilots from transport/logistics SMEs.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/SaaSr/TogoAfrican Startup TwitterWhatsApp Groups

SEO Keywords

SMS HR Togoemployee management by text Africapayroll SMS app outageno internet HR commands

Competitive Analysis

Enterprise
Strength

Scalable HR

Weakness

App/cloud only

Our Advantage

SMS for offline/mobile-first

Zenefits

zenefits.com
$8/emp
Strength

US SMB HR

Weakness

Data-dependent

Our Advantage

SMS ubiquity in Togo

🏰 Moat Strategy

Phone number stickiness + SMS usage data for predictions.

⏰ Why Now?

SMS usage at 90% in Togo, cloud HR growing but outages persist; Twilio Africa expansion.

Risks & Mitigation

technicalmedium severity

SMS parsing errors

Mitigation

NLP lite + user feedback loop

financiallow severity

Twilio costs

Mitigation

Tiered SMS limits

legallow severity

Telco regs

Mitigation

Togo compliance check

Validation Roadmap

pre-build5 days

SMS prototype test with 5 SMEs

Success: 80% command success

mvp10 days

Live beta 1 week

Success: Daily usage

growth30 days

Referral program

Success: 20% referral signups

Pivot Options

  • SMS inventory
  • Customer support ticketing
  • Expand to USSD

Quick Stats

Build Time
120h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$900
Market Size
$0.6M
Features
8
Database Tables
4
API Endpoints
4
SMSHR - Complete Startup Blueprint | Startup Tribunal | StartupTribunal