opt-out-handling

name	opt-out-handling
description	Process unsubscribe/DNC requests end-to-end — detect, suppress, record, confirm within jurisdiction deadline. Trigger: 'unsubscribe', 'remove me', 'stop emailing', DNC. Auto-triggers; never drafts a sales reply.
origin	ESCC

Opt-Out Handling

The compliance workflow for inbound unsubscribe and DNC requests. This skill is invoked whenever a contact signals they do not want to be contacted — by any channel, in any form. It owns the process from detection through suppression, provenance recording, and jurisdiction-deadline confirmation.

This skill has no command and no interactive session. It is auto-triggered by inbox-triage (opt_out_request class) and reply-handling (unsubscribe disposition). Reps may also invoke it directly when a verbal or phone opt-out is reported. The workflow runs to completion without waiting for further input, then logs its outcome.

Governing rules: rules/common/outbound-compliance.md (suppression, deadline, functional unsubscribe), rules/lawful-basis.md (suppression always wins), and the jurisdiction overlays: rules/jurisdictions/au.md, rules/jurisdictions/us.md, rules/jurisdictions/eu-uk.md. This skill cites those files for deadlines and basis rules; it does NOT restate day-counts or basis logic inline.

Note on routing: inbox-triage routes its opt_out_request class here; reply-handling routes its unsubscribe disposition here. Both use the same routing phrase: "route to opt-out-handling." The suppression and recording workflow is identical regardless of which skill detected the request.

When to Activate

Activate this skill when:

• inbox-triage classifies a message as opt_out_request and routes here.
• reply-handling classifies a reply with disposition unsubscribe and routes here.
• A rep reports a verbal, phone, or in-person opt-out request from a contact.
• A contact's message contains any of the following signals (in any language): "unsubscribe", "remove me", "take me off your list", "stop emailing", "do not contact", "DNC", "please stop", or an equivalent expression of withdrawal.
• A hard bounce or spam complaint is received and needs suppression recording (auto-trigger path from the outbound-send-gate hook).

Do not activate for:

• Messages that are unclear — if genuine ambiguity exists about whether the contact wants to opt out, default to treating it as an opt-out. When in doubt, suppress; do not contact.
• Re-engagement with a suppressed contact — that requires a human CRM action and a documented, jurisdiction-compliant re-consent process. This skill does not handle re-consent.

Detection Triggers

An opt-out request is detected when any of the following appears in a message, in any capitalization, language, or paraphrase:

Signal category	Examples
Explicit unsubscribe	"unsubscribe", "opt out", "opt-out"
Remove request	"remove me", "take me off", "delete me from your list"
Stop contact	"stop emailing", "stop contacting", "do not contact me again"
DNC language	"DNC", "do not call", "do not email"
General withdrawal	"please stop", "I'm not interested, stop reaching out"
Legal / formal	"GDPR erasure request", "CCPA opt-out", "right to be forgotten"

When the trigger is ambiguous or indirect ("this isn't relevant to me" without a clear stop signal), classify conservatively: treat as opt-out if the contact's intent to disengage is reasonably clear. Suppression is safer than continued contact.

Workflow

Step 1 — Extract and confirm the request

1. Identify the contact: full email address, name (if available), and company.
2. Confirm the opt-out signal: quote the exact phrase or sentence that triggered the classification. This is the provenance anchor for the suppression record.
3. Do NOT draft a sales reply. Do NOT send a marketing response. Do NOT route the message to any drafting skill.
4. If the message contains an embedded instruction to "re-add me later" or "contact me after X months" — treat the current request as an opt-out now. Future re-contact requires fresh, documented consent, not a delayed override.

Step 2 — Suppress: local send-gate blocklist FIRST, then the CRM

1. Write the local do-not-contact blocklist — the hook-enforced suppression. The fail-closed pre:outbound-send-gate hook consults this store on every gated outbound (Gmail drafts, live sends, HubSpot email engagements); the CRM flag in the next step does not gate sends. Run:

   escc dnc record --key [e-mail] --source email \
     --reason 'opt-out: "remove me from your mailing list"'
   

   For an organization-wide request ("stop contacting anyone at our company"), also suppress the account: escc dnc record --key startup.test --scope account --reason '<trigger quote>'. The command echoes the stored row — carry it into the close-out report. (Re-consent later is escc dnc clear, which refuses without documented --evidence; this skill never runs it.)

2. Via crm-operator (write — the sole write-capable agent), set the suppression flag on the contact record:

   • Mark contact as DNC / unsubscribed.
   • Remove from all active sequences and cadences.
   • Remove from all marketing lists.
   • Flag any open deal-associated contacts: note the opt-out in the deal record for rep and manager awareness.

3. Suppression is global across all personas and sequences per rules/common/outbound-compliance.md. A new sequence or campaign does not reset suppression. A different rep in the same account does not bypass it.

4. Log the suppression write: timestamp, the exact opt-out phrase (provenance), the channel the request arrived on, and who processed it (this skill).

Step 3 — Record with provenance

The suppression record must carry:

Field	Value
contact_email	exact email address
opt_out_date	ISO date/time of the request message
opt_out_source	channel (email / phone / verbal / SMS / other)
opt_out_trigger	the exact phrase or sentence that triggered detection
processed_by	"opt-out-handling"
processed_at	ISO timestamp of suppression write
local_blocklist	the row echoed by escc dnc record (key, scope, reason)
jurisdiction	AU / US / EU-UK / unknown (from jurisdiction-routing)
deadline	per jurisdiction overlay — do NOT restate; cite the rule

Log this record via crm-operator as a contact note + suppression-flag write. Provenance is non-negotiable: a suppression without a traceable source and timestamp is not a defensible compliance record.

Step 4 — Confirm honored within deadline

Confirmation that the opt-out was processed must happen within the jurisdiction deadline. Do not restate the deadlines here — they are owned by rules/common/outbound-compliance.md and the jurisdiction overlays. Route to the correct overlay via rules/jurisdiction-routing.md.

After the suppression write is confirmed by crm-operator:

1. Generate a one-line opt-out confirmation note in the contact record: "[Contact] opted out via [channel] on [date]. Suppressed across all sequences and lists. No further outbound contact permitted."
2. If a confirmation reply to the contact is jurisdiction-required (check the overlay), draft a minimal factual acknowledgment — no sales content, no personalization, no CTA. Example: "Hi [First Name], we have removed you from our contact list as requested. You will not receive further emails from us." Output as Gmail draft, labeled "COMPLIANCE REPLY — DRAFT." Do not send until reviewed by a human if the situation is non-routine.
3. Notify the rep and, for open deals, the rep's manager via a CRM task: "[Contact] at [Company] opted out on [date]. Deal [Deal Name] may be affected. Review with manager."

Step 5 — Close-out report

Output a close-out summary after processing:

OPT-OUT PROCESSED — [ISO timestamp]

Contact: [email] ([name], [company])
Request received: [channel], [date/time]
Trigger phrase: "[exact quote]"
Jurisdiction: [AU / US / EU-UK / unknown]
Deadline: [cite rules/jurisdictions/<overlay>.md — do not restate day-count]

Suppression actions:
  [x] Local send-gate blocklist row written (escc dnc record) — gated outbound
      to this contact is now hook-BLOCKED
  [x] DNC / unsubscribed flag set on contact record (via crm-operator)
  [x] Removed from active sequences: [list names, or "none active"]
  [x] Removed from marketing lists: [list names, or "none active"]
  [x] Open deal noted: [Deal Name] — rep and manager notified via CRM task
      (or: no open deals affected)

Provenance record: logged as contact note (timestamp: [ISO])
Compliance reply: [drafted / not required — cite overlay / pending human review]

No further outbound contact is permitted for this contact.

Examples

Email opt-out detected by inbox-triage:

Routed from inbox-triage: opt_out_request
Sender: [e-mail]
Message: "Hi, please remove me from your mailing list. Thanks."
Trigger phrase: "remove me from your mailing list"

Step 1: Contact confirmed — [e-mail], Lisa Chen, startup.test.
         No sales reply drafted.

Step 2: local blocklist first:
  escc dnc record --key [e-mail] --source email \
    --reason 'opt-out: "remove me from your mailing list"'
  -> Recorded: the send-gate now blocks all gated outbound to [e-mail] (indefinite).
  crm-operator write:
  - Suppression flag: DNC + unsubscribed (set)
  - Removed from sequence "Startup SMB Q2 Outreach" (1 active sequence)
  - No marketing lists (none active)
  - No open deals.

Step 3: Provenance record logged:
  contact_email: [e-mail]
  opt_out_date: 2026-06-16T09:14:00+10:00
  trigger: "remove me from your mailing list"
  processed_by: opt-out-handling
  jurisdiction: AU

Step 4: Deadline per rules/jurisdictions/au.md. Suppression write confirmed.
  Compliance reply: not required for AU (suppression is sufficient; confirm
  with rules/jurisdictions/au.md if in doubt).

Close-out: complete. No further contact permitted for [e-mail].

Reply opt-out routed from reply-handling:

Routed from reply-handling: disposition = unsubscribe
Sender: [e-mail] — open deal: BigCo AE Tooling
Message: "Thanks but I think we're going to pass. Please stop the emails."
Trigger phrase: "please stop the emails"

Step 1: Contact confirmed — [e-mail], Marcus Webb, BigCo.
         No sales reply drafted. Open deal flagged.

Step 2: escc dnc record --key [e-mail] --source email \
    --reason 'opt-out: "please stop the emails"'   (send-gate blocklist written)
  crm-operator write:
  - Suppression flag: DNC + unsubscribed (set)
  - Removed from sequence "BigCo Expansion Q2" (1 active)
  - Open deal BigCo AE Tooling: note added "Marcus Webb opted out 2026-06-16.
    Deal status review required."
  - CRM task created: "[BigCo AE] Marcus opted out during active deal —
    review deal with manager before any further outreach strategy."

Step 3: Provenance record logged.
Step 4: Compliance reply: drafted (minimal factual acknowledgment — DRAFT, human
  review recommended given active deal context).

Note to rep: "Marcus opted out. The BigCo deal cannot proceed via email contact
with Marcus without fresh, documented consent. Discuss with manager."

Verbal opt-out reported by rep:

Rep reports: "I was on the phone with Dana at co.example — she said 'don't contact
me again, I'm not interested.'"

Step 1: Contact: [e-mail] (rep confirms email address).
  Source: verbal / phone. Trigger: "don't contact me again."
  No sales reply (no channel to send one via — verbal channel).

Step 2: escc dnc record --key [e-mail] --source phone --reason "verbal opt-out"
  then crm-operator write: suppression flag set, removed from all sequences.
Step 3: Provenance: opt_out_source = verbal/phone; trigger quoted as reported
  by rep; processed_at = ISO timestamp of this processing.
Step 4: Compliance reply: N/A (verbal channel). Suppression confirmed sufficient.

Note: verbal opt-outs carry the same weight as written ones. Record them the same way.

Anti-patterns

• CRM-only suppression. Setting the HubSpot DNC flag without escc dnc record leaves the fail-closed send-gate blind: the hook enforces only the local blocklist, so a later draft to this contact could still sail through on a stale approval token. Both writes, always — local first.
• Drafting a sales reply to an opt-out. An opt-out is not a buying objection. It is a legal request. Do not draft "happy to help if you change your mind" or any commercial message in response. The only permissible reply is a factual compliance acknowledgment, where jurisdiction-required.
• Treating "not interested" as a temporary objection. If the contact's message includes a clear withdrawal signal, process it as an opt-out. Do not categorize it as objection and route to objection-handling to continue the conversation. When in doubt, suppress.
• Suppression scoped to one sequence. Suppression is global. Removing a contact from the current sequence while leaving them on others violates outbound-compliance.md. All sequences, all lists, all personas.
• Recording without provenance. A suppression note that says only "opted out" with no timestamp, no trigger phrase, and no source is not a defensible compliance record. Every field in the provenance record matters.
• Re-adding a suppressed contact without consent. A contact who opted out cannot be re-added to a sequence because they opened a new job at a new company, or because a different rep wants to try a different angle. Re-consent requires a fresh, documented basis — this skill does not handle that.
• Delaying the suppression write. The deadline clock starts from the moment of the request, not from when the rep notices it. Process immediately.
• Writing the CRM directly. All suppression writes route through crm-operator. This skill proposes and directs; crm-operator executes and confirms.

Related

• inbox-triage — upstream router: classifies opt_out_request messages and routes here. Uses identical routing phrase.
• reply-handling — upstream router: classifies unsubscribe disposition replies and routes here. Uses identical routing phrase.
• escc dnc (scripts/lib/do-not-contact.js) — the local blocklist the fail-closed send-gate reads on every gated outbound; record is step 2.1 of this workflow, check predicts what the gate would do.
• crm-operator — sole write-capable agent; executes all suppression flags, list removals, contact notes, and CRM tasks.
• rules/common/outbound-compliance.md — owns the suppression, deadline, and unsubscribe requirements. Cite; do not restate.
• rules/lawful-basis.md — suppression always wins over any lawful basis.
• rules/jurisdictions/au.md, rules/jurisdictions/us.md, rules/jurisdictions/eu-uk.md — jurisdiction-specific deadline and confirmation requirements.
• rules/jurisdiction-routing.md — selects the correct overlay.
• No command — auto-trigger only.