I'm adding onto your suggestion, not making a new one. Have the /reply thing, but also have speed sms ready for your closest friends.
wasn't there something like /msg playername msg earlier?
I vote no, this will make the SMS semi-useless...
There's too much pressure from the game because of these ABSURD RULES IMPOSED ON GROUPS. There's no difference in real life and in this game and sometimes pressure becomes too much to handle.