This article will show you how to turn on the automated appointment Reminder SMS.
This article covers how to set up an automatic appointment reminder SMS. If you want to set up the automatic appointment reminder Email, check out this guide.
In this Article
Customizing the Reminder Template
To start, go to Manager > Client Notifications > Appointment Reminder.
View and edit your Appointment Reminder SMS under the SMS Editor tab.
You can use the toolbar at the top of the screen to further customize your Appointment Reminder template.
Use the Personalise menu to add personalization to your template.
To enable the SMS Reminder, save the template, then go to Settings within the Appointment Reminder section and switch on the Send reminder message toggle.
Appointments with Multiple Staff Members
When using the
<<Staff First Name>> macro
in your template, if multiple staff are part of an appointment,
the Staff name displayed will be:
1. The client’s Preferred Staff, if part of the booking.
2. The staff of the haircut, if any haircut services were included.
3. The staff that performed the longest-duration service in the booking, if none of the above match.
Including Appointment Links (Details, Rebook, Confirm, Reschedule)
You can include appointment links in your Reminder message that allow clients to view their appointment details, rebook their next appointment, confirm their appointment, or reschedule to another time.
Appointment Details Link
This link directs clients to the My Appointment History page on your online booking site, where they can view details of their upcoming appointment(s).
The link includes a token that automatically signs clients into their online booking profile, allowing them to be immediately directed to their appointment details without needing to sign in first.
If the client hasn't created an online booking account yet, they will be directed to your main online booking home page.
Rebooking Link
The rebooking link will bring clients to your service menu on your online booking page, prompting them to book their next appointment.
Confirm Appointment Link
The confirm appointment link will immediately confirm the client's appointment and direct them to an Appointment Confirmed screen.
Clients can confirm an appointment even if they have not yet created an online booking account.
Confirmed appointments will display a green checkmark icon on your Appointments screen.
You will also receive an email notification each time a client confirms their appointment.
When checking the audit trail for a confirmed appointment, you'll know if a client confirmed themselves, as the Staff will be shown as Online Bookings. In-house confirmations will display the name of the staff member who confirmed the appointment.
Reschedule Appointment Link
The reschedule appointment link will bring clients to a page where they can choose a new date and time for their appointment.
Clients can reschedule their appointment even if they have not yet created an online booking account.
If a client clicks this link during your cancellation period, they will not be able to reschedule and will instead see a message prompting them to contact you to change the booking.
Previewing & Enabling the Reminder SMS
Click the Preview button to see what your Appointment Reminder message will look like.
When using the First Name personalization, the name Mary is auto-populated on the preview. The client's actual first name will be populated in the actual message.
Once you are happy with your Appointment Reminder message, click Settings to enable the message and choose when to send it, then click Save changes to finish.
SMS Character Limit
At the top of the SMS Editor template, you will see an SMS counter. An SMS count of 1 SMS Message means you will be charged 1 SMS for every reminder sent. A count of 2 SMS Messages means you will be charged for 2 SMS for every reminder sent, and so on.
SMS technology has a limit of 160 characters per message, and your SMS count increases by 1 for every 160 characters in the message. Each SMS sent is charged at your standard SMS rate.
Character limits are estimates and may vary based on the placeholders used. Check out this guide for detailed information on SMS character limits.
Appointment Reminders Content Disclaimer
It is important that your Reminder email or SMS does not contain any marketing or promotional content. For more information on transactional vs. marketing messages, click here.