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When clients book appointments with you, there’s always the risk they won't show for their scheduled time. No matter how exceptional you are as a service provider, clients will likely miss the occasional appointment, unless there are safeguards in place. One of the easiest and most efficient ways to prevent and reduce no-show appointments is to send clients a simple, automated SMS text reminder.
In less than two minutes, you can set up text reminders to save yourself the mental and administrative stress of no-shows in the future.
Why text reminders work
In today’s world, most people are continually inundated with incoming emails, and it’s easy to miss important messages. Text reminders bypass overcrowded email inboxes and reach your clients directly. Even though the text reminders will be coming from a phone number that isn’t yours, it’s still a personal way to connect with your clients and customers one-on-one.
Email and text reminders aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re complementary tools that establish expectations with the client, ensuring both of you get the most out of your time together.
How many text reminders to send
SMS best practices center around being respectful of your clients’ time and personal space, since text messages tend to be a more personal form of communication reserved for family and friends.
Unlike reminder emails that can be filtered, sorted, and read when it’s convenient, SMS messages are received in real time, directly on your clients’ phones. One text appointment reminder is enough. If it feels difficult to communicate all the required reminder details in a single text, it’s worth revisiting your confirmation emails, where there’s more space to add more robust information about what clients can expect.
When to send text reminders
While appointment reminder emails can be sent out over the course of several days or weeks, texts are indicative of more time sensitive commitments—and they’re most successful when sent right before the appointment time. As a rule of thumb, send a reminder about two hours before a scheduled appointment.
This length of time works well, since it’s far enough in advance that your client can cancel, reschedule, or rearrange their day if needed—but near enough to the actual appointment time that it stays top-of-mind.
See how simple it is to set up your first text reminder with Acuity Scheduling.
Basics of text reminder content
Text reminders are short and sweet reminders for your clients. They’re not intended to bear the brunt of information exchanged between you. Unlike emails, texts are condensed communication tools intended to communicate essential information. In-depth and logistical information should be included in your onboarding email templates. Those emails set expectations and clearly lay out what it will be like to work with you.
With Acuity Scheduling, text reminders are auto-generated based on the subject line you choose for your first appointment reminder email. That way, you don’t need to guess how to craft the language in an effective text reminder — it’s generated for you. All you need to do is schedule your text message reminder to send at the right time.