{"id":3974,"date":"2019-03-26T10:51:44","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T10:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.setmore.com\/blog\/?page_id=3974"},"modified":"2021-08-25T17:36:03","modified_gmt":"2021-08-25T12:06:03","slug":"using-text-reminders-in-setmore","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.setmore.com\/blog\/using-text-reminders-in-setmore\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Text Reminders in Setmore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last November, we explored how to set up and use Setmore\u2019s built-in\u00a0automated email confirmation and reminder system<\/a>. Now we\u2019ll explore\u00a0text reminders<\/strong>, a feature that comes with your paid Setmore Premium subscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text reminders have an open rate of 90%<\/strong>, making them more than twice as effective as email reminders.* Because of this, if text reminders save you one missed appointment in any given month, then your Premium subscription will typically have paid for itself<\/strong>. (This assumes your services cost more than $25 on average.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text reminders are easy to set up, even if you primarily use the Setmore mobile app for iOS<\/a> or Android<\/a>. Just activate text reminders in the Setmore web app<\/a>, and Setmore will take care of the rest while you continue to book appointments from your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are text reminders?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Text reminders are an automated text or SMS message that Setmore sends to your customers, an hour or more before their next appointment. (You get to choose the lead time.) Each text reminder shows information specific to the appointment, including the chosen date, time, service and provider. It looks something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As previously mentioned, text reminders are included with your\u00a0Setmore Premium<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0subscription, therefore you will need to upgrade to activate text reminders in your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activating text reminders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we begin, it\u2019s important to note that you must activate text reminders through the Setmore web app<\/a>. As of now, the Setmore mobile app for iPhones and Android phones does not include a path to activate this feature. However, the good news is that once the text reminder feature is activated through the Setmore web app, you don\u2019t need to take any additional actions. It will continue working in the background, while you conduct most of your business on the Setmore smartphone app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
  1. Log into Setmore<\/strong> from a web browser and navigate to Settings > Notifications > Customer<\/a>.

    Note: if you don\u2019t see this option in your navigation menu, this could be because you have a     staff login<\/a><\/em>with insufficient access level. Contact your account admin to activate the feature.<\/em><\/li>
  2. Under Appointment Reminders<\/strong>, check the box to toggle text reminders on or off.<\/li>
  3. Under Reminder Lead Time<\/strong>, use the drop-down menu to set the lead time in days, hours, and minutes.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Pro tip:<\/em><\/strong> We recommend a reminder lead time of either 1 day, or 1-3 hours. Experiment to see which works best for your customers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Customizing your text reminders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Setmore allows you to fully customize the body of your text reminder. So you can put your own words into the reminder template, or include prep instructions<\/strong> that your customers may need before they come in for their appointment. We\u2019ve included some more ideas in the next section, but for now, here\u2019s how you can access the customizable text reminder template:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    1. Log into the Setmore web app<\/strong> and navigate to Settings > Notifications > Customization<\/a>.<\/li>
    2. Under SMS Notification<\/strong>, you will see a grey text field and a blue preview field. Click on the grey text field to edit it, and your changes will automatically show in the blue preview field.<\/li>
    3. While editing, a number of dynamic variable<\/strong> options will appear above the text field. You can drag and drop these into place as you construct your text reminder template. So for example, the \u201cSTAFF\u201d variable will always display the booked staff member for the given appointment, and so on.<\/li>
    4. Click anywhere outside the field to save your changes<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

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      Things to include in your text reminder template<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The default text reminder template is designed to meet your needs with only essential information<\/strong>that your customers would want. However, you can use this space to include custom messages that are more on-brand for your business. Here\u2019s some examples from other Setmore users on information they\u2019ve included in their templates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n