A text reminder goes out automatically ahead of the appointment, so fewer clients forget the colour appointment that would otherwise leave a chair empty.
How do I switch on the SMS reminder?
Go to Messages → SMS and open Appointment reminder. Tick Send my customers an appointment reminder by text message, and the timing dropdown appears underneath it.
The reminder can go out 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours before the appointment. Each appointment gets one reminder: the app records when it sent one, so no client is texted twice about the same booking.
What can I write in the reminder?
The Message field takes up to 140 characters and counts down as you type. Show variables lists what the app fills in for you: first name, last name, date, time, employee, services and your salon's own contact details.
Keep the text plain, and leave emoji out. Your message is handed to the SMS provider exactly as you typed it, and the character set it is sent in is chosen from the content – so an emoji changes it. The Message field also stays locked until the reminder itself is switched on.
How many credits does one reminder cost?
A plain-text reminder of up to 160 characters costs 1 credit. The app fills the variables in before sending, so a message that fits the 140-character field can still pass 160 once a long first name and a full date are in it, and then it costs 2.
An emoji or an unusual character can push the cost above that. The app charges whatever number of credits the SMS provider reports back for the message, and the provider decides that from the character set your text forced it into – so with an emoji in the text, the 160-character rule stops being a reliable guide to what you will pay.
On a balance of 0 no reminders are sent at all. The app emails you when your balance drops to 10 credits or fewer.
How do I buy SMS credits?
On the same SMS page, under Credits, choose Buy credits. Take 100, 500, 1000 or 2500, or enter your own amount from 50 up. The rate per credit drops at 1000 and again at 2500, and the price table shows all three tiers.
An invoice is raised automatically and your balance is topped up from it, so the credits are there straight away and they never expire. You need an active subscription to buy them, and the purchase screen is not available in the iOS app – use a browser instead.
Reminders by email are a separate setting with its own switch: see setting up automatic emails.