This article will help you set up automatic messages and reminders and ensure your clients never miss an appointment or payment! 

You can  send automatic reminders via email, text message (SMS), or both.

There are four types of auto client messages to customize and choose from: 

• Booking confirmations & reminders
• Payment reminders
• Auto-reply to documents received
• SMS settings

You can manage all auto-client messages from Settings > Auto Client Messages & SMS

Booking messages & reminders

From the Booking tab, Send booking confirmations, reminders & post-appointment follow-ups automatically via text or email.

• Booking request auto-reply: When an appointment is booked, your client will receive an email. If you want to send a text message as well, check the box under Booking Confirmation.

Use the text editor box to customize your confirmation message and information. This message appears on the booking confirmation screen your clients see after they have successfully made a booking.

• Booking reminders: You can send up to two reminders per appointment.

Decide when your client will receive an appointment reminder, for example, thirty minutes before the appointment, by using the dropdown lists.

Check Send via text message to send a text message reminder in addition to an email.

• Post-appointment follow-up: The follow-up message will go to your client after an appointment is completed.
  Choose your Follow-up option: 
  • Automated follow-up: The message will be sent to your client automatically at a time of your choosing after the appointment.
  • Manual follow-up: A follow-up reminder will be sent to you after the appointment has ended. You can decide what follow-up action you’d like to take from there, for example, invite your client to schedule a follow-up appointment.
  • No follow-up: Choose this option to disable follow-up messages.

After making your selection, write your follow-up message in the text box.

Payment messages & reminders

In the Payments tab, you can create reminders for invoices & estimates.

Payment reminders help your clients stay on top of their transactions with your business, and remind them of outstanding payments so you have less to track and worry about!

• New invoice SMS notification: Your client will receive an email when you issue an invoice.
  Click on the checkbox to send an SMS notification as well.
• Reminders for overdue invoices: Gently remind your clients that they have overdue payments pending with a reminder message. You can choose from three types of reminders:
  • Automatically remind client: The reminder will be sent to your client automatically a certain amount of time after the invoice has been marked overdue.
  • Automatically remind me: The reminder will be sent to you so you control your follow-up approach.
  • No reminder: Choose this option to disable invoice reminders.

Use the dropdown list to schedule the reminder.

• New estimate SMS notification: Your client will receive an email when you issue an estimate.
  Click on the checkbox to send an SMS notification as well.
• Reminder before the estimate expires: Gently remind your clients that they have an outstanding estimate before it expires.
  You can choose from three types of reminders:
  • Automatically remind client: The reminder will be sent to your client automatically a certain amount of time before the estimate expires
  • Automatically remind me: The reminder will be sent to you and you can decide how to follow-up with your client
  • No reminder: Choose this option to disable new estimate notifications.

Use the dropdown list to schedule the reminder.

Messages & documents auto-reply

When a client sends your business a message, uploads a document or fills out a contact form, they will receive an auto-reply from your business.

Auto-replies help keep the communication going in a timely, organized manner, with less admin work for you!

Navigate to the Messages & Documents tab.

In the text box, type in a custom message and add a personal touch to your auto-reply message, and you’re all set! Once you’ve chosen your Auto Client Messages preferences, click Save at the top to save your changes.

SMS Settings

The SMS Settings tab has three options for you to communicate with your clients:

• Two-way texting: Send text messages to your clients and receive text replies directly to vcita. 
• Do-not-reply: Auto-message: If enabled, your clients will receive an automated message. Let your clients know you cannot receive their replies with an automated SMS message. You can customize the text within the box to offer another way to contact you. There are multiple custom parameters you can use to display specific information. 
• No auto-reply: If this setting is enabled, your clients will not receive an automated message. Your clients will be unaware that you cannot receive their messages. We do not recommend this setting. 

Custom Parameters

There are 4 parameters you can add to your customized 'Do-not-reply' auto-message:

FAQs:

• Why are Emails/Notifications not received or marked as spam?