How to Save Money With SMS Appointment Reminders

When it comes to modern communication, phone calls are out. Today, texting and direct messages (DMs) on social media are preferred. Businesses can leverage this rising medium and use SMS to send appointment reminders to clients.

Sending mass text message reminders for your appointments can benefit your bottom line by reducing appointment no-shows and improving consumer experiences. Messaging is specifically appealing to younger consumers, which allows businesses to tap into the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. There were 57 million Millennials working or looking for work in 2018, and that number has only increased. That means using SMS reminders can help your business increase revenue, modernize customer service, and tap into the largest working consumer base.

How SMS Appointment Reminders Increase Revenue

Appointment no-shows can significantly hurt your business. No-shows frustrate employees, waste resources, and decrease revenue. SMS reminders can reduce the likelihood of no-shows, which means you’re able to see more clients and maximize revenue. Here is how SMS appointment reminders can better serve your business and save you money.

1. Improved Efficiency

Unlike phone call reminders, text message appointment reminders increase your work efficiency in different ways. Manual reminders are time-consuming, whereas text message reminders take seconds to deliver. Businesses can also use templates, mass texting services, and automated processes to streamline appointment reminders even more.

Using SMS appointment reminders decreases the workload on current staff and allows them to focus on other tasks. Moreover, sending appointment reminders through text messages reduces human error and saves time. SMS reminders require minimal employee supervision and are guaranteed to reach clients in minutes.

2. Greater Client Convenience

One of the most significant drawbacks of phone call reminders is that it interrupts people. Clients are not always available for a call, especially during business hours when they may be working. Missing the call or relying on a voicemail may increase the chances of a missed appointment, whereas SMS reminders provide clients with a record of the appointment that is always accessible.

Using SMS appointment reminders, businesses can send the reminders at a preset time before the appointment, and clients can review the reminder at their leisure. In a recent study, 75% of Millennials said text was a helpful way to receive appointment and payment reminders.

An additional option with SMS reminders is to allow clients to confirm, reschedule, or cancel the appointment using custom keywords.

3. Maintain and Protect Your Brand

Using SMS appointment reminders can help create an excellent reputation for your brand, making your clients feel that you care about them and do not want them to miss their appointment. As a result, you can create a loyal client base.

Messaging was ranked as the preferred customer service channel in the U.S., even over email and manual calls. Consumers reported being open to using messaging for a variety of reasons, including replying to appointment reminders and providing service feedback. Specifically among younger generations, users said that receiving reminders via text was less obtrusive (60%), eased their mental load (57%), and was more convenient (55%).

Increasing efficiency and accessibility benefits both you and your clients, creating a better experience for everyone involved.

How to Create Text Message Reminders for Your Business

Now that you know how SMS appointment reminders can help increase your revenue, it is crucial to learn the ways to utilize text message appointment reminders. Here are some tips that can help you leverage SMS appointment reminders for your business.

1. Send at the Right Time

Usually, people open a text message within seconds. However, you should send a reminder for an appointment at the right time. Sending the reminder too far from the appointment may result in the client forgetting, defeating the purpose of the reminder. Similarly, sending the appointment too close to the appointment also allows time for the client to forget.

Find a time that works best for your business and set reminders to automatically send. However, remember to address scenarios that fall outside of this time range. For example, if clients make appointments far in advance, consider sending multiple SMS reminders.

It’s also wise to be courteous and send messages at a convenient time— no one wants to be woken up early in the morning or late at night by appointment reminders.

2. Consider Using a Dedicated Sender Code

If you need to send appointment reminders often, it is usually better to use a dedicated number. It can help your customers recognize your brand and gives your business total control over the number and how it’s being used. Shared numbers are allocated randomly and their common use by other businesses creates more risk. Dedicated numbers allow you more brand security and activity control.

Dedicated numbers also allow you to take advantage of SMS keyword exclusivity. You can set your own keywords for greater client convenience and consistent branding. This expanded functionality has the advantage of increasing satisfaction and communication. Therefore, it is in your best interest to send SMS appointment reminders through a dedicated number. You can get either of these numbers types with a text messaging API or SMS marketing software

3. Write Brief and Clear Messages

Remember to keep your message concise and clear. It should not include any jargon that a client wouldn’t immediately recognize or unnecessary information. Your message should include:

• Client’s name
• Appointment time
• Appointment date
• Appointment location
• Contact information

Additional information may also be included as needed, such as if the client should bring anything to the appointment. If your business requires privacy and discretion, you can also use a unique identifier for the client instead of their name.

Final Word

From small companies to large corporations, a wide range of businesses schedule appointments with their clients. Using SMS appointment reminders with Esendex's SMS services saves time and money, provides a convenient communication channel, and creates a better experience for both businesses and clients.