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Setting up automated SMS and email booking reminders and notifications in Bookem

Bookem has a number of default appointment-related automated reminders.

Using automated reminders saves you time and reduces the number of no-shows and late cancellations. By default, reminders are sent out both as an SMS and an email reminder. You can customize this setting and choose how you would like messages to be delivered, i.e only via email, only via SMS, or via SMS with email as fallback (in the event the SMS fails)

Here's how to set up automated SMS and email messages

We recommend using three automated messages for first-time clients,

  1. Booking confirmation (sent immediately after the appointment is confirmed)

    If you are using Bookem's online forms, you will need to create a message for Initial consultations, which includes the link to the patient intake form.

  2. Reminder one day before the appointment

  3. Reminder 2 hours before the appointment

and three messages for repeat clients:

  1. Booking confirmation (sent immediately after the appointment is confirmed)

  2. Reminder 2 hours before the appointment

  3. Follow-up reminders as per your custom settings

Additional automated messages:

Video call link

If you are using Bookem's video call function, you will need to create a reminder that contains the video call link to send to clients before their booking. We recommend setting up this reminder to be sent out on the day of the booking.

Let's start setting up reminders. Follow the steps below:

  1. Go to Settings > Automated messages

  2. Click on the 'New Reminder' button on the top right of the screen

  3. You can also edit one of the default or previous reminders from the list displayed down the middle of the window.

  4. Now it's time to make magic!

    Give your message a name that makes sense to you

  5. Decide when you would like the message to be sent, by picking your option from the two drop down menus

  6. Now, specify which services, locations and resources this automated message should be sent out for.

    You can also leave it as the standard "any service at any location with any resource" and exclude (+Add exception) services if necessary.

  7. Next, you have to set the occurrence of bookings you would like the message to be sent. Select from the drop down menu as seen in the example below.

    This process might sound complicated, but it makes it possible to create multiple messages for various services.

  8. The next step is to choose your preferred delivery mechanism

    - SMS with email as fallback,

    - SMS and email or,

    - just email

    Click here for an explanation of fallback and emails and SMS's

  9. Set the time you would like messages to be sent

  10. Finally, compose and save your message

Important notes:

  • There is no need to include your business address here as the link to booking included in this message will provide clients with the address.

  • SMSs have a character limit of 160 or up to 70 if the message contains one or more Unicode characters (such as emoji or Chinese characters).

A NOTE ON VARIABLES: Any text you see highlighted in purple is linked to information already in Bookem. These are called variables.

In Bookem, a variable is a handy tool used as a placeholder in your automated messages. It represents specific details such as form links, video call links, or your business name. To use a variable, type '#' followed by the term, like '#start time'. Bookem will replace these variables with the actual data when the message is sent, allowing for customised and accurate communication.

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