Consumers’ communication preferences have drastically changed. Customers calling into your business is still popular, but taking calls from numbers they aren’t familiar with will rarely get answered. According to G2, 90 percent of consumers respond to a text within 30 minutes of receiving it. Expanding your communication paths, including a text reminder service, can keep customers engaged with your business. It’s not just a nice to have; it’s a must-have to meet customers’ expectations on how they can communicate with you.
Are you meeting customers’ expectations with a text reminder service for your business?
Benefits of Text Reminders
People have gotten used to responding when they can instead of reaching for every phone call that comes their way. Our society has placed ease of use as the top priority when dealing with more things, including working with a business. Text is one of those winners in communication, and it isn’t going anywhere; it’s only growing in popularity and use cases. Regarding text reminders, signing up for the service is the first step; maximizing its use will be discussed later in this article. But first, here are some key benefits of a text reminder service:
- Reduce missed appointments and no-shows with timely SMS appointment reminders and built-in confirmation, leading to a well-scheduled practice or business.
- Improve customer satisfaction and engagement with personalized messages that benefit the customer, not just the business.
- Increase revenue and reduce wasted resources with effective reminders that push for action.
- Enhance overall communication and efficiency in your business to maximize the usefulness of your messaging.
- Automate reminders with system rules to save time and staff resources when performing repetitive tasks, utilizing automated text reminders.
How to Send Effective Appointment Reminders
Best Practices for Text Messages
There’s a balance in business text messages that must give the correct information without being too long and rambling. We’ve all been there when a text isn’t a text but a novel that should’ve been a conversation or an email. This happens from people you know and businesses you barely have a relationship with. You want to avoid these situations as much as possible, and here are some tips for a successful appointment reminder text:
- Keep reminders short, concise, and to the point.
- Include the recipient’s name and appointment details. The message needs to feel like it was sent by a real person, not a robot. Personalizing an appointment reminder text message with specific details increases engagement and improves the overall patient experience.
- Provide clear instructions for responding or canceling, then a way to interact if there are any questions.
- Send reminders at least 24 hours in advance, but depending on the industry, more time may be needed if changes are required.
- Use a conversational tone and avoid jargon. This is meant to be a personalized interaction, so the text needs to read like a person sitting in front of them.
You can be casual yet professional, so don’t think about it too much and make templates based on how you’d like to receive the information. A PwC study found that 82 percent of customers prefer a human touch when working with a business. As with anything, customers will have opinions, so test your messages with people you know before going live.
Appointment Reminder Email vs. Text
A text message reminder service isn’t meant to replace email but to supplement it. Text message reminders offer benefits such as ease of setup, customizable templates, and timely communication, which can reduce no-shows compared to email. Both avenues of communication are valid and have a place in your business; yet they serve different purposes. Even more critical is allowing customers to unsubscribe from the method that doesn’t suit them easily. According to a report from Salesforce, 73 percent of customers expect personalization as technology advances. Customers need to feel like they can decide how you communicate with them. Building this partnership will help ensure a positive relationship moving forward. Here are a few points to help clarify when to use either:
- Email reminders and communication can be more detailed and formal.
- Text reminders are more concise and timelier.
- Depending on the audience and purpose, both email and text reminders can be effective. The business and customer base will partially determine which method you use and for what purpose.
- Consider using email and text reminders for maximum effectiveness, with an easy-to-unsubscribe option so customers have final control.
It might be a good idea to add a question to your intake form or website asking which method customers prefer before deciding for them.
Related content: Text vs. Email: Which is More Effective for Your Business?
Industries That Can Benefit from Text Reminders
Not every business needs text appointment reminders, and that’s okay. There are plenty of companies that do. If you’ve made it this far into the article, then it’s safe to say you’re considering the usefulness of a text reminder service for your business. Here are just a few industries that would benefit from this service:
- Healthcare and medical services
- Service-based businesses (e.g., salons, spas, gyms)
- Financial services and banking
- Education and training institutions
- Any business with scheduled appointments or events (e.g., restaurants, bowling alleys)
Most people don’t purposely forget about appointments; it’s just that life can get in the way, and it’s an honest mistake. Help people remember and set your business up for success with a text reminder service from RyText! Setting up and managing text message appointment reminders for your customers is crucial for effective communication. Personalization, appropriate timing, and tracking delivery status are key to ensuring your customers are well-informed about their appointments or offers.
Example: Text Message Appointment Reminders for Patient Engagement
The importance of keeping a medical appointment can’t be overstated. Still, since they’re usually made very far in advance, the medical practice must do everything possible to get every patient to their appointments as expected. Utilizing an appointment reminder text service is crucial for patient engagement, as it efficiently replaces traditional reminder methods like phone calls and emails, which often have low engagement rates. Consider your dentist appointments every six months or your annual physical and eye checkup. These appointments are made at the time of the previous appointment and can easily be overlooked.
- Send personalized reminders to patients via SMS or email.
- Timely reminders can reduce no-shows and missed appointments. You can set predefined reminder times, such as 7 days, 3 days, or 24 hours before the appointment.
- Increase patient satisfaction and engagement with effective reminders that include what should be brought to the appointment.
- Integrate with electronic health record (EHR) systems and mobile apps.
- Customize reminder templates and messages to get a new message created and sent quickly as needed.
The Power of a Text Reminder Service Will Improve Your Business Profits
Positive interactions can’t be undervalued; those interactions come when you’re seen as valuable. SMS reminders offer significant benefits by reducing cancellations and keeping clients informed. A text reminder service adds value to your business if done correctly and not seen as a nuisance.
Text message reminders are versatile and can be used for appointments, payments, services, and customer promotions. Integrating with Google Calendar allows you to schedule and send messages based on calendar events, ensuring that attendees are promptly reminded before their appointments or events. Build your personal experiences into creating a text plan for your business, because if it seems overkill to you or you’d be annoyed, you can expect your customers to think the same thing.
The RyText Platform from RyTel Hosted will engage your customers and bring them back to your business over and over. Contact us today to get a no-obligation live demo of the system, no commitment necessary.
