Booking reminders
Booking reminders that reduce no-shows for Australian businesses
Most people who miss an appointment have forgotten rather than changed their mind. A reminder at the right time, with an easy way to move the booking, saves most of those slots.
Tell us about your business and what you need.
The short answer
The day before, and the morning of.
Booking reminders reduce no-shows when they arrive while the customer can still act: a confirmation at booking, a reminder the day before and another on the morning. Each should include a one tap way to change the time.
Text usually works better than email, because it is read within minutes and the day-before reminder only helps if it is seen in time.
Timing
When to send reminders
- At booking
- A confirmation, so the appointment exists somewhere other than memory.
- The day before
- Early enough that the slot can be refilled if they cannot come.
- The morning of
- Catches the people who genuinely forgot.
- No more than that
- Three messages is usually enough. More can lead people to ignore them.
The day-before reminder does the most for the business, because it is the only one that gives the slot a chance to be refilled.
What to say
What a reminder should say
A reminder is read on a phone in a few seconds, so keep it short.
- The time and date
- Stated plainly at the start.
- Where, if the customer travels
- With an address that opens in a map.
- An easy way to change it
- The part most reminders leave out, and the part that saves the slot.
- Who it is from
- People ignore messages from numbers they do not recognise.
Repeat no-shows
What to do about people who still miss
Without a record of who misses appointments, you cannot tell an accident from a pattern.
- Keep a record
- Attached to the customer, not in someone’s memory.
- Send one follow-up
- A short message asking if they want to rebook recovers more than people expect.
- Set a policy for repeats
- Decide it calmly in advance and apply it consistently.
- Take a deposit where it fits
- Not for everything, but it changes behaviour on high value bookings.
The short version
Send a confirmation, a reminder the day before and one on the morning, each with a one tap way to change the time. Keep a record of misses so you can spot patterns.
From clients
What clients say about working with spareday
“I now have a custom dashboard that lets me track exactly what my competitors are doing, spot viral content trends in real time, and script high-performing content ideas on demand. The difference has been night and day. I’m no longer guessing.”
“He created a stunning website for us that captures and nurtures leads with an automated email marketing system, which has filled a huge gap in the business and saved a lot of time (and money!).”
“He didn’t just build me a great website, he created an easy-to-manage system that allows me to make updates myself whenever I need to. He has spared me so much time doing all of this myself!”
Official guidance
For independent background, read the official guidance on choosing digital tools and protecting your business online.
Common questions
Questions people ask.
Do booking reminders reduce no-shows?
Yes, because most no-shows are forgetfulness. Reminders the day before and on the morning catch most of them.
Text or email?
Text. It is usually read within minutes, while an email may not be read in time.
How many reminders is too many?
Three including the confirmation is a service. More than that trains people to ignore them.
What should a reminder say?
The time, the place, who it is with, and a one tap way to change it.
What helps you prepare a quote?
Name your booking system, the types of appointment and how customers confirm or change a time now. Use a made-up appointment to explain the process rather than real customer details.
How does spareday charge?
spareday quotes one price for the work your business needs, agreed in writing before anything starts. The figure depends on what the business needs, and it comes with your quote.
Who you’ll work with
Hi, I’m Reece.
spareday is my business, based here in Newcastle. You’ll deal with me from the first review of your website, and I’m the person you talk to each month about what’s working.
Find us
spareday in Newcastle.
12 Grey Street, Wickham, Newcastle NSW 2293.
Next step
Get a quote for booking reminders.
Tell us about your booking system and how customers change appointments now. We will talk through the details and send you a quote.
Get a free quoteOr call 0485 017 387.