Why an appointment reminder by SMS works so well.
When you hear the word “appointment reminder”, you quickly think of healthcare, because almost everyone knows this handy service from their own experience. A few hours or a day in advance you receive an SMS message on your phone as a reminder for your appointment at the dentist, specialist or other healthcare provider. But did you know that such a text message is also a smart tool for many other companies and institutions, which can be very profitable?
SMS lowers the number of ‘no-shows’
It is not only the healthcare sector that is keen to keep the number of ‘no-shows’ (people who do not turn up for their appointments) as low as possible. Many companies are also struggling with this problem, especially now that, due to the corona crisis, more shopping, ordering and booking is done by appointment. But, even apart from the corona crisis, there are always people who, intentionally or not, forget their reservation or appointment and don’t show up. Think, for example, of restaurants and rental agencies. That costs money, because staff are on standby, costs continue but you lose sales. Hairdressers, beauty salons, delivery services, caterers and many other business owners also benefit from sending appointment reminders.
Greater customer satisfaction with SMS
With a reminder via SMS, you significantly reduce the number of ‘no-shows’. We at Spryng know this from experience. We started our company to reduce the number of ‘no-shows’ in healthcare and we succeeded. Millions of euros are still being saved by sending simple SMS reminders to patients and clients in healthcare. And the beauty of this targeted communication is that it is highly appreciated by the recipient. Nowadays, everyone has their cell phone at hand 24/7 and an SMS message is considered an accessible, personal way of communicating. Which is also delivered when there is no wifi connection. An appointment reminder by SMS is therefore not only effective in reducing the number of ‘no-shows’. This SMS service is highly appreciated by the recipients and increases customer satisfaction. If that is not a win-win?
How does an appointment reminder via SMS work?
It’s actually very simple. With one SMS API from Spryng, you can instantly send automatic SMS messages to your customers. This can be done a few hours before the appointment but also one or a few days before. In many cases the SMS service can be connected to an appointment scheduler. Spryng already has connections with for example TIMEBLOCKR, Resengo, SAYWHEN, Tablebooker, Salonhub & Da Vinci Salon software. Of course, you decide the content of the message, the sender and at what time you want to send the SMS. The system does the rest. And most importantly: the number of ‘no-shows’ will decrease immediately. That means cost savings and increased turnover!
The advantages of an appointment reminder via SMS
- Connection to many appointment schedulers possible, fully automated;
- You decide the text of the SMS message, sender and when the SMS is sent;
- You save significantly in costs (by reducing the number of ‘no-shows’);
- You increase your service level in a quick and simple way (because customers appreciate such a reminder and see it as positive communication);
- Low cost: SMS is more economical than making a phone call or sending a letter;
- An SMS has a higher attention value and higher “open rate” than email.
SMS service: effective for every sector
Sending an appointment reminder by SMS is effective, cheap and interesting for many companies and sectors. But there are of course many more smart applications, also for your business. Do you want to know exactly what the advantages of SMS are for your company? Spryng makes an inventory for you free of charge. We have years of messaging experience in many sectors, including retail, hospitality, transport, logistics, healthcare and e-commerce. We are happy to share our knowledge. Call us at +49 30 3080 6900 for a no-obligation discussion or an appointment at your premises or ours or contact us under info@spryng.de. Then we will confirm by SMS.
