Overview
As soon as an appointment is booked, whether online or by the business, the customer receives a Booking Email. This email shows the details of the appointment and the Client Instructions. Boulevard’s default reminders are set up so that two days before the actual appointment, around 8 am (PST), the Reminder Email is sent. This email has the same details as the Confirmation Email but with a link to confirm the appointment. If a client has not responded to the Reminder Email, around 3 pm (PST) on that same day, they receive a Reminder Text. You can customize which days you’d like to send reminder emails and reminder texts in your Manage Location settings (between 1-5 days before the appointment).
IMPORTANT: Please know that clients must have an email address and mobile number on their Client Profile to receive emails and text messages.
Booking and Reminder Schedule
Booking Email | Sent immediately after the appointment is booked by the client or by the business. The booking email contains appointment details and the custom message from the “Client Instructions” field. If applicable, a "Complete Forms" button appears at the top, and '[Action Needed]' appears in the subject line. There is a “Manage Appointment” button clients can use to navigate to their Appointment Details page, where they can cancel or reschedule their appointment according to your cancellation policy. If applicable, a "Complete Forms" button appears at the top, and '[Action Needed]' appears in the subject line. |
Reminder Email | Sent at approximately 8 am (PST), 2 days before the appointment day (unless adjusted in your Manage Location settings). The email reminder also contains the “Client Instructions” message. If applicable, a "Complete Forms" button appears at the top, and '[Action Needed]' appears in the subject line. |
Reminder Text | Sent at approximately 3 pm (PST). Default settings send 2 days before the appointment day, but only if the client has not responded to the email reminder. This can be adjusted in your settings. A 'Yes' response to the text confirms the appointment and sends the automatic reply "Thank you! You are confirmed." A 'No' or any other response forwards their message to the business if you have the Contact Center add-on. If a client sends a 'No' or other text besides yes, confirm, etc. and you do not have the Contact Center add-on, they receive the automatic reply "Your message was not received, please contact the business directly." |
NOTE: If a client confirms their appointment when they receive the Booking Confirmation email, they will not receive a Reminder Email or Text.
The above is the default schedule but you have the ability to customize when your reminder emails and texts are sent out. Go into the Manage tab, and scroll down to the area titled "Location Features". Under Appointment Reminders, you can choose between 1-5 days to send each reminder.
NOTE: Either way you choose to send reminders (i.e. email first then text, or vice versa), if the first message is confirmed the second message does not send.
Reminder Status
Businesses can easily view if and when an email and text message reminder was sent to a client. To view this information, single-click the appointment on the calendar to open the preview window, then hover your mouse over the black broadcast icon. Reminders that were sent appear below.
Example Confirmation Email
Example Confirmation Email (Group Booking)
Example Reminder Email (without Forms)
Example Reminder Email with Forms
Example Reminder Text
Note: SMS reminders are not currently customizable.
Text Message Affirmative Responses
The following responses to text messages are not case sensitive and trigger the automatic confirmation of an appointment: y, ya, yas, ye, yep, yes, yu, yus, yuss, yass, yess, yep, yup, sure, sure thing, see you, see you then, excited, so excited, confirm.