Confirmation and reminder messages

What can the AI send after a booking?

Two kinds of message do most of the work. A confirmation goes out straight after the booking. A reminder goes out before the appointment.

Automated reminders and notifications by email or SMS are among the common features of appointment scheduling software¹. So this isn't new, and it doesn't need AI at all.

What AI adds is the ability to write the message in a friendlier voice, answer a reply like "can I bring my daughter?", or adapt the wording to the service. That's also where mistakes can slip in.

Should the AI write each message from scratch?

For confirmations and reminders, probably not. A fixed template with blanks for the customer's name, service, date, time and address is easier to check. The tool fills the blanks from the calendar entry.

Free-written messages are riskier. An AI answer can include false or misleading details delivered with full confidence, a problem researchers call hallucination². In a reminder, that might be a wrong address or a promise you didn't make.

If you want the AI to answer replies, keep the first confirmation as a template and let the AI handle only the follow-up chat. Give it a short list of things it may say.

What should a person check in the wording?

Read a sample message as the customer would, on a phone screen. Go through this list:

• The facts. Is the day, date, time, service and place right? Does the date include the day name so a slip stands out?
• The time zone. If any customers live in another zone, does the message say which one?
• The business name. Would a stranger know who it's from?
• What to bring or do. Only things you've actually decided, such as arriving a few minutes early.
• How to change it. A clear way to reschedule or cancel, matched to your own notice rule. See reschedules and cancellations.
• No promises. Nothing about results, prices or guarantees the owner hasn't approved.
• A way to reach a person. A phone number staff actually answer.
• Tone. Warm and short. No pressure.

Send a test message to your own phone. Then book a test appointment and confirm the real message fills each blank correctly.

How often should reminders go out?

That's your call, and it depends on the service. A haircut might need one reminder the day before. A home visit by a tradesperson might need one a few days ahead and another on the morning.

Too many messages annoy people and some will stop replying. Too few and you lose the benefit. Start with one reminder, see whether customers still miss appointments, and adjust. Keep the timing in the booking rules so it's written down.

Do messaging laws apply to reminders?

They can, and they differ by country. A short plain answer isn't possible, so look up the official source for where you operate and where your customers are.

Two examples from the sources. In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 says commercial electronic messages must include information about who authorised the sending, and must contain a functional unsubscribe facility³. The regulator, ACMA, can tell you whether a booking message counts.

In the US, the main federal law on calls and texts is the TCPA, and its general rule turns on whether the recipient gave prior express consent⁴. The FCC's own pages explain how that applies to texts and calls.

The UK and other countries have their own rules. This site doesn't give legal advice. An official regulator or a lawyer is the right place to ask.

One practical habit helps everywhere. Collect the customer's contact details at booking, and say there what messages they'll get.

What if the customer replies?

Someone will. "Running ten minutes late," "Can I change to Friday?" or "Stop texting me."

Decide in advance what happens to each reply. Changes go through the change and cancellation steps. Anything the tool can't match goes to a person, following your hand-over cases. A request to stop messages should be honoured straight away.