SMS Job Reminders: Setup and Best Practices for Tradies
No-shows, forgotten bookings, or “What time are you coming again?”—they all cost time, money, and trust. SMS job reminders are one of the fastest, easiest ways to improve reliability and keep customers in the loop.
They’re also a foundational piece of any digital toolkit designed to help trade businesses scale with less admin. Here’s how to get started using them inside your scheduling or job management workflow.
Why SMS Reminders Work for Tradies
- Immediate attention: SMS open rates are over 95%
- Reduces no-shows: Most missed jobs are due to forgetfulness
- Lightweight and fast: No apps or logins needed by customers
When to Send Reminders
1. Booking Confirmation
Right after the job is booked:
“Thanks for booking with us! Your appointment is set for Tues, 9am with Sam.”
2. The Day Before
A reminder to confirm or change:
“Reminder: We’ll see you tomorrow at 9am. Need to reschedule? Tap here: [link]”
3. En Route Notification
Let customers know you’re on the way:
“Sam’s on the road now. ETA 8:50–9:00am.”
How to Set It Up in Your Workflow
- Create your message templates
- Set trigger rules (booking, day-before, en route)
- Link messages to jobs in your calendar
- Track reply status and confirmations
If a customer replies or taps to reschedule, your team sees it instantly.
Best Practices
- Keep messages short, clear, and friendly
- Include names, dates, and times
- Use branded language to build trust
- Avoid over-texting—one per phase is enough
What It Replaces and Why It Matters
- Manual reminder calls
- Forgotten follow-ups
- Uncertain arrival times
Once in place, this system runs quietly in the background—keeping your day on track and customers informed. It’s a small but powerful example of how AI-driven tools are reshaping how tradies manage customer service and repeat work.
Looking to go further? Our guide to smarter job communication workflows shows how reminders connect with quoting, scheduling, and feedback into a full automation system for tradies.
Want to see this in action? We’ll set up your SMS flows, link them to your calendar, and ensure reminders go out at the right time—without extra admin work.
Want to see how this connects to quoting and lead conversion? Check out our guide to automated quoting workflows for tradies.
