If your appointment reminders fail to go out, there are a few things we recommend checking.
Contents of this article:
Appointment Reminders Must be Enabled Under Reminders Settings
Click on Messaging on the top Kalix header, followed by Settings. On the Messaging Settings page, click on the tick box as shown below to enable Appointment Reminders.
You must also have a value in the Send reminders and the Stop reminders fields.
Send Reminders: allows you to specify the number of days before an appointment, to send the reminders. Enter the number of days in the applicable field.
Stop Reminders: you must also specify when to stop sending reminders. Stop reminders tells Kalix what to do if you schedule in late minute appointments i.e. you schedule an appointment and it is already past the time period specified to send the appointment reminder.
If you wish to send reminders for appointments scheduled up to the day before the actual appointment day, enter 1 in the Stop Reminders field.
If you always want to send appointment reminders, simply enter a 0 in this field. Kalix will always send out appointment reminders (if the appointment is yet to happen), even if the appointment is scheduled on the actual appointment day.
Note: the value in the Send Reminders field must not be equal to what is entered in the Stop Reminders field e.g. you cannot send reminders 1 day before the appointment date and also stop reminders 1 day before the appointment date. Reminders will never send.
For more information about setting up Messaging, click here.
A Reminder Method and a Valid Phone Number or Email Address is Saved Against the Client's Details Page
Navigate to the Client Details page by clicking on Clients on the top header followed by Clients.
Locate your client in your client list and click on their name to view their file.
On the client cover page, click on the section Details to view the details page.
Make sure the client has the correct reminder method selected in the Messaging Method field, as well as a valid email and/or phone number saved. Contact phone numbers must contain your state area code.
If using SMS (text message), the telephone number Type field must be set to cell phone (or mobile) and the messaging method to SMS.
Note: Kalix allows you to save unlimited contact phone numbers against the client's Details page. If you save multiple numbers for a particular client, Kalix will send messages to the first phone number listed.
Need to Top-up Messaging Credit
If you are sending appointment reminders via SMS (text message) or text-to-voice (computer generated voice message), you are required to purchase and maintain Messaging credit. If you run out of credit, reminders will fail to send. Click here for information about purchasing Messaging Credit.
The Reminder Tickbox is Selected on the Edit Appointment Screen
On the appointment calendar, click on the applicable appointment slot to view the Edit Appointment screen. The Reminder tickbox must be selected as shown below.
Opt-in is Not Complete
Kalix's messaging functionality, (including Appointment Reminders) can be opt-in.
If you choose to enable Opt-in, Kalix will automatically send an opt-in message just before a client's first message is due to go out (e.g. the appointment reminder).*
Note: an automatic opt-in message is only ever sent once. To send again use the manual method described below.
Alternatively, you can manually send the opt-in message by navigating to the Messaging section of the client's file and clicking on the Send link on (as shown below).
If a client is yet to accept their opt-in message, Kalix will not send out the appointment reminder message until after this is complete. Once the appointment time has past, but the opt-in is still not accepted, the appointment reminder message will expire (you will receive an email notification when this happens).
Opt-in Is Method Specific
Opt-in is method specific i.e. if a client or contact is to receive both email and SMS messages from you, they will need to opt-in using both email & SMS separately.
Note: If a client has both email and SMS for messaging methods and they opt-in via email but not via SMS or vice versa, you will still see the Opt-In button in Kalix shown in red. It will only turn green if both methods have been opted in.
Checking Whether the Appointment Reminder Failed
There are two methods available for you to check whether appointment reminders have gone out (or failed).
Method 1
Check the appointment on the calendar. In the new/edit appointment screen it will say no appointment messages sent if it has not been delivered yet.
If the reminders were successfully sent, you will see check marks on each one as shown below.
Retrying Failed Reminders
The most common reason for the reminder sending failures is that the client's contact details are not entered correctly (or not entered at all). Another reason can be a contact issue between Kalix and our third-party messaging provider.
If the appointment is yet to take place, you can try to resend the reminder. To do this, open the Messages section on the Appointment. Click on the appointment slot, and the edit appointment screen, and scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click on the View Details button.
On the appointment details page, choose the Messages section.
On this page, you will find the buttons to send Appointment Reminders and/or Appointment Notices.
Note: Before retrying the message, check to see if the client’s phone number and email address is entered correctly on their Details page.