Hi Brett, A number of businesses that I use send mobile phone text message (SMS) reminders and they appear to be handled by a service because two completely unrelated businesses that I use send me SMS's originating from the same number. I could find out in particular which service they are using if you like or here is an article on the subject.
http://mercumer.com/articles/choosing-an-sms-appointment-reminder-service.php Cheers, Carlo Sent from my iPad On 27/10/2011, at 11:20, Brett Curtis <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks Daniel & Geoff > Prolly would go for the [email protected] type thing but > not if I can't find some way of automating it. (and I would be checking it) > There is a script out there for post-dating emails but not on a regular basis > :( It sends a draft which then disappears. > > I truly find it hard to believe that no-one has ever needed this before! In > the case of a service business like mine that is trying to move with > technology and give customer service to their regular clients... > Reminders are essential for some, not all, forgetful clients. You soon get > to know which is which. > > Maybe this is destined for the "Too hard" basket. > > Regards > > Brett Curtis > > Master Window Cleaners > Perth, Western Australia > 0419049084 > > [email protected] > www.masterwindowcleaners.com > facebook.com/MWCWA > hipages.com.au/masterwindowcleaners.com > > > > > > On 26/10/2011, at 10:35 PM, Daniel Kerr wrote: > >> >> >> On 26/10/2011, at 11:53 AM, Geoff and Kaye wrote: >> >>> Brett >>> >>> On 26/10/2011, at 10:06 AM, Brett Curtis wrote: >>> >>>> I have a list of clients with whom I have regular bookings. >>>> They are all sent physical calendars, but some are not as reliable as >>>> others in remembering thhe appointments. >>>> >>>> Is there a program that I can set up a regular email to be sent to them >>>> reminding them of an impending appointment? >>>> >>>> I have also found that clients who receive these emails are apt to send a >>>> cancellation or a deferral >>>> >>>> Quite often this is done quite close to the booking when it is difficult >>>> to replace that booking. Can I set up a "Do not reply" email address so >>>> that it is not quite so easy for them to do this? Often we do a few >>>> clients all in the same area at the same time of the quarter and to have >>>> to return to that area the next week costs time and money. >>> >>> >>> When you see a "do not reply" on an email message it is normally because >>> the message is generated by a script which uses the server's mail program, >>> rather than a person using a mail program on their computer. There is no >>> way that a recipient can be prevented from replying to such a message (or >>> any message), but the reply goes to an address which just ignores it. You >>> could mimic this behaviour by setting up an account for reminders with a >>> return address which (using a rule in your mail program) sends any replies >>> straight to the trash. >>> >>> As to the first part of your question, we would write a system to do this >>> from scratch, but I am not sure if you could find anything "off the shelf". >>> I do not think it is something that a mail program could be set to do, but >>> I might be wrong about that. Depending on what support your web hosting >>> service provides, it might be possible to set up a cron job to do it, but >>> this requires some Unix skills and could get complex. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Geoff >>> ---------------------- >>> Geoff and Kaye >>> [email protected] >>> >> >> One thing I'd be a bit weary of here, and apologies if this sounds "nitpicky >> or harsh", it's not meant to. >> But I wouldn't create an account and then have a rule sending it straight to >> the trash. >> My reasoning behind that would be, that if the email client is receiving it, >> then although you're not reading it, the email is being received for the >> rule to send it to the trash. So from the clients end, even though it might >> not be a "no reply" account, if they did reply to it saying "I don't need it >> this week etc thanks"...the email account would still read it and throw it >> out. So someone could then come back and say...well I did email you and tell >> you. >> What a better option would be (as long as you don't have a catch all email >> address being run on your domain), would be to use something like >> [email protected]. As long as this isn't a valid email >> address or a valid mailbox (or the account doesn't have a catch all system), >> then that address would simply bounce. Therefor it's not received at all. >> And it's done server end. Any address that is sent and goes through a server >> system to email to be filed by a rule,..in theory still has been received. >> So the client at the other end doesn't get notified. Yet a "dead email >> address" would simply bounce back to the client with a "bounce message". >> (I hope that makes sense. I don't think I made myself very clear,..lol). >> >> I don't know of anything for the reminder off hand though I'm afraid. I know >> iCal can sent out reminders, but they're normally done at the time of >> booking in the appointment. >> You could possibly do something in Automator, similar to this >> <http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/birthday-alarms-automated-email-notifications-and-ical-mac-only/> >> But re-writing it to use iCal info to send out email reminders to people. >> But using an account with a "dead" email address with a name "Do Not Reply". >> May work,... ;o) >> >> Kind regards >> Daniel >> >> >> --- >> Daniel Kerr >> MacWizardry >> >> Phone: 0414 795 960 >> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >> >> >> **For everything Macintosh** >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >> Settings & Unsubscribe - >> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Settings & Unsubscribe - <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug>
