Do SMS Boiler Service Reminders Work? We Ran The Numbers.

Part of this gap will be down to the businesses themselves. Those who have set up SMS reminders are probably more likely to be on top of their repeat business strategy, so we also checked the customers inside the texting businesses.

We found that customers who received an SMS reminder were similarly around 40 to 50% more likely to book in than those who didn’t (for example, because the account had run out of SMS credit).

When a text makes the most difference

A SMS reminder gets the most value for:

• Customers with no email, or an old one. If the email reminder is going nowhere, the text is the only reminder they get.
• Landlords. They’re legally required to get a gas safety check done every year, so it’s more about reminding them at the right time.
• Customers who’ve ignored emails before. Not everyone checks their emails religiously, and some reminders can be genuinely missed.

How to set up SMS reminders in GES

SMS reminders work alongside the automated reminders you already send by email, and all you need to do is switch them on from the web portal:

1. Log in at live.gasengineersoftware.co.uk and open the SMS reminders page.
2. Click Enable. You’ll see the price per text (10p plus VAT) before you confirm.
3. Pick which reminders go by text: gas service reminders, oil service reminders, or both.

That’s it. You can customise your SMS message if you like, and from then on your reminders go out by text as well as email.

We’ve also made SMS reminders easier to run. Your credit tops up automatically, so you won’t run out mid-month and miss customers, and your texts are billed separately from your subscription.

What a good SMS reminder looks like

Wording matters more than you’d think. We’ve found our default template works effectively, but only you know your customers and brand.

For a service reminder, keep it to the basics:

• The customer’s name, so it doesn’t read like spam
• What’s due and roughly when, such as their boiler service next month
• One clear way to book, usually a phone number
• Your business name, so they know who it’s from

Something like:

Hi Sarah, your annual boiler service with DM Heating is due next month. Give us a call on 01234 567890 to book a time that suits. Thanks, Dave

Turn them on before the next reminder goes out

If you’re already on GES, switching SMS reminders on takes under a minute from the SMS reminders page. Your next reminders will go out by text too.

Not using Gas Engineer Software yet? Start a 14-day free trial with full access and no card needed. Set up your service reminders and see how many more customers book in.