Customer Communication

Stay connected with your customers through multiple communication channels. Send individual messages, automated notifications, bulk campaigns, and use templates to save time while maintaining a personal touch.

Communication Channels

SeroBook supports multiple channels for reaching your customers. Each channel serves different purposes and can be configured independently.

Sending Individual Messages

You can message any customer directly from their profile or from a specific booking.

From a Customer Profile

1. Navigate to Customers and open the customer's profile
2. Click Send Message
3. Choose the channel (Email or SMS)
4. Write your message or select a template
5. Preview and click Send

From a Booking

1. Open the booking details
2. Click Contact Customer
3. The message is automatically associated with the booking
4. Booking details (date, service, etc.) are available as merge tags
5. Send via email or SMS

SMS Notifications

SMS messages have extremely high open rates and are ideal for appointment reminders and urgent communications.

Setting Up SMS

1. Go to Settings → Communication → SMS
2. Choose your SMS provider and enter your API credentials
3. Set your sender name or phone number
4. Configure your default SMS templates
5. Send a test message to verify setup

SMS Best Practices

• Keep messages short – Stay under 160 characters when possible to avoid multi-part messages
• Include key details – Date, time, and business name at minimum
• Add opt-out instructions – Include "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" for compliance
• Time messages appropriately – Send during business hours and not too early or late
• Use merge tags – Personalize with the customer's first name

Email Communications

Email is the primary communication channel for detailed messages, confirmations, and marketing. SeroBook supports both automated and manual email communications.

Types of Emails

• Transactional – Booking confirmations, reminders, cancellation notices, and receipts
• Operational – Schedule changes, staff updates, and service modifications
• Marketing – Promotions, newsletters, and re-engagement campaigns
• Follow-up – Post-appointment feedback requests and review invitations

Composing an Email

1. Click Send Message from a customer profile or booking
2. Select Email as the channel
3. Enter a subject line or choose a template
4. Compose your message using the rich text editor
5. Insert merge tags for personalization (e.g., {{customer.firstName}})
6. Preview the email and click Send

Communication History

Every message sent through SeroBook is logged and accessible, giving you a complete record of all customer interactions.

Viewing History

Access communication history from multiple places:

• Customer profile – See all messages sent to and from a specific customer
• Booking details – View messages related to a specific booking
• Communication log – Browse all messages across your entire business

History Details

Each message record includes:

• Date and time sent
• Channel used (email, SMS, in-app)
• Message content and subject line
• Delivery status (sent, delivered, opened, bounced, failed)
• Which staff member sent the message
• Associated booking (if applicable)

Bulk Messaging

Send messages to multiple customers at once for announcements, promotions, or important updates.

Creating a Bulk Message

1. Go to Customers and select the recipients using filters or checkboxes
2. Click Bulk Actions → Send Message
3. Choose the channel (Email or SMS)
4. Write your message or select a template
5. Preview how the message will look with merge tags populated
6. Review the recipient count and click Send to All

Targeting Recipients

Use filters to target specific groups of customers:

• By tag – Send to customers with specific tags (e.g., "VIP", "Inactive")
• By booking history – Target customers who booked a specific service
• By date range – Reach customers who last booked within a time period
• By status – Active customers, lapsed customers, etc.
• Manual selection – Hand-pick individual customers from the list

Message Templates

Save time by creating reusable message templates for common communications. Templates support merge tags for automatic personalization.

Creating a Template

1. Go to Settings → Communication → Templates
2. Click Create Template
3. Choose the channel (Email or SMS)
4. Enter a template name for internal reference
5. Write the message content with merge tags
6. Save the template

Available Merge Tags

Customer Communication Preferences

Respect your customers' preferences by allowing them to control how they receive communications.

Preference Options

• Preferred channel – Email, SMS, or both
• Marketing opt-in/out – Whether to receive promotional messages
• Reminder preferences – How far in advance to send reminders
• Quiet hours – Time ranges when no messages should be sent

Managing Preferences

Preferences can be updated by staff from the customer profile or by the customer through the self-service portal. All preference changes are logged in the communication history.

Scheduled Messages

Plan your communications in advance by scheduling messages to be sent at a specific date and time.

1. Compose your message (individual or bulk)
2. Instead of clicking Send, click Schedule
3. Choose the date and time for delivery
4. Confirm the schedule

Scheduled messages appear in Communication → Scheduled where you can review, edit, or cancel them before they are sent.

Next Steps

• Customize your email templates
• Set up automated email rules
• Enable the customer self-service portal
• Add internal notes and tags to customer profiles