SMS messaging lets KennelBooker send text messages to your customers (pet parents): booking confirmations, reminders before check-in, check-in and check-out texts, and one-off texts from the customer or booking screen. Texts are paid for with SMS credits that you buy in KennelBooker. Text messages are set up on their own page, Settings > SMS Settings; emails are set up separately in Settings > Email Settings.
Where to find SMS settings
Click Settings in the main menu, then SMS Settings in the settings menu on the left. The page is headed Text message settings and has quick links to its sections: Account and credits, Reminders, When a text is sent and Templates.
Nothing on the SMS Settings page takes effect until you click Save SMS settings. One save covers every section. Staff need the Settings permission to open it (Settings > Staff Accounts); without it they see "You do not have access to view or edit settings."
Step 1: switch on SMS messaging
Go to Settings > SMS Settings.
In Your SMS account, switch on Send text messages to customers.
Click Save SMS settings. The rest of the page (credits, sender name, reminders, the When a text is sent grid and your SMS templates) appears.
Send text messages to customers is the master switch. Turning it off stops all texts straight away. It doesn't delete your SMS templates or any credits you've bought.
If the page says "Text messaging is not available in your country yet", SMS pricing hasn't been set up for your country. Contact KennelBooker support and we'll add it.
SMS credits: how they work and how to buy them
Credits remaining shows how many SMS credits you have left. One credit covers a text of up to 160 characters. A longer text uses more than one credit.
To buy more, choose a bundle in Top up and click Buy credits. The bundles and prices for your country are listed in the drop-down.
On the Purchase SMS Credits page, check the SMS Package, enter the Name on Card and Card Details, and click Purchase SMS Credits. The page shows how much your card will be charged, and we email you a receipt.
Once the payment goes through you'll see "Thank you, your SMS Credits have been added to your account". Buying more adds to your balance.
When your credits are running low, we send you a warning email, up to three times. When your balance reaches zero, no more texts are created or sent, including automatic ones, until you buy more credits.
Setting your SMS sender name
The Sender name is the name your customers see as the sender of your texts, for example your business name. It can be up to 12 letters and must be filled in before the page saves (the box turns red if it's empty).
The Sender name box isn't shown if your business is in the United States, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand or Kenya. In Ireland, sender names have to be registered with ComReg; see "ComReg Sender Id" in Related articles.
SMS reminders before check-in
An SMS reminder is one text sent a few days before a booking starts. In Reminders before check-in, each service you offer has its own row:
Switch on Send a reminder for the service.
Enter How many days before check-in the text should go out.
Click Save SMS settings.
Only the services you offer are listed. The wording comes from your SMS reminder template (see SMS templates below).
Reminders start sending from about 1pm on the day they're due. They go out together in one batch, so some can arrive a little after 1pm.
SMS settings: when a text is sent
The When a text is sent grid has one row per service and one column per moment in a booking. Every switch you turn on spends credits each time it sends.
Booking confirmation: makes the confirmation text available for that service, so staff can send it when the booking is confirmed or from the booking screen.
Auto-send confirmation: sends the confirmation text automatically the moment the booking is confirmed. Leave it off to send it by hand.
On check-in and On check-out: a text as the pet checks in, and as it checks out.
Price due (boarding only): a text telling the customer the amount due.
Service complete (grooming and universal bookings): a text telling the customer their pet is ready for collection.
A dash in the grid means that moment doesn't apply to that service.
SMS templates
An SMS template is the wording KennelBooker uses for each text. The SMS templates section at the bottom of Settings > SMS Settings lists your templates with their Applies to, Internal label and Automatic columns. Click Edit to change one, or Add template to write a new one. The templates only show while Send text messages to customers is on.
Template name: for your own reference. Customers never see it.
Message type: what the text is for, such as a booking confirmation or a grooming-finished alert. It can't be changed once the template has been created.
Applies to: one service, or all booking types.
Send this template automatically: makes this the template KennelBooker sends by itself for that message type and service. Only one template can be automatic for each message type and service.
Message: the text itself. Click a field under Fields you can use, such as [pet_names], to drop it in. The counter under the message shows the length typed, an estimate once fields are filled in, and roughly how many SMS that is.
Buttons: Save template (or Save changes), Duplicate, Delete and Close.
Reset to defaults, under the template list, puts every SMS template back to the KennelBooker default wording.
How to send a text message to a customer
From the customer's details: open the customer and click Send SMS next to their cellphone (mobile) number. Type your message in SMS Message and click Send SMS. The button only shows when the customer has a mobile number. If you have no credits left, you'll see "You have no credits left." with a link to buy more.
From a booking: the booking's Customer Messages panel has an SMS column. Click Send in the SMS column next to the message you want, such as the confirmation. The SMS options only show for the moments you've switched on in When a text is sent.
After adding a booking: the booking created screen has Text/SMS Confirmations with a Send Confirmation SMS button. You'll see "SMS Confirmation Sent" when it goes, or "SMS Confirmation Failed" if it doesn't.
To many customers at once: use the Marketing feature, which can send an SMS to a list of customers. It shows the credits needed and the credits left before you send.
What SMS messaging doesn't do
SMS messaging doesn't send free texts. Every text uses credits from your balance, including automatic ones.
SMS settings don't control emails. Emails have their own page, Settings > Email Settings.
SMS messaging doesn't text customers who have opted out of texts on their account; the booking's Customer Messages panel shows "opt-out" for them.
SMS messaging: frequently asked questions
How much does SMS cost?
SMS in KennelBooker is paid for with credits. The bundles and their prices for your country are listed in Top up on Settings > SMS Settings. One credit covers a text of up to 160 characters.
How many credits does a text use?
One SMS credit covers a text of up to 160 characters. A longer text uses more than one credit. The SMS template editor shows the length and an estimate of the number of SMS as you type, because fields such as pet names change the length for each booking.
Do texts with emoji use more credits?
On the Marketing send screen, yes: a text containing characters outside the standard SMS character set, such as emoji, fits fewer characters into each SMS, so it uses more credits. The screen shows "Credits needed" before you send.
Can I choose the name my texts come from?
Yes, in most countries. Enter up to 12 letters in Sender name on Settings > SMS Settings. The sender name isn't available in the United States, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand or Kenya. In Ireland it must be registered with ComReg first.
How many days before check-in does the SMS reminder go out?
You choose. In Settings > SMS Settings > Reminders before check-in, switch on Send a reminder for each service and enter How many days before check-in.
What time do SMS reminders go out?
SMS reminders start sending from about 1pm on the day they're due. They go out together in one batch, so a reminder can arrive a little after 1pm rather than exactly on the hour.
What happens when my SMS credits run out?
When your credit balance reaches zero, no more texts are created or sent, including automatic confirmations, reminders and check-in or check-out texts. Texting starts again once you buy more credits with Top up and Buy credits on Settings > SMS Settings.
Will I be warned when my SMS credits are running low?
Yes. We send you a low-credit warning email, up to three times. After that, no more warnings are sent until you buy credits again.
Can I send the booking confirmation by text automatically?
Yes. In Settings > SMS Settings > When a text is sent, switch on Booking confirmation and Auto-send confirmation for the service. The text then goes out as soon as the booking is confirmed.
Can I tell a customer their dog is ready to collect from grooming?
Yes. Switch on Service complete for grooming in Settings > SMS Settings > When a text is sent. Service complete is available for grooming and universal bookings.
Can I change the wording of the texts?
Yes. Edit the SMS templates at the bottom of Settings > SMS Settings. Each template has a Message box and a list of fields you can add, such as [pet_names].
Do my credits expire if I switch SMS off?
No. Switching off Send text messages to customers stops all texts but keeps your SMS credits and templates. Switch it back on to use them again.
Where do I set up SMS now? It used to be on the email settings page.
SMS has its own page: Settings > SMS Settings. The Email Settings page only covers emails.
SMS messaging: common problems
I can't see the credits, reminders or templates on SMS Settings
These sections only appear once Send text messages to customers is switched on and saved. Switch it on and click Save SMS settings.
"Text messaging is not available in your country yet"
SMS pricing hasn't been set up for your country, so SMS can't be switched on. Contact KennelBooker support and we'll add it.
SMS Settings won't save
If the Sender name box turns red, it's empty. Enter a sender name of up to 12 letters, such as your business name, and click Save SMS settings again.
Credits remaining shows a minus number and "(account in arrears)"
The texts sent and waiting to send add up to more than the credits you had. No more texts are created or sent until you buy credits. Buy a bundle with Top up and Buy credits; the credits you buy are added to the balance shown.
"Unfortunately your payment has been declined"
Your card payment for SMS credits didn't go through, so no credits were added. Click Back, check the card details and try again, or use another card.
There's no Send SMS button on the customer's details
Send SMS only shows when the customer has a cellphone (mobile) number on their account. Add the number, save, and the button appears.
The SMS Send button on a booking says "No Credits", "opt-out" or "no mobile"
In the booking's Customer Messages panel, "No Credits" means your SMS credit balance is used up: buy more in Settings > SMS Settings with Top up and Buy credits. "opt-out" means the customer has opted out of texts. "no mobile" means the customer has no cellphone (mobile) number on their account.
My customer didn't get a text
Check that Send text messages to customers is on, that you have credits left (no texts are sent once your balance reaches zero), that the moment is switched on for that service in When a text is sent, and that the customer has a mobile number and hasn't opted out of texts. If all of those are fine, contact support with the booking reference and the customer's name.
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