Service Reminders & Automation
Bring your customers back for repeat business by sending timely, personalized service reminders. Whether it is a routine oil change, a scheduled maintenance, or a simple follow-up after a repair, autoGMS makes it easy to stay in touch with customers long after they leave your garage.
Overview
Service Reminders let you:
- Schedule follow-up messages for customers who have completed a service at your garage.
- Send reminders via Email or WhatsApp -- whatever your customer prefers.
- Set up automation rules so reminders are created automatically for the services you choose.
- Track every reminder -- see which ones are pending, sent, partially sent, failed, or cancelled.
- Bring customers back with well-timed nudges that keep your garage top of mind.
Reminders are tied to completed bookings only. Once a job is finished, you (or the system, if automation is turned on) can schedule a reminder that goes out days, weeks, or months later.
How to Access Service Reminders
- From the sidebar, navigate to your Garage and open the Bookings page.
- At the top of the Bookings page, you will see several tabs: Table, Calendar, Reminders, and possibly others.
- Click the Reminders tab (the bell icon).
Good to know: The Reminders tab only appears if the Service Reminders feature is enabled for your garage. If you do not see it, contact your account administrator.
What you will see
When you open the Reminders tab, you will find two main sections:
- Automation Rules -- a card at the top where you configure automatic reminders.
- Completed Services Table -- a list of all completed jobs, each showing its reminder status and available actions. The table defaults to showing the Pending filter, so you immediately see reminders that are scheduled and waiting to be sent.
Key Features at a Glance
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Manual Reminders | Create a one-off reminder for any completed booking |
| Automation Rules | Automatically schedule reminders for selected services |
| Email Delivery | Send reminder messages directly to the customer's inbox |
| WhatsApp Delivery | Open a pre-filled WhatsApp message to send manually |
| Reminder Statistics | See counts of pending, sent, partially sent, and failed reminders |
| Status Tracking | Know exactly where each reminder stands in its lifecycle |
| Search & Filters | Find specific customers, filter by service type, or filter by reminder status |
| Real-Time Updates | Reminder statuses update live, no need to refresh the page |
The Completed Services Table
The table is the central part of the Reminders tab. It shows one row per completed booking, with the following columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Customer | Customer name and email address |
| Vehicle | Vehicle make, model, and plate number |
| Service | The name of the service that was performed |
| Completed | The date the booking was completed |
| Days Ago | How many days since completion, colour-coded by urgency |
| Reminder | Current reminder status (pending date, sent date, failed, cancelled, or a dash if none exists) with channel indicators |
| Actions | Buttons to schedule, send, open WhatsApp, or cancel a reminder |
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Creating a Manual Reminder
Use this when you want to schedule a reminder for a specific customer and booking.
Steps:
- Open the Reminders tab on the Bookings page.
- In the completed services table, find the customer or booking you want to remind.
- Use the search bar to look up a customer by name.
- Use the status filter chips to show only bookings with no reminder yet ("No reminder created").
- Use the Service filter dropdown to narrow by service type.
- On the row for the booking you want, click the Schedule button.
- A dialog called Create Service Reminder will open, showing the customer name and vehicle details at the top.
Filling in the reminder details:
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Reminder Type -- Choose the category that best fits:
- Service Due -- General reminder that their vehicle is due for its next service.
- Follow Up -- Check in after a recent job to see if everything is going well.
- Maintenance Check -- Prompt the customer to bring their vehicle in for routine maintenance.
- Custom -- Write your own message from scratch.
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Schedule In -- Pick how far in the future the reminder should be sent:
- 1 Week, 2 Weeks, 1 Month, 3 Months, 6 Months, 1 Year, or Custom Date.
- The scheduled date is calculated from when the booking was completed, not from today.
- If you pick Custom Date, a date-and-time picker will appear so you can set the exact moment.
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Custom Title (optional) -- Add a title like "Oil Change Reminder" or "Brake Inspection Follow-Up". If you leave this blank, one will be generated based on the reminder type.
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Message -- A pre-written message is generated for you based on the reminder type, customer name, and vehicle. You can edit it freely to personalize it further.
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Delivery Method -- Choose one or both:
- Email -- The customer's email address is shown. Click to select it.
- WhatsApp -- The customer's phone number is shown. Click to select it.
Good to know: If the customer does not have an email or phone number on file, you can enter one directly in the dialog. The field will appear automatically with a "Save" button.
- The Scheduled for date appears in a highlighted bar so you can confirm it is correct.
- Click Create Reminder.
- A green confirmation will flash briefly, and the dialog will close.
What you will see
After creating the reminder, the row in the table will update to show a Pending badge with the scheduled date and small icons indicating which channels (Email, WhatsApp) are selected.
2. Sending a Reminder
There are two ways a reminder gets sent:
Automatic sending (scheduled)
When the scheduled date arrives, autoGMS automatically sends the reminder through the channels you selected (Email, WhatsApp, or both). You do not need to do anything -- it happens in the background.
Sending immediately (manual)
If you do not want to wait for the scheduled date, you can send a pending reminder right away.
Steps:
- In the Reminders table, find a row with a Pending reminder badge.
- Click the Send button on that row.
- The reminder will be sent immediately through all channels configured for it.
- The status will update to Sent (or Partially Sent if one channel succeeded and the other did not).
Good to know: You will see a notification confirming which channels were successful. If Email sent but WhatsApp failed (or the other way around), the notification will tell you exactly what happened.
3. Sending WhatsApp Reminders Manually
WhatsApp reminders work a bit differently than email. When you click the WhatsApp button on a pending reminder row, autoGMS:
- Opens WhatsApp (via wa.me) in a new browser tab with a pre-filled message containing the customer's name, vehicle details, and service information.
- You review and send the message from your WhatsApp.
- autoGMS automatically records that the WhatsApp message was sent.
This gives you full control over the WhatsApp conversation while still tracking that the reminder went out.
Good to know: The WhatsApp button becomes available when the reminder's scheduled date has arrived or passed. Before that date, the button is grayed out.
4. Setting Up Automation (Settings Subview)
Automation is the most powerful way to use reminders. Instead of manually scheduling a reminder for every completed job, you configure rules and autoGMS handles the rest.
Steps:
- Open the Reminders tab on the Bookings page.
- Click the Settings pill button at the top (next to Queue).
- The automation settings page has three numbered steps.
Step 1: Delivery Channels ("Deliver via")
Choose how reminders are sent. Click the channel pills to toggle them on or off:
- Email -- Fully automatic. Reminders are sent without any manual action.
- WhatsApp (manual) -- When a reminder is due, a WhatsApp button appears in the Queue. You click it to open a pre-filled message and send it yourself.
- Branded SMS -- Sends an SMS from a custom sender name that customers recognise (e.g., "MKAUTO"). This is a paid add-on.
At least one channel must be active before you can save.
Good to know: WhatsApp is labelled "manual" because WhatsApp requires you to initiate the conversation. autoGMS prepares the message and tracks that you sent it.
Branded SMS add-on: If your garage is eligible for Branded SMS but has not purchased it, a paywall card appears showing the price and a button to open your billing page. Once purchased, the SMS channel becomes available and an SMS Sender ID field appears. Enter a short name (up to 11 characters, alphanumeric, automatically uppercased) that will appear as the sender on customer phones. This is one-way SMS only.
Step 2: Service Reminders
Toggle Turn on service-completion reminders to enable.
When enabled, configure:
Timing: "When a service is completed, wait [N] days. Don't resend for [N] days."
- Days After Completion (1-365, default 90) -- how long after a job is finished to send the reminder
- Cooldown Days (0-365, default 30) -- prevents duplicate reminders if the customer has another qualifying booking within this window
Services included: Choose which services trigger automatic reminders. Services are grouped by category in a scrollable accordion. Use Select all or Clear to manage quickly. A counter shows how many are selected. MOT services are excluded here (they have their own section below).
Message style: Choose a template by clicking one of the style pills:
- Standard -- "Please book your next service."
- Friendly -- "Please book when you're ready."
- Short -- "Please book."
- Follow up -- "Let us know when you'd like to book again."
A preview below shows the assembled message with the vehicle, service, and garage phone number filled in.
Custom copy (optional): Use the text area to write your own message. Leave it blank to use the selected template as-is.
Step 3: MOT Expiry Reminders
Toggle Turn on MOT expiry reminders to enable. This sends reminders before a vehicle's recorded MOT expiry date, using the same delivery channels and sender ID configured in Step 1.
When enabled, configure:
Timing: "When a vehicle is [N] weeks away from MOT expiry, send the reminder."
- Weeks Before Expiry (1-52, default 4)
MOT message style: Choose a template:
- MOT Standard -- "Your MOT is due soon. Please book."
- MOT Friendly -- "Your MOT is coming up. Please book when you're ready."
- MOT Short -- "MOT due soon. Please book."
- MOT Final -- "Final MOT reminder. Please book."
A MOT preview shows the assembled message with the vehicle, expiry date, and garage phone number.
Custom MOT copy (optional): Write your own MOT reminder message, or leave blank for the template.
Saving
Click Save Automation Rules when you are done. The button is disabled until all required fields are valid (at least one channel selected, at least one service selected when service reminders are on, sender ID filled when SMS is on).
Click Cancel to discard changes and revert to the last saved state.
Good to know: You can enable service reminders, MOT reminders, or both. Each has its own toggle. Turning off a section preserves its settings so you can re-enable later without reconfiguring.
5. Cancelling a Reminder
If you no longer want a reminder to be sent, you can cancel it as long as it is still in Pending status.
Steps:
- Find the reminder in the table (filter by "Pending" status to narrow the list).
- Click the Cancel button (the X icon) on the row.
- The reminder status changes to Cancelled immediately.
Good to know: Only pending reminders can be cancelled. Once a reminder has been sent, it cannot be undone.
6. Using Search and Filters
The Reminders table gives you several ways to find what you need:
- Search bar -- Type a customer name to filter the list instantly.
- Status filter chips -- Click one of the chips at the top of the table to filter by:
- All completed jobs -- Everything, regardless of reminder status.
- No reminder created -- Completed jobs that have not had a reminder scheduled yet. Great for finding customers you should follow up with.
- Pending -- Reminders that are scheduled but have not been sent yet.
- Partially Sent -- Reminders where one channel succeeded but the other failed.
- Sent -- Reminders that have been delivered successfully.
- Failed -- Reminders that could not be sent.
- Service filter -- A dropdown that lets you select one or more specific services (e.g., show only oil change bookings).
- Sorting -- Click column headers to sort by customer name, service, completion date, or days since completion.
7. Understanding Reminder Statuses
Each reminder goes through a clear lifecycle:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| No reminder (dash) | No reminder has been created for this booking yet. |
| Pending | A reminder is scheduled and waiting to be sent. The Reminder column shows the scheduled date and which channels are configured (e.g., "Mar 15 - Email/WhatsApp"). |
| Sent | The reminder was delivered successfully through all selected channels. The column shows the sent date and channel names. |
| Partially Sent | One channel succeeded and the other failed. For example, email was sent but WhatsApp was not. You can still open WhatsApp manually to complete the send. |
| Failed | The reminder could not be sent through any channel. Shown in red text. |
| Cancelled | The reminder was manually cancelled before it was sent. Shown in muted text. |
8. Reading the "Days Ago" Column
The table includes a Days Ago column that shows how long it has been since the booking was completed. This is color-coded to help you spot customers who are overdue for a follow-up:
- Gray text -- 30 days or less. Still recent.
- Blue text -- 31 to 60 days. Might be time to reach out.
- Amber/orange text -- 61 to 90 days. Getting overdue.
- Red text -- More than 90 days. This customer has not been back in a while.
Reminder Statistics
At-a-glance numbers help you understand how your reminder program is performing:
- Pending -- How many reminders are waiting to be sent.
- Sent -- How many have been delivered.
- Partially Sent -- How many had a mixed result.
- Failed -- How many could not be delivered.
These counts are shown in the filter chips so you can see them without leaving the table view.
Tips & Best Practices
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Start with automation. If your garage does the same services repeatedly (oil changes, tire rotations, scheduled maintenance), set up automation rules first. This way, every completed job automatically gets a follow-up, and you never miss a customer.
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Use the "No reminder created" filter regularly. This shows you completed jobs that do not have any reminder scheduled. It is the easiest way to spot missed follow-up opportunities.
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Keep your customer contact information up to date. Reminders only work if the customer has a valid email or phone number. When creating a reminder, you can add missing contact info right in the dialog.
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Choose realistic scheduling intervals. For routine services like oil changes, 3 months is a common choice. For annual inspections, set it to 12 months. Think about when the customer would realistically need the service again.
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Use the cooldown setting wisely. If you set a 30-day cooldown, a customer who just received a maintenance reminder will not get another one for at least 30 days, even if they have multiple qualifying bookings. This prevents reminder fatigue.
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Check partially sent reminders. If a reminder shows "Partially Sent," it usually means the email went out but WhatsApp needs your attention. Click the WhatsApp button to complete the send manually.
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Personalize your messages. The default messages are a good starting point, but adding a personal touch (like mentioning the customer's specific vehicle or the work you did) makes reminders more effective.
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Review the Days Ago column. Red-highlighted entries represent customers who completed service more than 90 days ago and have not been reminded. These are your highest-priority follow-ups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create reminders for bookings that are still in progress? No. Reminders can only be created for completed bookings. The booking must have a "Completed" status before a reminder can be scheduled.
How many reminders can I create for a single booking? You can create up to 5 active reminders per booking. This includes reminders that are pending, sent, or partially sent. Cancelled reminders do not count toward this limit.
What happens if a customer does not have an email or phone number? If contact information is missing, the corresponding delivery method will be grayed out when you create the reminder. However, you can enter an email or phone number directly in the reminder creation dialog, and it will be used for that reminder.
Can I edit a reminder after creating it? Yes, you can update a reminder as long as it is still in Pending status. Once it has been sent, it cannot be changed.
What does "WhatsApp (manual)" mean in automation? autoGMS cannot send WhatsApp messages directly through automation because WhatsApp requires you to initiate the conversation. Instead, when the reminder is due, the WhatsApp button appears on the row, and you click it to open a pre-filled message in WhatsApp. autoGMS records that you sent it.
Will automation create reminders for old bookings? Automation applies to bookings that are completed after the rules are saved. It does not retroactively create reminders for bookings completed before automation was enabled.
Can I turn automation off without losing my settings? Yes. When you uncheck the "Enabled" toggle, your service selections, timing, and message settings are all preserved. Turn it back on anytime and everything will be exactly as you left it.
What if the same customer has multiple completed bookings? Each completed booking is treated independently. If a customer has three completed oil changes, each one can have its own reminder. However, the cooldown setting in automation prevents flooding a customer with reminders of the same type within a short period.
Do I need to keep the page open for scheduled reminders to send? No. Scheduled reminders are processed in the background by the server. Once a reminder is created with a scheduled date, it will be sent automatically when that date arrives, regardless of whether anyone is logged in.
Who can manage reminders? Service reminders can be created and managed by garage owners, garage admins, and organisation owners. Technicians and customers do not have access to the reminders feature.
The reminder status shows "Failed." What should I do? A failed status means the system could not deliver the reminder through any of the selected channels. This usually happens due to an invalid email address, a phone number formatting issue, or a temporary service outage. Check the customer's contact information, correct any issues, and create a new reminder.
Can I sort the reminders table? Yes. Click any sortable column header (Customer, Service, Completed, Days Ago) to sort by that column. Click again to reverse the sort direction. The table also supports server-side pagination, so sorting and filtering work across your entire dataset, not just the visible page.
Quick Reference
| I want to... | Go here | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| View all reminders | Bookings → Reminders tab | See completed services table |
| Create a manual reminder | Reminders tab → booking row → Schedule | Fill in reminder type, timing, message, delivery method |
| Send a pending reminder now | Reminders tab → pending row → Send | Sends immediately through configured channels |
| Send via WhatsApp | Reminders tab → pending row → WhatsApp button | Opens pre-filled WhatsApp message |
| Cancel a reminder | Reminders tab → pending row → Cancel (X icon) | Changes status to Cancelled |
| Set up automation | Reminders tab → Automation Rules card → toggle Enabled | Configure services, timing, cooldown, channels |
| Filter by status | Status filter chips | All, No reminder created, Pending, Partially Sent, Sent, Failed |
| Filter by service | Service dropdown | Select one or more service types |
| Search by customer | Search bar | Type customer name |
| Sort the table | Click column header | Sort by Customer, Service, Completed, or Days Ago |