Our scheduled SMS viewing reminder functionality allows users to arrange viewing reminder text messages that will automatically be sent to viewers on the day of their viewing.
By default, scheduled viewing reminders will be sent to viewers at 08:00 on the morning of the viewing.
1. Setting up
Note: A superuser must complete this step as it requires access to the Admin page. Superusers will show with access level '0' on the Admin > View all employees page.
Go to Admin > View all employees
Select Admin page
Go to General > SMS viewing reminders and follow the steps listed below
Step 1: Create integration details
Populate the email address field
Click on the blue arrows icon to generate a password
Take note of these details
Click Update
Step 2: Updating BulkSMS account
The email address and password set in Step 1 above should now be added to the 'Email to SMS' section of your BulkSMS account. This is important as these details will be used by BulkSMS to determine what account the scheduled text messages should be sent from.
Go to BulkSMS
Login to your account
Go to Settings > Message > Email to SMS
Click on Create item
Enter the email address and password from Step 1
Click Save
If an item exists in your 'Email to SMS', it can be edited and the details updated to match those saved in Step 1. The item can be edited by clicking on the edit pencil icon.
Step 3: Enable feature
Once Steps 1 and 2 are complete, enable the toggle present in Step 3 of the Setup Process on this page in SME Professional.
Step 4: Schedule configuration (optional)
As mentioned above, by default, scheduled viewing reminders will be sent to viewers at 08:00 on the morning of the viewing. This time can be changed within this field if required. Once a new time has been selected, click Update.
2. How it works
When adding a viewing appointment or adding a viewer to an existing viewing, a Schedule SMS reminder checkbox will be available.
The checkbox will be greyed out by default but will become ticked when the below criteria are met:
The viewer must have a Mobile number
Viewer status must be set to Booked - confirmed or Status not set
2.1 Scheduling a reminder for a new viewing/viewer
Go to Lettings properties > Viewings or Sales > Sales viewings
Click on + Viewing or the + icon within the Viewers column
Add the viewing/viewer details as normal
Once the above criteria are met, the Schedule SMS viewing reminder checkbox will become ticked
Click Submit
If no reminder is to be scheduled, untick the checkbox before submitting.
2.2 Scheduling a reminder for an existing viewing/viewer
If the viewing is for a future date, an SMS reminder can be scheduled.
Go to Lettings properties > Viewings or Sales > Sales viewings
Locate the viewing the reminder is to be scheduled for
Click on the arrow icon
Click on the edit pencil icon against the relevant viewer
Once the above criteria is met, the Schedule SMS viewing reminder checkbox will become ticked
Click Update
If no reminder is to be scheduled, untick the checkbox before submitting.
If the criteria detailed above are met and the Schedule SMS viewing reminder checkbox is ticked, Mandrill (our third-party email server) will schedule an email to be sent to BulkSMS on the morning of the viewing. BulkSMS will then convert this email into a text message for sending.
3. What can cancel a scheduled reminder?
As mentioned above, certain criteria must be met for a reminder to be scheduled. Actions that will cancel a scheduled reminder include:
Changing the viewer status to something other than Booked - confirmed or Status not set
Removing the viewer's mobile number
Unticking the Schedule SMS viewing reminder checkbox
Cancelling the viewing
Deleting a viewer from the viewing
4. Updating viewing/viewer details
There are certain actions which can update a scheduled reminder which include:
Updating the date of a viewing - all future scheduled reminders will be updated to use the new viewing date
Updating the viewing time against a viewer - the scheduled reminder for this viewer will be updated to list the new viewing time
Changing a viewer's phone number - all future scheduled reminders will be updated to use the new mobile number