# How to Send Appointment Reminders by WhatsApp and SMS (Kenya Guide)

> To send appointment reminders, collect each client's number and preferred channel at booking, write a short reminder with the date, time and a way to reschedule, and send it the day before plus a short note on the morning. Use an approved WhatsApp utility template for clients on WhatsApp and SMS for everyone else, then handle confirmations and reschedules in one shared inbox.

Source: https://chat.or.ke/blog/how-to-send-appointment-reminders
Published: 2026-10-20 | Updated: 2026-10-20 | Publisher: chat.or.ke

An empty slot in the diary is lost income you cannot get back. A dentist in Westlands, a salon in Kisumu and a garage in Nakuru all lose money the same way: the client simply forgot. A well-timed reminder is the cheapest fix there is.

This guide shows how to set up appointment reminders on WhatsApp and SMS, step by step. It covers which channel to use, what to write, when to send and how to handle the replies, with Kenyan examples throughout.

## Key takeaways

- Send two reminders: one the day before and a short one on the morning of the appointment.
- Use WhatsApp for clients who have it, so they can confirm or reschedule in the same chat; use SMS for everyone else.
- On WhatsApp, reminders outside the 24-hour window need an approved utility template.
- Keep private details out of the message, especially for health appointments.
- Handle confirmations and reschedules in one shared inbox, not on a receptionist's personal phone.

## Before you start

Have these ready before your first reminder goes out:

- **A booking record** with each client's name, phone number, date and time. A diary, spreadsheet or booking system all work, as long as you can export tomorrow's list.
- **A WhatsApp Business Platform number** connected to a shared inbox, if you want two-way reminders. With chat.or.ke the number is connected for you after Meta verifies your business.
- **A registered SMS sender ID** for clients without WhatsApp. Reminders are transactional, so one transactional sender ID is usually enough. See [sender ID registration](https://chat.or.ke/bulk-sms/sender-id).
- **Prepaid credit.** On chat.or.ke a WhatsApp utility message costs KES 0.90 and an SMS part costs KES 0.55, paid from an M-Pesa wallet with no monthly fee.

## Step 1: Ask for the number and channel at booking

Ask every client one extra question when they book: "Can we send you a reminder on WhatsApp or by SMS?" Record the answer next to their number. This gives you their consent for reminders and tells you which channel to use.

Write numbers in one format, or let your messaging tool tidy them. chat.or.ke converts formats such as 0712..., 0112..., +254712... and 254712... to the international format automatically. Tag clients who chose WhatsApp so you can split the list later.

## Step 2: Write your reminder templates

A good reminder states who it is from, the day and time, and how to reschedule. Keep it under 160 characters for SMS. Two examples:

- **SMS:** "Dear Wanjiru, reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 10:30am. To reschedule, WhatsApp or call 07XX XXX XXX. SMILE DENTAL"
- **WhatsApp:** "Hi Wanjiru, this is a reminder of your appointment at Smile Dental tomorrow, 14 Nov, at 10:30am. Reply 1 to confirm or 2 to reschedule."

On WhatsApp, a message to someone who has not written to you in the last 24 hours must use a pre-approved template. Appointment reminders belong in the utility category. Submit the template once with variables for the name, date and time, and reuse it every day. Our article on [WhatsApp template categories](https://chat.or.ke/blog/whatsapp-template-categories-explained) explains the review process. For more SMS wording, see our [bulk SMS templates](https://chat.or.ke/blog/bulk-sms-templates-kenya).

### What to leave out

For clinics, pharmacies and counselling services, health information is sensitive personal data under the Data Protection Act, 2019. Do not name the test, condition, medicine or a department that reveals one. "Your appointment at Mercy Clinic" is enough. The same caution suits lawyers and financial advisers.

## Step 3: Decide when to send

Send the main reminder the day before, in the morning or early evening, and a short note on the morning of the appointment. For bookings made weeks ahead, such as a school medical or a car service, add a reminder about a week before.

| Appointment type | Reminder schedule |
|---|---|
| Doctor, dentist, physiotherapy | Day before, plus morning of |
| Salon, barber, spa | Day before, plus two hours before |
| Car service or repair | Day before, plus morning of |
| Clinic days (antenatal, child welfare) | Day before, plus morning of |
| Property viewing | Day before, plus one hour before with directions |
| Bookings made a month ahead | One week before, then day before |

Avoid sending late at night. A 10pm SMS about tomorrow's appointment is more likely to annoy than help.

## Step 4: Send the reminders

Each afternoon, take tomorrow's appointments and send the reminders. The simplest routine:

1. Export tomorrow's bookings from your diary or system as a CSV with name, phone, date and time.
2. Import it into chat.or.ke and tag the contacts, for example "appt-tomorrow".
3. Send the WhatsApp utility template to contacts tagged for WhatsApp, as a [broadcast](https://chat.or.ke/features/broadcasts) personalised with each name and time.
4. Send the SMS version to everyone else with [bulk SMS](https://chat.or.ke/features/bulk-sms), or schedule both for the next morning.

If you would rather reminders go out automatically from your booking or hospital system, read our guide on [connecting an ERP or HMIS to an SMS API](https://chat.or.ke/blog/how-to-connect-erp-or-hmis-to-sms-api).

## Step 5: Handle confirmations and reschedules

Replies are where reminders earn their keep. When a client writes "2" or "Can I come on Friday instead?", someone needs to answer quickly and update the diary. If replies go to a receptionist's personal phone, they get missed on her day off.

With the [WhatsApp inbox](https://chat.or.ke/features/whatsapp-inbox) on chat.or.ke, replies land in a shared inbox where any front-desk staff member can answer, assign the chat and leave an internal note. Keyword auto-replies and button menus from [automation](https://chat.or.ke/features/automation) can answer simple replies instantly, for example sending your location and parking directions when a client taps "Directions", and hand the chat to a person for anything else.

SMS clients cannot reply to a sender ID, which is why every SMS reminder should include a WhatsApp or phone number.

## Step 6: Track no-shows and adjust

After a month, compare your no-show count with the month before reminders. Look at who still misses appointments: if most are SMS clients, try sending their reminder earlier; if they are clients booked weeks ahead, add the one-week reminder. Remove numbers that keep failing in delivery reports, and update them at the next visit.

## Should you use WhatsApp or SMS for reminders?

Use both, matched to each client. WhatsApp lets clients confirm, reschedule and get directions in one conversation, which makes it the better experience for smartphone users. SMS reaches every phone, including older clients and anyone without data. Our comparison of [WhatsApp vs SMS for business in Kenya](https://chat.or.ke/blog/whatsapp-vs-sms-for-business-kenya) covers the trade-offs in detail, and [clinics and pharmacies](https://chat.or.ke/solutions/clinics-pharmacies) shows how a front desk runs both from one place.

## Frequently asked questions

### When is the best time to send an appointment reminder?

Send the main reminder the day before, in the morning or early evening, and a short note on the morning of the appointment. For appointments booked weeks in advance, add a reminder about a week before.

### Do I need consent to send appointment reminders?

A reminder about an appointment the client booked is a service message within an existing relationship, not marketing. It is still good practice to ask at booking whether they want reminders and on which channel, and to stop if they ask you to.

### Can I send appointment reminders on WhatsApp without a template?

Only if the client has messaged you in the last 24 hours. Outside that window, WhatsApp requires a pre-approved template, and appointment reminders fit the utility category. Create one template with variables for the name, date and time and reuse it.

### What should a clinic appointment reminder not include?

It should not name the test, diagnosis, medicine or a department that reveals a condition, because anyone holding the phone can read it. Give the facility name, date, time and a number to call or message to reschedule.

### Can clients confirm or cancel by replying to an SMS reminder?

Not when the SMS comes from a sender ID, because sender IDs are one-way. Include a WhatsApp or phone number in the reminder so clients can confirm or reschedule, or send WhatsApp reminders to clients who use it.