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Automated Messages
Teddy sends reminders and follow-ups automatically so nothing slips through the cracks
Groomers who rely on manual follow-up for everything, confirmations, reminders, birthday messages, post-call texts, are either spending hours a week on it or letting things slip. Usually both. Automated Messages in Teddy handles all of that without you having to think about it. You set it up once and the right message goes to the right client at exactly the right time.
The automation engine covers four main areas. After every call handled by the AI Receptionist, a follow-up text fires automatically to keep the momentum going while the lead is still warm. Appointment reminders go out on whatever schedule you set, whether that is 24 hours before, 48 hours before, or both, for confirmed and unconfirmed appointments alike. Every status change, from booking confirmed to appointment completed to payment received, triggers its own automated notification. And client relationship touchpoints like pet birthdays and new client welcome messages run in the background without any manual effort.
Every template is fully editable. You choose the wording, you decide whether it goes out by SMS, email, or both, and you can insert dynamic fields so the message uses the client's name, your store name, and the pet's name automatically. An automated birthday message that says 'Happy birthday to Zulu! From Teddy Canine Spa' feels personal even though it required zero effort from you.
The appointment reminder system deserves particular attention because no-shows are one of the most financially damaging patterns in a grooming business. When a client books three weeks in advance and then forgets, the cost falls entirely on the groomer: a blocked time slot, supplies that were set up, and often a late notice that does not leave time to fill the gap. Sending one reminder 48 hours out and a second reminder the morning of the appointment dramatically reduces how often that happens.
There is also a complete audit log of every automated message sent. You can see who received what, when it went out, and on which channel. If a client says they never got a reminder, you can verify instantly whether the message was sent and when.
The numbers behind reminder automations are straightforward. At an average appointment value of $140, three no-shows a month without reminders costs $420. Getting even two of those three clients to confirm or reschedule in advance, instead of just not showing up, can recover $280 a month. Over a year that is more than $3,000 from a feature that requires no ongoing effort after initial setup.
The after-call text automation is particularly valuable for converting AI Receptionist leads. When a client calls, the AI takes their information and then a follow-up text fires automatically. That immediate outreach keeps the conversation active when the client is still thinking about booking. Leads that get a quick response convert at a much higher rate than those that wait hours for someone to call back.
New client welcome automations reduce early churn. The first interaction after a form submission or first booking sets the tone for the relationship. An automatic welcome message
that gives the client clear next steps and a warm greeting makes them feel like they made the right choice, before they have even come in for their first appointment.
How hard is it to set up the automations?
Each automation has a pre-built template that you can use as-is or customize. You toggle it on, adjust the wording and timing if you want to, and it runs from there. Most groomers have the core automations running within an hour of setup.
Can I turn off specific automations without affecting others?
Yes. Each automation has its own toggle for email and SMS independently. You can run some automations email-only, others SMS-only, and leave others off completely.
What if I want to change the message wording?
You can edit every template at any time. Changes apply to future messages only. The template editor supports dynamic variables like the client's name and pet's name so the messages stay personal.
How do I know if an automated message was actually sent?
The sent history log shows every automated message that went out, including the recipient, the timestamp, and the channel it was sent on. You have a complete record.
Can I set up birthday messages for all my existing clients?
Birthday messages trigger from the pet birthday field in the pet profile. If the birthday is stored in the profile, the automation will fire when that date comes around.
