Appointment reminder texts
Cut missed appointments with a timely text the day before, sent automatically at the time you choose.
Read moreOrder and delivery updates by text
Customers want to know when their order is coming. A quick text at each key stage keeps them informed and keeps your phone lines free.
Why it matters
What goes wrong without it
When customers do not know where their order is, they ring, email and message on social media, often several times. Every one of those contacts takes staff time that could be spent packing and dispatching. Missed deliveries are expensive too: a failed drop means a second attempt, a collection from a depot or a refund. Email updates are easily lost in a crowded inbox or a spam folder. A text saying an order has been dispatched, or that a van will arrive tomorrow morning, is read almost immediately and lets the customer make sure someone is home or arrange a safe place.
How Orbis SMS helps
Step by step
- 1
Prepare your customer list
Export the day's dispatched orders from your ecommerce or order system as a CSV and import them into Orbis SMS. Put them into a group such as Dispatched today, so a single send reaches everyone whose order has left the warehouse.
- 2
Save update templates
Create templates for each stage you want to cover, such as order received, dispatched and out for delivery. Use merge fields for names, and keep the wording factual. Including your business name at the start makes the message instantly recognisable.
- 3
Send or schedule updates
Send dispatch notices once the courier collects, or schedule them for a set time each afternoon. For local deliveries, a message the evening before with a time window helps customers plan. Your credit balance is checked before sending, so you always know the cost.
- 4
Review delivery information
Use message history and delivery information, where available, to confirm updates went out. Correct any invalid numbers in your contact records. Reports show how many updates you send each week, which helps you plan credit purchases around busy periods such as Christmas.
Features used
Questions
Frequently asked questions
No. Updates about an order the customer has placed are service messages. Keep them focused on the order itself. If you want to add an offer or promotion, treat that message as marketing and include an opt-out.
Today, most retailers export the day's orders and send updates in a batch through the portal, which takes a few minutes.
Yes. Short, clearly branded links work best. Remember that links count towards the 160-character limit, so check the credit count shown before you send.
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