Is email or text better for grooming reminders?

Whichever the client reads. Some owners read every text but rarely open email; others are the reverse. Ask at booking and record it on their file. In healthcare trials, text reminders worked about as well as phone calls and cost less per attended appointment.

How many reminders should I send before a grooming appointment?

One well-timed reminder on a channel the client reads is enough for most people. If a client still forgets, move their reminder earlier or add a second channel, rather than sending more messages to everyone.

Should I send reminders for online bookings too?

Yes. A booking made online is as easy to forget as one made at the counter, and the client may not have written it down anywhere. Treat it like any other appointment, and accept it promptly so the client knows the time is theirs.

What if a client says they never got the reminder?

Check the email address and phone number on their record first; a typo or an old number is a common cause. Then check whether they unsubscribed, and ask which channel they would rather use.

My grooming clients keep forgetting appointments — what helps?

Short answer

Remind clients automatically, at a time that still lets them rearrange, through the channel they actually read. Confirm the date in writing when you book, keep each dog on a regular day and time, and check phone numbers and email addresses at every visit.

Last updated: September 29, 2026

Forgetting is rarely rudeness. A grooming appointment is usually booked six or eight weeks ahead, often at the counter with a lead in one hand, and nothing reminds the owner in between. What helps is a written record at the moment of booking, a reminder that arrives while the client can still act on it, and contact details that still work.

Why do clients forget grooming appointments?

Because a groom is booked weeks ahead and nothing in the owner's own routine points to it. Healthcare research names forgetfulness as one of the main reasons people miss appointments, and grooming has the same long gaps. The common patterns:

The date only lived in conversation. It was agreed at the counter and never written down or sent.
It isn't in the owner's calendar, which is where they look for everything else.
The person who booked isn't the person who brings the dog.
The reminder went to an address or number the client no longer checks.
Several dogs in one household, on different intervals, blur into one.

When should a grooming reminder be sent?

For most clients, a day or two before the appointment. Pick the lead time per client if you can:

Lead time	Works well for	Watch out for
24 hours	Most regulars; the appointment is fresh in mind on the day	Too late for owners who need to rearrange work, school runs or a lift
48–72 hours	Owners who drop off before work, and Monday appointments: 72 hours ahead lands on the Friday, before the weekend	A few clients will have forgotten again by the day
1 week	Long intervals, owners who take time off to come, and clients who travel	Early enough to slip their mind; pair it with a written confirmation at booking

Send reminders during the day. A message that arrives late at night is easy to miss and can annoy.

Which reminder channel works best?

The channel the client reads. Ask when they book and record the answer on their file. In a Cochrane review of healthcare trials, text-message reminders were about as effective as phone calls and cheaper per attended appointment, so a call is best kept for the few clients who respond to nothing else.

Email carries the full details and your address, and suits clients who live in their inbox.
Text is short and read quickly, and suits clients who ignore email.
Both suit clients who have forgotten before.

What should a grooming reminder say?

Everything the client needs, in a message they can read in five seconds:

The dog's name first. In a household with two dogs, it tells the owner which one is due.
The day and date in words, such as "Thursday 8 October", not just "tomorrow".
The start time, and the collection time if you work with drop-off.
Your salon's name, address and phone number.
How to change the appointment, and how much notice you ask for.

Keep it short, and write it in the client's language.

How do I make the next appointment easier to remember?

Build the memory in at the moment of booking, not only the day before.

Book the next visit at checkout, while the owner is still at the counter.
Keep the same weekday and time. A rhythm such as "every sixth Tuesday at nine" is easier to hold on to than a different slot each time.
Put it in writing immediately, with a confirmation message or an appointment card.
Ask the owner to add it to their phone calendar before they leave.
Check contact details at every visit. "Is this still the best number for you?" takes five seconds.
Make sure the reminder reaches whoever brings the dog, not only the person who pays.

What if a client keeps forgetting?

Change something for that client, rather than sending the same message again. Move their reminder earlier, add a second channel, or call new clients and repeat forgetters two days ahead. If misses continue, a deposit or a written cancellation policy is the next step; see how do I reduce no-shows at my grooming salon?.

How GroomSome helps

Reminder timing you choose. Send reminders 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours or a week before, as a salon default or per client. Nothing is sent between 22:00 and 08:00; those reminders go out at 08:00.
Email, SMS or both, per client. Email is included with the Appointments module; SMS is an add-on, and WhatsApp is coming soon. Clients can unsubscribe with the link in the email or by replying STOP to a text.
Templates you can edit. Email and SMS templates per language, with placeholders for the client's name, the pet's name, the date and time, and your salon's address and phone number. Preview them and send yourself a test. Default templates exist in seven languages, and per client you choose Dutch or English.
A written confirmation. When you book a client who has an email address, GroomSome sends a confirmation with a link to cancel or reschedule.
A regular rhythm. Set a rebooking interval per dog and use Plan next appointment to pre-fill the next date, or book a recurring series with 4-, 6- or 8-week presets.
Contact details you can find. Each client record holds two phone numbers and an email address, and search finds clients by name, phone number, email or pet name.

Sources

Gurol-Urganci I, de Jongh T, Vodopivec-Jamsek V, Atun R, Car J. Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013.

Questions groomers ask

Is email or text better for grooming reminders?: Whichever the client reads. Some owners read every text but rarely open email; others are the reverse. Ask at booking and record it on their file. In healthcare trials, text reminders worked about as well as phone calls and cost less per attended appointment.
How many reminders should I send before a grooming appointment?: One well-timed reminder on a channel the client reads is enough for most people. If a client still forgets, move their reminder earlier or add a second channel, rather than sending more messages to everyone.
Should I send reminders for online bookings too?: Yes. A booking made online is as easy to forget as one made at the counter, and the client may not have written it down anywhere. Treat it like any other appointment, and accept it promptly so the client knows the time is theirs.
What if a client says they never got the reminder?: Check the email address and phone number on their record first; a typo or an old number is a common cause. Then check whether they unsubscribed, and ask which channel they would rather use.