Customers & Automation
Sending Quick Messages (SMS & Email)
Sending Quick Messages (SMS & Email)
Send a one-off SMS or email to any customer directly from the booking inspector, customer profile, or message inbox — without setting up a campaign or automation.
Where to find it — Web: Click a booking on the calendar → SMS or Email in the inspector header. Or open any client profile → Suggested Actions. Mobile: Same entry points via the booking inspector or client detail screen.
Overview
Quick messages let you:
- Send a single SMS or email to a customer from wherever you are in the app
- Use built-in templates to send common messages in seconds
- Rewrite any message with AI to adjust the tone (Professional, Friendly, or Concise)
- Send AI-generated personalised follow-up messages based on client insights (PRO)
- Create and reuse custom message templates (PRO)
Note
Sending a quick SMS or email is available on all plans. AI suggestion drafts, suggested replies in the inbox, and custom templates require a PRO subscription.
Entry points
You can send a quick message from several places in the app:
| Entry point | Channel | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Booking inspector | SMS or Email | Open a booking on the calendar → tap SMS or Email in the inspector header |
| Customer profile | SMS or Email | Open a client → Overview tab → Suggested Actions cards → Send SMS or Send Email |
| Messages inbox | SMS or Email | Open a conversation → type a reply in the composer at the bottom |
| Retention view | SMS or Email | Clients → Overdue or Due Soon → expand a client → suggestion card → Send SMS or Send Email |
Tip
The booking inspector is the fastest path — you can send an SMS to a customer about their upcoming appointment without leaving the calendar.
Sending a quick SMS
From the booking inspector
- Click or tap a booking on the calendar to open the inspector.
- Tap SMS in the inspector header. The Quick SMS sheet opens with the customer's name and phone number pre-filled.
- Type your message or tap a template pill to insert a pre-written message.
- (Optional) Tap the AI rewrite button to adjust the tone — choose Professional, Friendly, or Concise.
- Tap Send.
A success toast confirms the message was sent.
From the customer profile
- Open the client's profile.
- On the Overview tab, find the Suggested Actions section.
- Tap Send SMS on any suggestion card (e.g. "Time to reconnect" or "Happy birthday from us!").
- Review the AI-generated draft. Edit if needed.
- Tap Send.
Character limits
| Field | Limit |
|---|---|
| SMS body (quick send) | 320 characters |
| SMS body (suggestion draft) | 155 characters |
SMS messages exceeding 160 characters are split into multiple segments by the carrier. The 320-character limit allows up to two segments. Suggestion drafts are kept shorter (155 characters) to fit in a single segment.
Note
New Zealand venues: SMS sending via the dedicated venue phone number is not available for NZ venues. Use email instead, or send SMS from your personal device using the Text quick-action button on the customer profile (which opens your device's native messaging app).
Sending a quick email
From the booking inspector
- Click or tap a booking on the calendar to open the inspector.
- Tap Email in the inspector header. The Quick Email sheet opens.
- Enter a Subject line.
- Type your message body, or tap a template pill to start from a pre-written message.
- (Optional) Tap the AI rewrite button to adjust the tone.
- Tap Send.
From the customer profile
- Open the client's profile.
- On the Overview tab, find the Suggested Actions section.
- Tap Send Email on any suggestion card.
- Review the AI-generated draft and subject line. Edit if needed.
- Tap Send.
Character limits
| Field | Limit |
|---|---|
| Email subject | 200 characters |
| Email body (quick send) | 5,000 characters |
| Email body (inbox reply) | 10,000 characters |
| Email body (suggestion send) | 2,000 characters |
Built-in templates
Template pills appear at the top of the compose sheet. Tap one to insert its text — you can then edit it before sending.
SMS templates
| Template | Example text |
|---|---|
| Running late | Quick heads-up that your appointment is running a little behind schedule |
| Reminder | Friendly reminder about your upcoming appointment |
| Thank you | Thanks for visiting — we hope you loved your experience |
| Reschedule | We need to reschedule your appointment — please get in touch |
Email templates
| Template | Example text |
|---|---|
| Running late | Same as SMS, with additional context |
| Reminder | Appointment reminder with details |
| Thank you | Post-visit thank-you |
| Reschedule | Reschedule request |
| Need info | Request for additional information before an appointment |
Templates insert a starting draft — edit the message to add specific details like appointment times or personal touches.
Custom templates (PRO)
Create reusable message templates for messages your team sends frequently.
Creating a custom template
- In the compose sheet, scroll past the built-in template pills.
- Tap Custom (or the custom templates icon).
- Tap + New template.
- Enter a Label (up to 40 characters) — this is the name shown on the template pill.
- Enter the Body (up to 2,000 characters).
- Tap Save.
The template appears as a new pill in all compose sheets across your venue.
Using the {{name}} placeholder
Custom templates support the {{name}} placeholder, which is automatically replaced with the customer's first name when the template is inserted. For example:
"Hi {{name}}, just a quick note to let you know..."
becomes:
"Hi Sarah, just a quick note to let you know..."
Limits
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum custom templates per venue | 20 |
| Label length | 40 characters |
| Body length | 2,000 characters |
| Placeholders | {{name}} (customer first name) |
Custom templates are shared across the venue — any team member can use templates created by others.
AI message rewrite
Rewrite any message with AI to adjust the tone before sending. This feature is available on all plans.
How to use
- Type or insert a message in the compose sheet.
- Tap the AI rewrite button (sparkles icon).
- Choose a tone:
| Tone | What it does |
|---|---|
| Professional | Polished, business-appropriate language |
| Friendly | Warm, conversational tone |
| Concise | Shortened to the essentials |
- Review the rewritten text. It replaces your original message in the compose field.
- Edit further if needed, then tap Send.
You can rewrite multiple times — each rewrite uses the current text as input.
AI suggestion drafts (PRO)
When OpenChair detects a follow-up opportunity, it generates a personalised message draft based on the client's history. Suggestion cards appear on the customer profile and in the retention view.
Suggestion types
| Type | When it appears | Example title |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue | Client is past their expected rebooking cadence | "Time to reconnect" |
| Birthday | Client's birthday is within the next 7 days | "Happy birthday from us!" |
| New client follow-up | Client had their first visit in the last 72 hours | "Great to meet you!" |
| VIP milestone | Client has reached VIP status (10+ visits or $500+ spend) | "A little thank-you" |
| Cadence slowing | Client's visit frequency is declining | "We miss you!" |
Each suggestion card shows Send SMS and Send Email buttons. Tapping one generates an AI-drafted message tailored to the customer and the situation. You can review and edit the draft before sending.
Generating a suggestion draft costs 1 AI Spark.
If a reconnect automation is already handling the same type of follow-up for this client, the card shows "Automation is already handling this follow-up" instead of send buttons.
Suggested replies in the inbox (PRO)
When viewing a customer conversation in the Messages inbox, AI-suggested reply pills may appear above the composer. Tap one to insert a contextual reply draft based on the conversation history.
Replying from the Messages inbox
The Messages inbox is a unified view of all customer conversations. To reply:
- Go to Messages (web sidebar or mobile tab).
- Open a conversation.
- Type your reply in the composer at the bottom, or tap a suggested reply pill.
- Choose SMS or Email as the reply channel.
- Tap Send.
Inbox replies support the same AI rewrite and template features as quick sends.
What happens after sending
- The message is delivered via the venue's communication channel (dedicated venue phone number for SMS, venue email for email).
- The message appears in the customer's conversation history in the Messages inbox.
- On the customer profile, the message appears in the History tab → Contact History timeline with a delivery status badge.
Delivery statuses
| Status | Badge colour |
|---|---|
| Delivered | Green |
| Clicked | Green |
| Opened | Green |
| Booked | Green |
| Failed | Red |
| Opted out | Red |
| Bounced | Red |
| Unsubscribed | Red |
Platform differences
| Feature | Web | Mobile (phone) | Mobile (tablet / iPad) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick SMS/Email from inspector | Inspector sidebar → SMS/Email buttons | Full-screen inspector → SMS/Email buttons | Trailing panel → SMS/Email buttons |
| Compose sheet | Modal dialog | Bottom sheet | Bottom sheet |
| Template pills | Horizontal scroll | Horizontal scroll | Horizontal scroll |
| Custom templates | Accessible from compose sheet | Accessible from compose sheet | Accessible from compose sheet |
| AI rewrite | Inline in compose sheet | Inline in compose sheet | Inline in compose sheet |
| Suggestion cards | Inline in retention view (expandable row) | In customer profile | In customer profile |
| Suggested replies | Above inbox composer | Above inbox composer | Above inbox composer |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| SMS button is greyed out | The customer has no phone number on file. Open their profile and add a phone number. |
| Email button is greyed out | The customer has no email address on file. Open their profile and add an email. |
| "SMS not available" for NZ venue | SMS via the venue's dedicated phone number is not supported for New Zealand venues. Use email, or tap Text on the customer profile to send via your device's native messaging app. |
| Message failed to deliver | Check the customer's contact details are correct. Failed SMS may indicate an invalid or disconnected phone number. Failed emails may indicate a bounced or invalid email address. |
| No suggestion cards appearing | AI suggestion cards require a PRO subscription and are shown only when a follow-up opportunity is detected (overdue, birthday, new client, VIP milestone, or slowing cadence). |
| AI rewrite not working | Ensure your venue has AI Sparks available in the wallet. Each rewrite uses Sparks from your balance. |
| Custom templates option missing | Custom templates require a PRO subscription. Up to 20 templates can be created per venue. |
| Template text does not include the customer's name | Use the {{name}} placeholder in your custom template body. Built-in templates do not include name placeholders. |
Related Articles
- Booking Inspector & Quick Actions
- Customer Profile & History
- Customer Segments & Retention
- Notification Templates
- Concierge Automation
- Engage
- Quick Replies
Last updated: March 2026