> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dealerfunnel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Automate Appointment Reminders and No-Show Follow-Ups
> Configure automatic SMS and email confirmations, pre-appointment reminders, and no-show follow-up messages to improve your dealership's show rate.
One of the most common reasons leads fail to show up for an appointment is simply forgetting. A well-timed confirmation and reminder sequence dramatically reduces no-shows without requiring your team to manually reach out before every visit. Dealer Funnel handles this automatically — sending a confirmation the moment an appointment is set, a reminder as the appointment approaches, and a follow-up if the lead doesn't make it in. Setting this up once means it runs in the background for every appointment your team books.
## Why Automated Reminders Matter
Dealerships that use automated appointment reminders consistently see higher show rates compared to teams that rely on manual outreach alone. The reason is straightforward: leads are busy, appointments get forgotten, and your salespeople shouldn't have to spend time on phone calls just to confirm that someone is still coming in. Automated reminders keep your dealership top-of-mind, give leads an easy way to reschedule if something comes up, and free your team to focus on the customers who are already in the showroom.
## The Three Automated Touchpoints
Dealer Funnel's appointment automation covers three critical moments in the appointment lifecycle:
Sent **immediately** when an appointment is created. This message confirms the appointment details — date, time, and location — so the lead has a record of what they've agreed to. Sending a confirmation right away also reinforces that your dealership is organized and professional.
Sent a **configurable amount of time before** the appointment — for example, 24 hours or 2 hours ahead. The reminder gives the lead a heads-up and a chance to reschedule if needed, rather than simply not showing up.
Sent **automatically when an appointment status is updated to No-Show**. This message re-engages the lead while the dealership visit is still fresh in their mind, giving you the best chance to get them rescheduled.
## Configure Appointment Automation
Set up all three touchpoints from your dealership's settings. You can customize the message text for each one and control exactly when reminders go out.
Click **Settings** in the left navigation menu. If you are an admin managing multiple clients, navigate to **Client Settings** and select the appropriate dealership.
Click **Dealership Profile** and scroll down to the **Appointment Automation** section.
Toggle on **Automatic Confirmation**. In the message editor that appears, write the confirmation message your leads will receive immediately after an appointment is set. Use the available template variables (see below) to personalize the message automatically.
Toggle on **Scheduled Reminder**. Use the time selector to choose how far in advance the reminder should go out — common options include **24 hours**, **4 hours**, and **2 hours** before the appointment. Write your reminder message text in the editor below the time selector.
Toggle on **Automatic Follow-Up**. Write the message that will be sent when an appointment is marked as No-Show. This message should acknowledge the missed visit and invite the lead to rebook — keep the tone warm and non-accusatory.
Click **Save** at the bottom of the Appointment Automation section. Your settings take effect immediately for all new appointments going forward.
## Reminder Message Variables
Use these variables in your confirmation, reminder, and follow-up message templates. Dealer Funnel automatically replaces each variable with the correct value for each lead and appointment before the message is sent.
| Variable | What It Inserts |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `{{first_name}}` | The lead's first name |
| `{{appointment_date}}` | The date of the appointment (e.g., Saturday, June 14) |
| `{{appointment_time}}` | The time of the appointment (e.g., 2:00 PM) |
| `{{dealership_name}}` | Your dealership's name as configured in your profile |
**Example confirmation message:**
> Hi {{first_name}}, your appointment at {{dealership_name}} is confirmed for {{appointment_date}} at {{appointment_time}}. We look forward to seeing you! Reply STOP to opt out.
**Example reminder message:**
> Hi {{first_name}}, just a reminder that your visit to {{dealership_name}} is tomorrow at {{appointment_time}}. Need to reschedule? Reply to this message and we'll find a time that works for you.
Include a reschedule link or invite the lead to reply directly in your reminder message. Leads who need to change their plans are much more likely to reschedule — rather than simply not show up — if you make it easy for them to do so.
## SMS and Phone Call Reminders
By default, appointment reminders are sent via **SMS**. Depending on your account configuration, you may also have the option to send an **automated phone call reminder** in addition to the text message. The phone call plays a pre-recorded or text-to-speech message with the appointment details.
If phone call reminders are available on your account, you'll see a **Reminder Channel** option in the Appointment Automation settings where you can enable calls alongside SMS.
Email confirmations and reminders are also available if your leads have an email address on file and your account has email sending enabled. You can configure the email message text separately from the SMS message in the same Appointment Automation settings section.
## Send a Manual Reminder
If you want to send a reminder to a specific lead outside of the automated schedule — for example, the morning of a high-priority appointment — you can do so from the appointment record.
1. Open the appointment from the Appointments page or the lead's conversation.
2. Click **Send Reminder**.
3. Dealer Funnel immediately sends the configured reminder message to the lead.
This is useful for VIP leads, appointments that were set far in advance, or any situation where you want extra assurance the lead will show up.
Reminder messages — both automated and manual — respect your dealership's **business hours** settings. If a reminder would be sent outside of business hours, Dealer Funnel queues it and delivers it at the start of the next business day. Check your business hours configuration under **Settings > Dealership Profile** to make sure they reflect your actual operating hours.