Missed appointments: the reminder sequence that cuts them in half

A missed appointment costs three times: the technician's trip, the unfilled hole in the schedule, and the appointment to rebook. At 2 or 3 a week, that's a full lost production day per month.

Why clients "forget"

Rarely out of negligence. The appointment was booked three weeks ago by phone, the person who booked isn't the one who'll be on site, or the window was "between 8 and noon" and the client stepped out at 10. Each cause has its remedy.

The sequence that works

• Immediate confirmation at booking (email or SMS): date, time window, address concerned, and what to prepare (access to the mechanical room, dog tied up, etc.).
• Day-minus-1 reminder by SMS with a confirmation ask: "Reply YES to confirm." A client who replies YES shows up; a client who doesn't deserves a call.
• "On my way" on the day: the message that changes everything. When the technician departs, the client receives "Marc is on his way, arriving around 9:40." Nobody "steps out on an errand" anymore.
• The client's language: an English reminder to a francophone client (or the reverse) halves the response rate.

Automating it so you never think about it

The sequence only works if it's systematic — therefore automated. In MainteQC, the confirmation and day-minus-1 reminder go out on their own per the client's preferences (SMS or email, French or English), and the technician's "On my way" button triggers the arrival notification with an ETA. The client can confirm or flag a problem from the client portal — and your schedule breathes.