Does a reminder also need to include a confirmation?

That is not necessary. You send the confirmation right after booking and the reminder just before the appointment. If the date, time, treatment and a link to reschedule are in both, the client always knows where they stand.

What do you put in an appointment reminder?

The date and time, the treatment, with whom, the address of your salon and a link to reschedule or cancel. Keep the text short and personal.

Does a reminder really help against no-shows?

It helps clients not to forget the appointment and gives them the chance to reschedule in time. It does not solve everything. Combine it with a clear cancellation policy and, for long treatments, a deposit.

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Online booking Booking widgetLet customers book from your own site. Customer portalCustomers reschedule or cancel themselves. Widget stylingIn your salon's style. Custom fields in the widgetAsk exactly what you need.

Customers Customer import and exportBring your customer database with you. Customer groupsGroup for targeted messages.

Operations Service-staff linkingLink services to the people who perform them. Recurring appointmentsRegular rhythms in one go. Group bookingsBook for 2 to 10 people at once. WaitlistFill freed-up slots. Multiple locationsLocations from one account.

Marketing Birthday emailsAutomatically on the right day. Gift vouchersSell online, redeem in the salon. Promotions and discount codesPromotions with a code. Google reviewsAsk for reviews at the right moment. NewslettersEmail in your own style. Win-back campaignsReach clients who've stayed away for a long time. Referral programmeCustomers bring friends along.

Communication Appointment remindersConfirmation and reminder. Email templatesStandard texts in your style.

Finance Online paymentsDeposit via iDEAL when booking. Admin and invoicingReceipt ready at checkout. Accounting exportRevenue to your accounts.

Insights Insights and reportsRevenue and growth per staff member. Desqie, your AI help chatInstant answers in the dashboard.

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Scheduling3 November 2026 · 5 min read

Appointment reminders: when and how to send them

A reminder just before the appointment is the simplest way to reduce no-shows. Here is when to send it, what to put in it and how to automate it.

Why a reminder pays off

Clients often book weeks ahead. A lot can happen between booking and the appointment: a busy week, a new schedule, or they simply forget. That is rarely ill will. A reminder brings the appointment back to mind. Clients who cannot make it let you know in time, and you can still fill the slot. A client who does not show up costs you an empty hour. See it as service. A good reminder is short, friendly and useful, not a disguised warning.

The best moment for a reminder

There is no single perfect moment. It depends on your treatments and your clients. Three moments are the most common in salons: - 48 hours ahead. Useful when clients still need to arrange something, such as childcare, time off or a long treatment. There is also still time to reschedule. - 24 hours ahead. The most popular choice. The appointment is close enough to remember and far enough away to still reschedule. - 2 hours ahead. A short nudge for anyone who forgot. This works best as an addition, not as the only reminder. For long treatments such as a colour or a full set of nails, 48 hours is a safe choice. For a quick haircut, 24 hours is enough.

One reminder or two?

For most salons one reminder is enough. Two reminders mainly help with treatments that take long or are expensive, or with clients you have missed before. A practical setup: a reminder 24 hours ahead, and a short extra reminder 2 hours before the appointment. More than two quickly becomes a lot, and clients start ignoring messages. Think about the confirmation too. The client gets it right after booking, so they know the appointment is fixed. A confirmation and a reminder are often enough together. Do you have many regular clients who come every six weeks? They already know the way, so one reminder is enough. New clients or clients who have not been in a long time do not know your salon yet. For them, a clear message with the address and parking tips is extra valuable. That also prevents anyone from arriving late.

What should be in the reminder?

A reminder works when the client sees at a glance what it is about. So put the most important things first: - The date and time. - The treatment and with whom. - The name and address of your salon. - A link or instructions to reschedule or cancel. Keep it short and speak to the client the way you do in the salon. An example: Hi Sanne, see you tomorrow! Your haircut appointment is planned with us tomorrow at 2:00 pm. Can't make it? Reschedule via the link below, so we can give your slot to someone else. See you then! Briefly explain your cancellation rules in the same message, if you have any. How to write them is covered in the article about a cancellation policy for your salon.

Make rescheduling easy

A reminder is not only meant to remind. It also gives the client the chance to say it does not work. If rescheduling is hard, clients do not call and simply do not come. So make sure the client can reschedule or cancel with one click. That prevents phone calls during your treatments, and you hear sooner when a slot becomes free. Does a slot become free? A waitlist helps you fill it quickly. Clients who want an earlier time are notified automatically.

Do not do it by hand

Sending messages yourself works at first, but it takes time and you forget on busy days. Those are exactly the days you need reminders most. So automate it. Set once when messages go out and what they say. After that every appointment goes well on its own: the same text, the same moment, without you having to think about it. Do check now and then that the texts are still right, for example when your address, name or cancellation rules change. And read the reminder yourself once, as if you were the client.

More than just reminding

Reminders are one part of the whole. Together with a clear cancellation policy, a waitlist and, for long treatments, a deposit, you keep your calendar full. You can find an overview of all measures in the article on preventing no-shows. You can also stay in touch after the appointment. A thank-you message shows you value the client, and invites them to book again.

How to set it up with Salondesq

In Salondesq you automatically send clients a confirmation after booking and a reminder by email. You choose whether it goes out 2, 24 or 48 hours ahead, and you can set an extra reminder 2 hours before the appointment. You can read everything about the settings on the appointment reminders page. You adjust the texts with email templates, so it sounds like your salon. Want to try it? Check the prices and start the free trial.

Frequently asked questions

Most salons choose 24 hours ahead. For long treatments 48 hours is wiser, so the client can still reschedule. An extra reminder 2 hours ahead can help anyone who forgets.