A boiler that was serviced last year will need attention again this year, and most owners will not remember to call. A reminder program closes that gap: a short, well-timed message to each customer who agreed to receive one, sent from your business and easy to act on. We design it, write it and set it up in your tools. Your company sends it; your techs do the visit.
What the service is
Short answer: a reminder system for existing boiler customers, built on documented consent and timed around your season.
We start with permission, not with messages. Every customer record gets a consent status (express, implied with a date, or none) and a preferred channel. Then we write a short sequence: a first reminder, a follow-up for people who didn't respond, and a final note. Each message identifies your business and includes a simple way to stop receiving them.
The CRTC's anti-spam guidance sets out the general expectations for consent, identification and unsubscribing, and ISED's page on getting consent explains the types of consent. We design around those expectations, but we don't give legal advice; if you are unsure about a particular customer group, ask a lawyer.
Who it's for
Short answer: boiler companies with a few hundred or more past service customers and no consistent annual contact with them.
It suits companies that remind customers by memory, by a whiteboard or not at all. It also helps companies already sending reminders that get poor response, often because the messages arrive in the middle of the rush or don't say clearly what to do next.
What's included
Short answer: the consent sort, the message sequence, the scheduling rules and the reporting.
- a consent audit of your customer list, with each contact tagged by permission type and channel
- opt-in wording for invoices, plan sign-ups, estimates and your website
- a three-step reminder sequence for text and email, plus a postcard version
- send windows matched to your region and your crew's open hours
- setup inside your existing CRM or field-service software
- monthly reporting on reminders sent, visits booked and opt-outs
All message examples we write use placeholders, such as "Hi [First name], it's [Business name]. Your boiler's yearly check is due in [Month]." You fill in the rest. Our guide on reminder sequences shows a complete sample.
Timeline
Short answer: three to five weeks to the first reminders, depending on the state of your list.
| Week | Work |
|---|---|
| 1 | Export and review the customer list; agree on consent rules with you |
| 2 | Tag consent and channel; flag records missing dates or contact details |
| 3 | Write the sequence and opt-in wording; you approve |
| 4 | Set up automations and send windows; test with staff phones |
| 5 | First live batch, starting with a small group |
If your records need serious cleaning first, we run service data and reporting alongside or before this work.
How results are measured
Short answer: visits booked per hundred reminders sent, time from reminder to booking, and opt-out rate.
Booked visits are the number that matters. A low opt-out rate tells you messages are welcome; a rising one tells you the timing or tone needs work. We also track how many bookings land in the weeks you wanted filled, because a reminder that books someone into an already full week doesn't help much. These numbers appear in the monthly scorecard described on the pricing page.
Mistakes to avoid
Short answer: sending to everyone, sending at the wrong time and making the reply hard.
- Treating the whole CRM as a mailing list. Old estimates, one-time callers and contacts with no consent record are not the same as active customers who agreed to hear from you.
- One message, once. Many people need a second nudge. A short follow-up a week or two later often books as many visits as the first.
- Reminding during the rush. A reminder sent in the first cold week competes with no-heat calls. Send earlier.
- No clear next step. Say how to book: reply to this text, call this number, or pick a time when the office calls back.
- Forgetting privacy. Customer records are personal information. The federal privacy commissioner's summary explains which privacy laws apply where; keep access to the list limited to people who need it.
Frequently asked questions
Can we text every customer in our system?
Not automatically. Canada's anti-spam law expects consent for commercial texts and emails, and the sender must be able to prove it. We sort your list by the permission you actually hold; a lawyer can confirm the edge cases.
What about customers who never gave consent?
They can still hear from you at the next visit or by postal mail, and they can be invited to opt in. We never send electronic reminders to them as part of our programs.
Which channel works for boiler reminders?
Text gets read quickly, email carries more detail, and a postcard reaches people who ignore both. Most programs use two channels, chosen per customer by what they agreed to.
Who owns the reminder lists?
You do. Lists live in your CRM or field-service software under your company's account. We work as invited users and can be removed at any time.