Keeping your clients informed automatically is a great idea. You still need to choose the right channel and the right moment.

Email

For: detailed information, attachments, summaries.

Pros: inexpensive, allows longer messages.

Cons: it can get lost among dozens of other emails.

Text messages

For: urgent or very short information. "Your report is ready." "The technician will arrive in 30 minutes."

Pros: it gets read quickly.

Cons: a cost per message and a risk of annoying people if sent too often.

The simple rule

  • Important step change: email, with a link to the portal.
  • Upcoming appointment or urgent action: text message.
  • Everything else: visible in the portal, without a notification.

Let the client choose

Ask them from the start how they prefer to be informed. It's simple, respectful and it reduces unsubscribes.

Common mistakes

  • Sending a notification for every minor internal change.
  • Technical messages the client doesn't understand.
  • No contact information for asking a question.

A good notification says what changed, what the client needs to do (if anything) and where to find more information.