Appointment reminder on WhatsApp: template for a brokerage

WhatsApp category : Utility (service)

When to send this message

Appointment reminders are one of the use cases Meta lists explicitly under the utility category: they relate to a commitment the client made. Two sends are enough: late afternoon the day before, then two hours ahead if the meeting is at the office or on a video call. More than that irritates.

The first reminder carries the essentials: date, time, place or link, expected length, purpose and the documents to bring. That last line is what saves time: a motor quote meeting without the registration document and the previous schedule is a wasted slot. The second reminder is one line, with a one-word way to reschedule.

ORIS has no built-in diary: the appointment lives in your usual calendar and the reminder goes out from ORIS, either inside the conversation if the client wrote within the last 24 hours or as a utility template with the date and adviser variables. Record the reply: a "can't make it" received the day before lets you rebook and free the slot for someone else. In areas with patchy connectivity, send the first reminder earlier, on the morning of the day before.

Variants

Plain (day before)

Short (two hours ahead)

Warm

Formal (commercial client, video call, UK)

With documents to bring (motor cover, Southern Africa)

Writing tips

• Put the documents to bring in the first reminder, as a list: it is the most useful part of the message.
• Offer a one-word way to reschedule ("reschedule"): a moved appointment beats a missed one.
• Personalise the length and purpose: "thirty minutes to review your household policy" reassures more than "appointment".
• For video calls, say where the link is rather than pasting it into a template: links in utility templates are allowed but slow down approval.
• File the replies on the client record: how often a client postpones is an engagement signal.

Common mistakes

• Sending three or more reminders: the client feels policed.
• Forgetting the time zone for a client abroad or a video call across countries.
• Giving an incomplete address for an office meeting in a large city.
• Reminding a client about a meeting they already cancelled by phone: sync the diary before sending.

Frequently asked questions

Is an appointment reminder a marketing message?

No, it is a textbook utility message: it recalls a specific commitment made by the client, with date and time. It needs a WhatsApp service opt-in, not marketing consent.

Does ORIS manage the appointment diary?

No. The appointment is booked in your usual calendar; ORIS sends the reminder from the brokerage number, keeps the reply in the conversation and attaches it to the client record.

How far ahead should I remind?

Late afternoon the day before, then two hours ahead for an in-person or video meeting. For a phone call, a single reminder on the morning itself is usually enough.