Square Appointments UK - Text Messages

[Curlers]

I've noticed a couple of issues with text message notifications for Square Appointments UK.

When a client receives a text message, it comes from a USA number. This in itself can be confusing for some. This issue is compounded by the fact that we cannot edit the contents of the text message (similar to emails, for example), so we cannot include something like DO NOT REPLY in the text. A few customers have unwittingly text the number back, and as it's a UK > USA text, they are charged by their mobile network for an international text message.

Surely Square have a resolution for this? I appreciate it may not be possible to allow us users to edit the text message at this time, but it should be a duty of care for Square to update their own text templates so it is more obvious for text recipients (especially those in the UK) that it is a 'do not reply' number/text. 

[Breffni]

Hey @Curlers, thanks for your post and the feedback. 

Currently Appointments texts are sent out using our central services so the number will appear as a US number, I can appricate this is confusing for customers and I've passed this back to our team.  

For your second point, while we can customize email notifications, you are correct in saying we cannot edit text notifications just yet.  

Adding a ' DO NOT REPLY' note into the body of the text is a feature request, I've reached out to our Appointments team to see if we have an update on this, I'll follow up with you here when they come back to me. 

Thanks for your patience! 

[Breffni · Accepted solution]

Hi @Curlers, just following up on this. 

I raised your feedback with the Appointments team and they have confirmed that: 

• Customizing text reminders is a feature request. 
• UK reminder texts should be coming from a UK number, not US & they are making the necceary changes so this doesn't occur again now. 

Really appreciate you sharing this insight and helping us improve the overall experince for our sellers and their customers. 

[Curlers]

Hi Alegra

Thank you for following up, I really appreciate it. 

I'm glad to hear that customising texts is in the feature request pipeline and I'm looking forward to seeing the text messages come from a UK number. Would you be able to notify me when the team have made this particular change? Or should I just keep an eye out on the community forums for an announcement? 

[Breffni]

Yes @Curlers, hopefully we'll release it soon, I know it will make a difference to a lot of people. 

I'm sure we'll post about it when the time comes but I'll bookmark this thread now and will revert back to you anyway 👍

[thedoghouse-49]

would there be a reason why my customers are not receiving the text messages sent the system is sending as in appointment reminders or when they book

[k_atie]

Hey @thedoghouse-49, welcome to the Seller Community! 

Thank you for flagging this to us, this definitely doesn't sound like expected behavior. 

Sometimes this may happen if the account setup has not been finished. Have you linked a Bank Account to your account and finished verifying your ID on your Square Dashboard? Some features of your Square account will not work if the account has not been fully set up yet. 

Let me know if that is the case and if the issue persists, I'd be happy to have another look into this for you. 

[thegooddogg]

I  agree the US number is not good and should have been fixed a long time ago, the constant "we will add it to the feature requests" response is wearing thin for me. There are so many basic features that should be active such as this. Most of my customers do not book online as they don't like the US number text, they feel scared it is a scam and don't feel safe giving their details for this reason. 

There also isn't a feature for a follow up text to be sent. This again is such a basic feature of any booking system and vital for reviews and feedback to improve services. 

If i had known the amount of missing basic features with Square I would have certainly stayed with Shopify. Sorry to say! I hope square get a move on and sort it out.