Compare email and SMS for reminders, updates, and follow-up. Choose channels by customer preference and measure your own results.
Email and SMS serve different needs. A detailed receipt may suit email; a short appointment reminder may suit a text. Choose based on the message, the customer’s preference, and permission to contact them.
Read Benchmarks in Context
Mailchimp’s published benchmark table reports an all-user email open rate of 35.63%. The page identifies the data as last updated in December 2023 and notes that Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection can affect open-rate accuracy. Its sampled campaigns went to at least 1,000 subscribers.
That is historical context, not a forecast for your list. It does not support a universal SMS-versus-email performance multiplier. Track replies, completed bookings, unsubscribes, and delivery failures in your own campaigns instead of treating opens as sales.
Where SMS Can Be Useful
Appointment Reminders
Sample message: “Hi Sarah, reminder: your haircut is tomorrow at 2pm. Reply YES to confirm or CANCEL to reschedule.”
- Give the customer a clear way to confirm or reschedule.
- Monitor replies and route changes to the right person.
- Measure attendance before and after introducing reminders.
Time-Sensitive Availability
Sample message: “Hey Mike, we have an opening tomorrow at 10am for that AC repair. Reply if you’re interested.”
Send availability messages only when the opening is real and the recipient has agreed to that type of contact.
Follow-Up After Service
Sample message: “Thanks for choosing us today, Lisa. How did everything go? You can share an honest review here: [link].”
Invite honest feedback consistently, regardless of whether you expect it to be positive.
Status Updates
Short updates such as “Your order is ready for pickup” can be useful when a customer has requested them. Notifications can still be muted or missed, so do not assume a text was read.
A Starting Point for Choosing a Channel
| Use Case | Channel to Consider | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment reminders | SMS | Permission, preference, and a monitored reply path |
| Follow-up after service | Email or SMS | Customer preference and message length |
| Monthly newsletter | Useful content and subscription preferences | |
| Promotional offers | Email or SMS | Consent, frequency, and relevance |
| Booking confirmations | Email, with optional SMS | Full details and the customer’s chosen reminders |
| Review requests | Email or SMS | A neutral invitation to leave honest feedback |
Keep Messaging Permission-Based
Check the consent, opt-out, and registration requirements for the destination and message type before launching a campaign. Keep permission records, honor unsubscribe requests, and follow your messaging provider’s current rules. Email also requires responsible subscription management.
Use a clear sender identity, explain how to opt out, and set a frequency customers can expect. Test reply handling before turning on automation.
Combine Channels with a Clear Purpose
An illustrative workflow:
- Send booking details through the customer’s preferred channel.
- Send an agreed reminder before the appointment.
- Follow up after service with useful information and a neutral feedback invitation.
- Send newsletters or offers only to people subscribed to those messages.
Avoid repeating the same message across every channel. Record preferences and stop sequences when the customer replies or opts out.
Evaluate Your Own Results
Compare completed bookings, replies, delivery failures, opt-outs, and total costs over equivalent periods. Keep audience, offer, and timing differences in mind. No channel guarantees a particular response rate.
NBS includes tools for email, two-way SMS, reminders, and follow-up. Explore plans or discuss your requirements.