Boatyard’s Service Reminders help you stay proactive with customers by automatically sending email and text message reminders when their next service is due.
Instead of relying on memory or manual follow-ups, reminders go out at the right time based on the customer's service history. You can schedule them manually or create time-based rules that will automatically trigger reminders in the background— set it and forget it.
Follow our guide below to determine the best way to schedule service reminders for your clients!
3 Ways to Schedule Service Reminders
There are 3 different ways to set up Service Reminders for your business.
Manually add individual reminders for a specifi c customer.
Create them in bulk using a formatted spreadsheet.
Trigger them based on a customer’s last order date (recommended).
Click on each of the collapsible sections below to see step-by-step instructions for each method.
Manually Create Individual Service Reminders
Manually Create Individual Service Reminders
You can manually schedule a service reminder for any customer who has both an email and phone number saved in their profile.
Here’s how to do it:
Go to the Reminders page in your dashboard.
Click the teal "New Reminder" button in the top right.
Choose a customer from your existing list, or add a new one.
Select the service they’ll need next, choose the reminder date, and (optional) enter their last service date or add internal notes.
Click "Create Reminder" to schedule it.
On the scheduled date, Boatyard will automatically send the reminder at 9:00 AM local time via email and text message.
💡If the customer has both a primary and secondary email address on file, the service reminder will be sent to both to keep everyone informed. This is especially helpful if the boat has a manager, captain, or co-owner.
Uploading Service Reminders with a Bulk Import
Uploading Service Reminders with a Bulk Import
Bulk importing service reminders is useful in two key situations:
When you want to trigger reminders based on service history that is not already in Boatyard.
💡New to Boatyard? Our Customer Success team can help you strategize ways to generate a new year of automated service reminders based on data from your previous system. Get in touch through our Live Support chat icon in the bottom right corner!
When you want to send out all reminders for a single service on the same day, not based on each customer's past date of service.
💡 Consider using the bulk import option to run your winterization or spring recommissioning programs. This allows your team to prepare ahead of time for inbound order forms, and all customers have equal opportunity to snag the best dates.
How to Bulk Import Service Reminders
Download the service reminder template:
📋 service_reminders_template.xlsxFill out the required fields:
First Name
Last Name
Email
Phone
Boat Make, Model, Length, Year
Reminder Date
Service
Go to the Reminders tab and click the blue "Bulk Import" button in the top right.
Upload your completed spreadsheet.
Once uploaded, you’ll see your scheduled reminders listed in the dashboard. Boatyard will send an email and text to each customer on the scheduled date at 9:00 AM Local Time.
As always, if you need help, our Customer Success team is standing by to help in our Live Support chat, located in the bottom righthand corner of your screen.
Creating Rule Based Service Reminders (Recommended)
Creating Rule Based Service Reminders (Recommended)
You can create a series of rules that automatically will trigger reminders after a set time following a completed order.
To create a rule:
Go to the Reminders tab in your left-hand menu.
Click the “Rules” button in the top right, then click “Create New Rule.”
Choose the service you want to trigger the reminder.
Enter a Display Name — this is what the customer sees (e.g., "Bottom Cleaning" instead of "Job #1").
Set the time interval for the reminder (e.g., 2 weeks after completion).
Click “Create.”
Once a service order is completed (manually or after payment), the system starts the countdown based on your rule and sends the reminder automatically.
Managing Rules Going Forward:
Use the toggle to turn rules off/on (disables future reminders without deleting existing ones).
Click the pencil icon to edit a rule, and choose whether to apply changes to existing or future reminders only.
You can also delete a rule.
You can also follow along with our step-by-step walkthrough in the video below.
What Your Customers See When They Receive a Service Reminder
Your customer will receive an email and a text message to their phone reminding them that their service is due.
In the notification, there will be a button that they can click to take them to our service reordering screen.
All their information is preloaded into the order, so all they need to do is add any special instructions and then click 'Request Service' button.
The order will be sent to your dashboard, and you will receive an email notification (the same way you do when you get a new order from the mobile app).
All you need to do is accept the order and schedule their service!
How to Delete Service Reminders
To delete a reminder, you can click on the trash can icon on the right side of the reminder.
How to Review Reminders that are Scheduled to Send
Click on Reminders in the side menu.
You have two tabs in the Service Reminders screen. The first is scheduled reminders, which shows you all the reminders that you have scheduled to send.
How to Review Sent Reminders
Click on Reminders in the side menu.
You have two tabs in the Service Reminders screen. The second is Sent Reminders, which shows you all the reminders that have been sent.
How to Send a Scheduled Reminder Immediately
To send a reminder immediately, you can click on the "Send Now" link to the right of the reminder.
Next, click confirm to confirm that you want to send the reminder to your customer.
🛎️Note: Service Reminders are available for Grow and Enterprise Plans only. If you are interested in upgrading your plan, get in touch with us.