How to Set Up Automated Text Reminders in PestPro CRM

Manually texting customers before appointments is one of the biggest time leaks in a solo pest control operation. You are doing it from memory, doing it while driving, or sometimes forgetting it entirely. PestPro CRM automates this so you never have to think about it again.

What automated text reminders do

When a job is scheduled for a customer, PestPro can automatically send them a text message reminder before the appointment. You set it up once and it runs for every job, every customer, every time — without you touching it.

The reminder tells the customer:

• Who is coming (your business name).
• When the appointment is scheduled.
• Any prep instructions or notes you have set.

Step 1: Make sure your account phone number is set up

Before reminders can go out, your PestPro account needs a sending number configured. Go to Settings and verify that your business phone number or a PestPro-assigned sending number is active.

This is the number customers will see the reminder come from.

Step 2: Set up your reminder template

Navigate to Settings and look for Reminders or Automated Messages.

Create or edit your reminder template. A clean default template looks something like:

Hi [Customer Name], this is a reminder that [Your Business Name] has a service appointment scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please ensure access to the service area. Reply STOP to opt out.

You can customize the wording to match your tone. Keep it short, professional, and clear.

Step 3: Set the reminder timing

Choose when the reminder goes out relative to the appointment:

• 24 hours before — gives customers time to prepare or reschedule if needed.
• 2 hours before — a same-day nudge so customers are ready when you arrive.
• Both — 24-hour + 2-hour is the combination most operators find most effective for reducing no-access situations.

Step 4: Enable reminders on individual jobs or by default

Depending on your PestPro settings, you can:

• Turn reminders on by default for all new jobs — the best option for most operators since it removes the decision from your workflow entirely.
• Enable reminders on a per-job basis if you want control over which customers receive them.

For recurring service plans, reminders fire automatically ahead of each scheduled visit once the plan is active.

Step 5: Let it run

Once configured, you do not touch it. PestPro handles the timing and delivery. You will see confirmation of sent reminders in the job record so you can verify they went out if a customer claims they did not receive one.

What this actually changes in your day

• Fewer no-access situations because customers knew you were coming.
• Fewer "when are you coming?" texts because they already know.
• More professionalism without more effort — customers feel like they are dealing with an organized business.
• Time back in your morning since you are not manually texting 8 people before you leave the house.

Pro tip: Add prep instructions to your reminder

For services that require customer prep — German roach treatments, bed bug prep, pet-sensitive sprays — include the prep instructions directly in the reminder text. This eliminates the single most common cause of callbacks: customers were not ready and the treatment was incomplete.