Common reminders worth automating
- Quote follow-up: 'Just checking you got our quote' three days after sending.
- Invoice reminders before and after the due date (Xero can do this built-in).
- Annual servicing reminders for past customers.
- Appointment reminders the day before a booked job, so customers are home and the dog's inside.
How to start
- Turn on invoice reminders in your accounting software first — it's usually free and takes five minutes.
- Then add one Zapier or Make automation for quote follow-ups.
- If you use a job app like Tradify, ServiceM8 or Jobber, check its built-in reminders before paying for anything extra.
A sensible reminder timetable
- Quote sent → day 3: friendly check-in → day 10: last nudge, then let it go.
- Invoice → 3 days before due: heads-up → 1 day after: polite reminder → 7 days after: firmer reminder → 14 days: phone call.
- Job booked → day before: 'See you tomorrow between 8 and 9'.
- Job finished → 12 months: 'Time for your annual service?'
Let AI write the awkward ones
- Ask: 'Write a firm but friendly reminder for an invoice 14 days overdue. Keep it to 3 sentences, NZ English.'
- Save the good versions as templates in your accounting app so they go out automatically.