Guide

Customer Journey

Customer Journey Overview

Updated 13 September 2026 - 5 min read
Open in Petboost

Overview

Customer Journey documentation maps all communication touchpoints throughout the customer lifecycle in your pet service business. This comprehensive guide shows exactly when, why, and how each SMS and email is triggered, providing complete visibility into your automated communication system.

Included in Business Pro, Flex and Max

Communication Events

SMS Messages (Customer-Facing)

Appointment Communications:

  • Appointment Reminder - Standard reminder before appointments
  • Appointment Friday Reminder - Weekly reminder for upcoming appointments
  • Appointment Rescheduled - Notification when appointment times change
  • Appointment Cancelled - Confirmation when appointments are cancelled

Payment Communications:

  • Pre-Auth Payment Issue - Alert when pre-authorisation fails
  • Payment Declined - Notification when payment processing fails

Email Messages (Customer-Facing)

Appointment Lifecycle:

  • Appointment Reminder - Detailed reminder with service information
  • Appointment Friday Reminder - Weekly summary of upcoming appointments
  • Appointment Rescheduled - Complete rescheduling notification
  • Appointment Accepted - Confirmation when business accepts appointment
  • Appointment Created - New appointment confirmation (business-created)
  • Appointment Created by Pet Owner - Self-service booking confirmation
  • Appointment Declined - Alternative options when appointment declined
  • Appointment Cancelled - Business-initiated cancellation notification
  • Appointment Cancelled by Pet Owner - Customer-initiated cancellation
  • Appointment Finalised - Service completion notification

Payment Communications:

  • Appointment Payment Succeeded - Payment confirmation with receipt
  • Appointment Refund Issued - Refund processing notification
  • Pre-Auth Heads Up - Pre-authorisation notification (74 hours before)

Business Communications

Operational Notifications:

  • New Appointment Notifications - Business alerts for new bookings
  • Payment Processing Alerts - Financial transaction notifications
  • System Performance Alerts - Automation and system status updates
  • Customer Communication Alerts - Customer feedback and service issues

Journey Scenarios

1. First-Time Customer Journey

Discovery → Booking → Service → Follow-up

  • Customer discovers business online
  • Books appointment through self-service portal
  • Receives confirmations and reminders
  • Attends appointment with team member
  • Receives completion notifications and receipts
  • Follow-up communications for future bookings

2. Returning Customer Journey

Familiar Booking → Service → Retention

  • Customer books recurring appointment
  • Receives familiar communication sequence
  • Modifies existing appointment if needed
  • Attends appointment with preferred team member
  • Receives completion notifications
  • Retention communications

3. Problem Resolution Journey

Booking → Issue → Resolution → Service

  • Customer books appointment normally
  • Payment or scheduling issues occur
  • Business resolves problems proactively
  • Appointment proceeds with enhanced communication
  • Service completion with follow-up
  • Relationship recovery communications

4. Cancellation Journey

Booking → Cancellation → Recovery

  • Customer books appointment
  • Customer cancels due to circumstances
  • Business processes cancellation efficiently
  • Refund communications and timeline
  • Rebooking incentives and alternatives
  • Future booking encouragement

5. Business-Managed Journey

Business Creation → Customer Notification → Service

  • Business creates appointment for customer
  • Customer receives comprehensive notifications
  • Appointment proceeds with business oversight
  • Business manages completion and follow-up
  • Customer receives final communications
  • Relationship building through service

Communication Timeline

Pre-Appointment Phase

72 Hours Before:

  • Pre-authorisation notification (if enabled)
  • Payment method verification

24-48 Hours Before:

  • Appointment reminder (SMS + Email)
  • Service preparation instructions
  • Team member introduction

Friday Reminders:

  • Weekly summary of upcoming appointments
  • Weekend preparation notifications

Appointment Day

Morning of Appointment:

  • Final reminder (if configured)
  • Last-minute preparation tips
  • Contact information for questions

During Appointment:

  • Business receives status updates
  • Customer receives progress notifications
  • Payment processing alerts

Post-Appointment Phase

Immediately After:

  • Service completion notification
  • Payment confirmation and receipt
  • Team member feedback request

24-48 Hours After:

  • Service completion notification
  • Payment confirmation and receipt

Message Triggers

Automatic Triggers

Time-Based:

  • Appointment reminders (configurable timing)
  • Friday weekly reminders
  • Pre-authorisation notifications
  • Post-appointment follow-ups

Event-Based:

  • New appointment creation
  • Appointment modifications
  • Payment processing results
  • Service completion

Conditional Triggers

Customer Behaviour:

  • No-show patterns
  • Cancellation history
  • Payment issues
  • Service preferences

Business Rules:

  • Service-specific requirements
  • Team member assignments
  • Resource availability
  • Operational capacity

Communication Channels

SMS Messages

Characteristics:

  • High open rates (98%+)
  • Immediate delivery
  • Short, actionable content
  • Mobile-optimised format

Best For:

  • Time-sensitive updates
  • Appointment reminders
  • Payment alerts
  • Last-minute changes

Email Messages

Characteristics:

  • Professional formatting
  • Detailed information
  • Business branding
  • Action buttons and links

Best For:

  • Appointment confirmations
  • Detailed receipts
  • Service summaries

Message Customisation

Template Variables

Pet Information:

  • {{PetFirstName}} - Pet's first name
  • {{PetFullName}} - Pet's complete name
  • {{PetAnimalTypeEmoji}} - Pet type emoji

Appointment Details:

  • {{ServiceLabel}} - Service name
  • {{StartTime}} - Appointment time
  • {{StartDate}} - Appointment date
  • {{TeamMemberName}} - Assigned team member

Business Information:

  • {{BusinessName}} - Your business name
  • {{BusinessPhone}} - Contact number
  • {{AppointmentLink}} - Direct booking link

Timing Configuration

Reminder Timing:

  • Weeks, days, hours and minutes, with minutes in 5-minute steps
  • A reminder time longer than 72 hours shows This reminder may not land in time to be effective

Common Settings:

  • 2 hours - Same-day appointments
  • 24 hours - Standard reminder
  • 48 hours - Grooming appointments

Business Value

Customer Experience

Benefits:

  • Reduced no-shows through timely reminders
  • Clear communication reduces confusion
  • Professional service builds trust
  • Convenient self-service options

Operational Efficiency

Benefits:

  • Automated communication reduces manual work
  • Proactive issue resolution
  • Streamlined payment processing
  • Better customer relationship management

Business Growth

Benefits:

  • Improved customer retention
  • Increased booking frequency
  • Better online reviews
  • Enhanced business reputation

For detailed journey documentation:

For communication configuration: