It is challenging for any business to keep track of a flow of customer messages. This is where SMS workflows come in. They can help you keep customers informed with little to no manual involvement. Customers need to opt in to receive these messages to get timely information.
Did you know that 63% of customer service teams use text messaging to remain connected with customers? Whether order confirmations or abandoned cart recovery reminders, message workflows can help save time. Read on to learn more about the various types of SMS workflows.
Regularly segment your loyalty program members to send personalized and relevant offers. The focused approach increases engagement and drives repeat purchases.
How to Create SMS Workflows Using ControlHippo?
ControlHippo is an omnichannel conversational AI platform that effectively simplifies business communication. It has an SMS shared inbox to streamline all conversations by centralizing them in one place. Here is how to create SMS workflow automation using ControlHippo:
- Log in to ControlHippo – You first need to sign into your ControlHippo account to access the dashboard. You then navigate to the Flow Builder to create your SMS workflow.
- Create a New Flow- The next step is to click on “Create Flow” and choose a name for your SMS workflow.
- Select a Template- With ControlHippo, you get access to various templates. Choose a suitable template according to your business requirements.
- Set the Triggers – After choosing a template, you need to design and customize the SMS workflow. Define triggers to automatically send personalized SMS messages to contacts.
- Test the Workflow– Before final activation, you need to test the SMS workflow to make sure it works fine, without any errors.
- Activate the SMS Workflow – Once the workflow has been tested, simply activate the workflow actions to get started.
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What Are The Types of SMS Workflows?
Automated SMS flows are effective in a variety of situations. There are various types of SMS workflows. Let’s have a look at some common types of workflow automations in SMS that can help in better customer communication and higher engagement rates.
1. Welcome and Onboarding Series
One of the most common examples of SMS marketing automation is a Welcome message. Using a welcome message is effective for customer onboarding. These messages set the tone for future interaction and establish trust towards your brand.
You can set up workflow actions for a drip campaign where the first message welcomes them and the second message provides resources related to their purchase or useful tips.
An example of a welcome and onboarding series SMS workflow:
Message 1: Welcome to our [Business Name] family. You will be the first to know about new products, promotions, and discounts!
Message 2: As a welcome gift, here is a code for 25% off on your next purchase order: WELCOME25
2. Appointment Confirmations & Reminders
You can also send SMS messages automatically for appointment confirmations or reminders to customers. Appointment reminders are easy to set up and will prevent no-shows, keeping customers informed in real-time.
Appointment confirmation or reminder SMS messages can be triggered for specific dates or times. You can set up appointment reminders 24 or 48 hours before a client’s appointment. This means your staff members will not have to call up customers to remind them of upcoming appointments individually.
For example:
Appointment: “Hi [Customer Name]! We look forward to seeing you at your scheduled appointment on [Time, Date]. If you need to reschedule or cancel, get in touch with us at [Business Phone Number].”
Reminder: “This is a friendly reminder about your appointment at [Business Name] tomorrow at [Time]. See you soon!”
3. Order and Delivery Notification
One of the most common text message workflows is to give customers order updates and delivery notifications. Text messages can be triggered when a customer makes a purchase and also when the order is being delivered. This is an example of a transactional message, and the main aim is to keep customers informed of the status of their order.
Let us have a look at a visual example of automated SMS workflows for order and delivery notifications.
Trigger: Customer Makes A Purchase
“Hello Brian! Thank you for your recent purchase at Pet Supplies & More. We will send you a tracking link when your order is shipped.”
Trigger: Order Shipped
“Hi Brian! Your order has been shipped, and your pet products will reach you soon. You can track it at [Link].”
Trigger: Order Arrives
“Your product has reached and been delivered. View your online receipt here [Link].”
4. Support Ticket Updates
For any business that offers customer service and support through tickets, text message automation would be a game-changer. It is easy to send text messages through your favorite apps. This keeps customers informed about the status of their support tickets.
Some usual triggers for SMS workflows for support tickets include when a ticket is created or when the ticket status is updated. You can personalize text messages and also provide links to track updated information.
An example of text communication to keep customers updated about support tickets is as follows:
New Ticket: “Your support ticket #[Ticket Number] has been received. We are working on it.”
Resolution: “Your issue has been resolved. Do get in touch if you need further support.”
5. Abandoned Cart Recovery
Abandoned cart reminders are another prime use of automated SMS workflows. Most Ecommerce organizations use abandoned cart recovery SMS messages to ensure top of the mind recall and capture lost revenue.
Text messages can be used to let customers know they have left something in their online shopping cart. These messages can give customers an incentive to check out their cart, such as a discount. This motivates them to complete the purchase and increase sales revenues.
A typical example of an abandoned cart reminder is as follows:
Trigger: Contact abandons cart
“Hi [Name]. It looks like you left some items in your online shopping cart. Continue to checkout now [Link].”
Trigger: Wait 24 Hours
“Hello [Name]. We know you have good taste, so don’t wait to complete your order. Get an exclusive 15% discount on your cart items with this [Link].”
6. Feedback and Survey Requests
Customer feedback is important as it helps you understand your clients and provide a better customer experience. You can use workflow actions for customer feedback requests to assess customer satisfaction at regular intervals.
One of the best ways to collect authentic feedback is to set up polls or send a short survey. This enables you to know what customers think of your brand. It is an effective way to collect negative feedback before customers post public reviews. Customer feedback requests show customers you value their input and increase retention for your brand.
Here is an example of a customer feedback survey request automated text SMS sent from a restaurant:
“Hello! It was great to have you at [Restaurant Name]. Would you please take out 2 minutes to fill out this survey? Your opinion matters to us, thank you!”
7. Re-engagement Campaigns
You can automatically send SMS messages to reduce your customer churn and re-engage customers successfully. SMS marketing can help to contact clients who haven’t come to your store in a while and get them back.
Automated SMS platforms can be used to launch re-engagement campaigns. You can set up specific SMS workflows that include special offers, updates, or incentives to get customers back by reigniting their interest in your brand.
Let us now see an example of a re-engagement campaign:
“Hello there! We have missed you. Do visit to check out our brand new product range. Avail an exclusive 10% discount on your next purchase by clicking on this link [Link].”
8. Subscription Renewal Alerts
Automated SMS workflows can be used by subscription-based services to track key metrics and remind customers about upcoming renewals. You can start a series of messages and time them to give reminders to customers so that they stay subscribed. It is a great way to persuade them to stay connected to your business, and automated texts ensure top-of-the-mind recall.
Let us have a look at a series of automated text messages that will remind customers to renew their subscription.
- Initial Renewal Alert: “Hi [Customer Name]. Here’s a quick reminder that your subscription to [Service Name] will renew on [Renewal Date]. If you opted for auto-renewal, no action is needed. Otherwise, make required changes here: [Link].”
- Gentle Follow-Up: “Hello [Customer Name], your subscription will renew in one week. To review or update your plan, please visit: [Link]. We appreciate your support!”
- Last Day Reminder: “Hello, your [Service Name] subscription renews tomorrow. Make sure your details are up-to-date to continue this service. If you have any questions, reply or check here: [Link].”
9. Promotional Campaigns and Flash Sales
Automated SMS messages are the best way to inform your customers about promotional campaigns and discount offers. SMS messages are a highly effective channel to convey information to customers about time-sensitive promotions.
You can easily set up automated workflows that send out personalized messages that are value-driven and have a strong call to action. Automated SMS workflows can leverage immediacy and urgency to drive quick purchases for flash sales and promotions.
Let us have a look at an example of a text message workflow that increases customer engagement by giving information about a sale.
“Do Not Miss It! Winter flash sale ending in 2 hours. Get 50% or more off: [Sale Link].”
10. Event Reminders and Invitations
Automated workflows can be set up to send text messages about future to keep attendees informed. You can schedule automated messages that give real-time information about event timelines, changes in the planned schedule or any other specific information. Some companies even send happy birthday messages to show customers they are valued.
SMS workflows are the perfect way to increase customer communication about webinars, conferences or workshops. You can invite them and even send reminders before the event. SMS platforms can set up customized workflows that contain call-to-actions and other important event details.
This is an example of an automated text message workflow providing an event invitation and reminder:
Pre-Event Reminder
“Hi [Attendee Name], [Event Name] is just a week away! Check the schedule here: [Link] and plan your sessions.”
Day-Before Update
“The big day is tomorrow, [Attendee Name]! [Event Name] will start at 10 AM at [Venue Name]. Here’s the venue map: [Link].”
Real-Time Alerts During the Event
“Reminder: The keynote at [Event Name] starts at 11 AM in the main hall. Adjust your schedule accordingly.”
11. Loyalty Program Updates
SMS workflows that provide loyalty programs are a smart way to engage with the right audience and provide them with a personalized experience. You can use targeted messages to ensure a loyal customer receives information about their reward points and exclusive offers.
If your business aims to enhance the customer journey and build loyalty through repeat purchases, then you need to send messages automatically. You can easily segment your audience through post-purchase messages and analyze performance data to optimize the workflow continuously.
Let us have a look at an example of a loyalty program SMS workflow:
“Congratulations! You have earned 100 loyalty points as a special reward for being our valued customer. Easily redeem points for discounts during your next purchase.”
12. Billing and Payment Reminders
Businesses can set up convenient SMS workflows for billing and payment reminders to their customers. These automated text messages encourage payments by conveying a sense of urgency.
Billing and payment text messages are brief, concise, and include important details such as invoice number, amount due, and direct payment links. SMS automation is a powerful way to notify customers about upcoming payments and outstanding balances.
This is an example of a billing payment reminder SMS automation workflow:
“Hello [Customer Name]. Your payment of $[Amount] is due on [Date]. Please make the payment here: [Payment Link].”
13. Product or Service Announcements
SMS marketing is the best way to make new product or service announcements that will surely lead to higher customer engagement. Rather than personally informing your customers, you can save valuable time and increase conversion rates if you automatically send new product or service messages.
Informing your customers about new offerings can enhance the lead nurturing process and make their customer journey smoother. It generates user excitement about new launches. Your customers also feel valued and develop a positive relationship with your brand.
Here is an example of an SMS workflow for a new product:
Initial Announcement:
“Hi [Customer Name]! We are excited to announce our new [Product/Service]. Explore it today: [Link]!”
Follow-Up Reminder (2-3 days later):
“Don’t miss out, [Customer Name]! [Product/Service] is available now. Grab yours here: [Link].”
Conclusion
Automated text messages can help you save time and achieve business goals faster. Setting up an SMS workflow can help your organization interact better with new customers and streamline customer onboarding.
Effective workflows boost productivity and help to monitor user behavior. Marketing automation is also used to analyze key metrics such as click through rates and unsubscribe rates. Whether appointment reminders, welcome messages, or promotional campaigns, SMS workflows are the best way to ensure seamless communication across all channels.
An SMS workflow is a preprogrammed sequence of automated text messages. These are sent to customers based on specific triggers or events.
It is mandatory for SMS workflows to comply with local regulations. It is compulsory to obtain consent from customers and ensure they opt in for promotional or transactional messages.
Yes, SMS platforms such as ControlHippo offer seamless integration with CRMs to automate messaging based on CRM data.
Updated : September 9, 2025
Tarang Patel is a Demand Generation Manager with 10+ years of professional experience. He currently specializes in developing targeted RCS and SMS awareness campaigns that enhance brand visibility and customer engagement, optimizing message delivery and response metrics to build strong audience connections through mobile messaging platforms.