When a guest didn’t get a text, it’s nearly always one of a handful of things. Check what NomNom sent for that booking first, then work down the list. For when each text is due, see When NomNom sends confirmation and reminder texts.
First, check what was sent
Open the booking and go to Messages. Every text NomNom has tried to send is listed with its time; click one to read it. Each has a status:
- Sent — NomNom handed the text to the mobile networks. It can’t see whether it arrived, so if the guest has nothing, check the number for a typo.
- Failed — the text didn’t go. Automatic texts are retried after a passing problem, so a Failed text followed by a Sent one got through.
- Nothing listed — NomNom hasn’t tried yet: the text isn’t due, or something below is stopping it.
Pending only appears next to emails waiting to go.
In NomNom Web: open the booking → Messages. In the phone app: open the booking → Messages tab.
If no guests are getting texts
Open Settings → SMS Service (you’ll need to be an admin) and check these.
- The switches are off. There’s an Enabled switch under INSTANT SMS and another under REMINDER SMS. A venue that starts with free trial SMS credits starts with both on; one that starts without credits has both off. Turn on the ones you want, then close and reopen the screen to check they stayed on.
- You’ve run out of credits. When SMS Credits reaches 0, automatic texts stop — and the 50 free credits new UK venues start with can run out before you’ve bought any. Top up from the same screen; see Texting guests and managing SMS credits.
- A template is empty. If Instant SMS template or Reminder SMS template is blank, that text isn’t sent. Open it and add some wording.
- The Sender ID is missing. This is the name your texts come from: 3 to 11 letters, numbers or spaces, with at least one letter. If Sender ID says Not set, nothing goes. Click it and enter a short version of your venue’s name.
Once it’s fixed, guests who booked in the last 24 hours still get their confirmation. Older bookings won’t, but their reminders go as normal.
If one guest missed out
- The number isn’t a UK mobile. Texts only go to UK mobiles starting 07 or +447, not to landlines or overseas numbers. Spaces are fine, but not straight after the +44: +447700 900123 works, +44 7700 900123 doesn’t. Correct the number and the text goes if it’s still due.
- It was late at night. Texts only go between 7am and 10pm, your venue’s time. A booking made at 11pm gets its text at 7am the next morning.
- It wasn’t due, or it was too late. The confirmation waits about three minutes after the booking was last changed. The reminder only goes once the booking is less than 24 hours away, and not at all for a booking made less than 4 hours ahead. Nothing goes once the booking time has passed, or to a cancelled booking.
- They got the reminder instead. For a booking made less than a day ahead, the reminder, if it’s on, goes straight away in place of the confirmation.
- The booking came from your old system. Bookings brought over when you moved to NomNom get reminders but no confirmation text.
- The network turned the number down. If a phone network refuses a number outright, the text shows as Failed and isn’t tried again. Correct the number, then send it yourself with Send SMS, using the Booking reminder chip if it was the reminder.
Why a text used more than one credit
A text of up to 160 characters costs one credit. A longer one goes in parts, a credit each. Two things push the cost up without you noticing:
- The details filled in. Names and dates are added as it’s sent, and a venue name of more than about 50 characters can tip the standard text into two parts.
- Emoji and curly quotes. One emoji, or one curly apostrophe or quote (’ instead of '), switches the whole text to a format that fits only 70 characters per part, so an ordinary text costs two credits or more. iPhones type curly apostrophes on their own, so check any template you’ve edited on one.
Good to know
- Texts you send yourself from Send SMS go straight away at any time of day, even with the switches off, but still need credits, a Sender ID and a UK mobile.