Aldermere Systems / Build Notes
AUTOMATED NO SHOW PREVENTER
# Automated No-Show Preventer: DIY Installation Manual
Welcome to your **Automated No-Show Preventer Business-in-a-Box**! This manual details how to set up, connect, and launch an automated client appointment confirmation sequence.
By sending an automated SMS reminder 24 hours before an appointment and listening for the client's confirmation reply, this system automatically updates your calendar status, freeing up hours of administrative calls.
You will build this pipeline using **Make.com**, **Google Calendar**, and **Twilio**.
---
## 📋 Prerequisites & Accounts Needed
Ensure you have set up the following accounts:
1. **Google Calendar:** A business or personal Google Calendar to log client bookings.
2. **A free Make.com account:** (Includes 1,000 free operations/month).
3. **A free/low-cost Twilio.com account:** (For dispatching SMS reminders and receiving replies).
---
## ⚡ Step 1: Import the Scenario Blueprint into Make.com
We have pre-built the scenario blueprint for this multi-step confirmation loop.
1. Log in to [Make.com](https://www.make.com/).
2. Click **Create a new scenario** (top right).
3. Click the **three dots (...)** at the bottom control bar and select **Import Blueprint**.
4. Choose the **`make_blueprint.json`** file included in this folder.
5. Click **Save**. You will see the two connected workflows:
* **Scenario A (Outgoing Reminder):** `[Google Calendar: Watch Events]` ➡️ `[Timing Delay]` ➡️ `[Twilio: Send SMS]`
* **Scenario B (Incoming Confirmation):** `[Twilio: Watch Replies]` ➡️ `[Router]` ➡️ `[Route 1: "YES" ➡️ Google Calendar: Update Event Color to Green]` ➡️ `[Route 2: "NO" ➡️ Google Calendar: Change Event Description/Cancel]`
---
## 📅 Step 2: Configure the Calendar Watch Trigger (Scenario A)
1. Double-click the **Google Calendar: Watch Events** module in Make.com.
2. Connect your Google account and select the Calendar you use for client bookings.
3. Under **Watch Events By**, select **Created Date** or **Updated Date**.
4. In your calendar bookings, ensure you log the client's phone number in a consistent field (e.g., inside the Description or Location field in the format `Phone: +447123456789`).
---
## ⏱️ Step 3: Set Up the 24-Hour Reminder Delay
To send the text exactly 24 hours before the appointment, we map a delay calculation:
1. Double-click the **Delay** or **Router/Sleep** module on the connector link.
2. Set the delay execution date dynamically using Make's date functions:
```text
addDays({{1.start}}; -1)
```
*(This tells Make to freeze the scenario run and resume execution exactly 1 day before the event start time).*
3. Adjust the check logic: If the booking is made less than 24 hours in advance, the system is configured to skip the delay and dispatch the SMS immediately.
---
## 📱 Step 4: Map Twilio to Send SMS Reminders
1. In the Twilio Console, copy your **Account SID** and **Auth Token**.
2. Go back to Make, double-click the **Twilio: Send SMS** module, click **Add Connection**, and paste your credentials.
3. Map the fields:
* **From:** Select your Twilio trial phone number.
* **To:** Map the phone number variable parsed from your Google Calendar description.
* **Body:** Paste the reminder copy:
```text
Hi {{1.summary}}, this is a reminder of your appointment tomorrow at {{formatDate(1.start; "HH:mm")}}.
Please reply YES to confirm, or reply NO to cancel/reschedule.
```
---
## 🔄 Step 5: Configure the Confirmation Webhook (Scenario B)
To update the calendar color automatically when clients reply, we must configure Twilio to forward incoming texts to Make.
1. In Make, open **Scenario B** and double-click the **Twilio Webhook** trigger module.
2. Copy the Webhook URL address generated by Make.
3. Log in to the **Twilio Console**, go to **Phone Numbers ➡️ Active Numbers**, and click on your trial number.
4. Scroll to the **Messaging** section. Under **"A Message Comes In"**, select **Webhook**, paste the Make Webhook URL, and click **Save**.
5. Test: Send a text message from your mobile phone to your Twilio number. Verify that Make catches the webhook payload.
---
## 🎨 Step 6: Map the Update Calendar Actions
1. Double-click the first route connector line leading from the Router to the Google Calendar module. Set the filter:
* Condition: `Body` **contains (case insensitive)** `YES`.
2. Double-click the connected **Google Calendar: Update Event** module.
* Map the `Event ID` from Scenario A's lookup.
* Under **Color ID**, select **10 (Basil/Green)** to indicate the appointment is confirmed.
3. Double-click the second route connector line leading to the other Google Calendar module. Set the filter:
* Condition: `Body` **contains (case insensitive)** `NO`.
4. Double-click the connected **Google Calendar: Update Event** module.
* Under **Color ID**, select **11 (Tomato/Red)** to alert the owner.
* Under **Description**, prepend: `[CANCELLATION REQUESTED]` to the client notes.
---
## 🔬 Step 7: Save & Run a Live Test
1. Click **Save** on both Make scenarios.
2. Set a test calendar event in your Google Calendar for tomorrow, including your phone number in the description.
3. Click **Run Once** on Scenario A. Confirm you receive the Twilio reminder SMS.
4. Reply **YES** to the text.
5. Click **Run Once** on Scenario B. Verify that the event color on your Google Calendar changes to green!
6. Once verified, slide the scheduling toggles to **ON**.