CarpetBossPro Blog — Upholstery, Rugs & Tile

Texting Customers About Add-Ons: Reminders, Follow-Ups and Two-Way Replies for Upholstery Work

Most customers would rather text than talk. That's especially true for the small questions that come up around upholstery and add-ons: Is the rug included? Should I strip the bed? How long until we can sit on the sofa? A quick text answers each one without a phone call, and a well-timed text can sell the add-on the customer forgot to ask about.

From the Template to the Text

Templates for upholstery packages were covered in Estimate Templates for Upholstery Packages: Living Room Bundles, Move-In Sets and Rug-and-Sofa Combos. Once the quote goes out, texting is how most of the back-and-forth happens.

CarpetBossPro includes two-way texting with customers from the office, plus automated reminders and alerts by text and email. Plans include a monthly text allowance: 500, 1,000 or 2,000 texts sent and received on Start, Pro and Crew, in the US and Canada.

Before the Job: Confirming the Add-Ons

Upholstery and add-on jobs go smoother when the customer knows what's coming. A text from the office a few days ahead can confirm the scope:

• “Confirming Tuesday: living room carpet, hallway, sofa and loveseat, plus stain protector on the sofa. Anything to add?”
• “We have you down for the dining room rug. Is the table staying on it, or can it be moved?”

Asking “Anything to add?” is the gentlest upsell there is. Customers often reply with the chair they forgot to mention. The office adds it as a line item from the service list, and it's on the job before the van leaves the shop.

Automated Reminders and Prep Notes

Automated reminders go out on their own. Customers choose their alert preferences: the night before, when they're next, and when the tech arrives. On upholstery and mattress jobs, the night-before reminder is a good place for simple prep:

• Clear small items off the sofa and chairs.
• Strip the beds if mattresses are on the job.
• Keep pets in another room during the visit.

On the day, automatic on-the-way and arrived texts let the customer know the van is coming. In the customer app, they can see the route on a live map: “You're stop 12 of 20 — the crew is 5 stops away.” Nobody has to call to ask when the tech will show up.

During the Job: Adding Work by Text

When a customer asks for an add-on on site, texting helps confirm it. The tech notes the request or texts the office. The office texts the customer the price from the service list: “Your tech says you'd like the chair done too. That's our standard chair price. Reply YES to add it.” The reply comes back to the office, and the office adds the line item.

This is especially useful when the customer isn't home, such as a pre-listing job where the seller is at work. A written yes protects everyone. More on door sales is in Selling Carpet Add-Ons at the Door Without Making the Customer Feel Sold.

After the Job: Follow-Ups That Build Repeat Work

A short text after the job does a lot:

• Check-in. “How's the sofa looking now that it's dry?” Especially useful on jobs marked Needs attention.
• Missed add-on. “You mentioned the dining chairs. Want us to add them next time?”
• Invoice and photos. A reminder that the invoice and before-and-after photos are in the customer app.

Timing the follow-up matters. A check-in the same evening can feel rushed, since the sofa may still be drying. A day or two later, once the customer has lived with the result, is usually the right moment. Write the follow-up date in the job notes so whoever is in the office that day knows to send it.

Customers can pay online, update their card, rate and refer, and request more service from the customer app. A friendly follow-up text often leads to one of those.

Following Up on Open Quotes and Due Homes

Estimate follow-up emails go out on their own for quotes the customer hasn't approved. A personal text from the office can help too: “Just checking whether you had questions on the sofa and rug quote.”

For repeat customers, the Waiting List shows every home that came due. A text is often the easiest way to book them: “It's been about a year since your carpet and sofa. Want a spot next week?” Replies come back to the office.

Keep texts short, friendly and plain. Plain characters keep messages simple and inexpensive to send, and short texts get read. For how texting fits with the rest of your upholstery and add-on work, see the CarpetBossPro upholstery cleaning software page.