Texting Guide for Refill Reminders

Refill reminders help customers stay consistent with medications, prescriptions, or recurring product orders. Short, timely texts reduce missed doses and stockouts while improving overall satisfaction. TextUs makes it easy to automate reminders that feel personal and helpful instead of robotic.

How TextUs Fits Refill Reminder Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can target customers who are due for a refill using synced lists from your CRM, EHR, or ordering system. You can attach PDFs or images such as refill instructions, shipping details, or quick reorder links so people can act inside the thread.

Keywords like REFILL, SHIP, or HELP can trigger Sequences that confirm orders or connect customers to support automatically.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox where pharmacy, healthcare, or fulfillment staff can manage requests in real time. Integrations can sync confirmations, shipping data, and message history back to your system of record.

You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs to measure engagement and completion.

What to Set Up First

Connect your CRM, pharmacy platform, or ordering system so refill eligibility and contact fields can sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically.

Define your refill cadence with specific intervals, such as 25, 30, or 90 days, based on product or prescription type.

Create templates for each stage of the cycle. Prepare versions for an upcoming reminder, due today, missed refill follow-up, and confirmation. Assign Shared Inbox coverage by hours and responsibility so high-priority cases receive quick responses.

Build segments such as Refill Due In 5 Days, Refill Due Today, Missed Refill 7 Days, and High-Risk Therapies. Clean, narrow lists can improve relevance and reduce fatigue.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment such as “Refill Due In 5 Days.” This can make sure reminders reach customers before they run out.
2. Write your message: Keep it friendly and direct. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, it is time to refill your [Medication/Product]. Reply REFILL to confirm or HELP with a question.”
3. Attach media: Add a short refill guide, delivery schedule, or instruction image when useful. Attachments can make next steps easier.
4. Set up an A/B test: Test tone or timing to see which earns faster confirmations. Compare reply and click rates to choose the winner.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send 3 to 5 days before the refill date and follow with one message on the due day. Use recurrence for recurring therapy cycles.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as REFILL or HELP and reference it in your message. When someone replies, TextUs can recognize and route automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the refill link or confirm details. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no response.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, watch replies and exceptions, and route edge cases to an owner in the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks for confirming your refill. Here is your link to finalize: [short URL]. Reply SHIP if you prefer delivery.”
• Step 2 (reminder): “We have not seen your refill yet for [Medication/Product]. You can complete it here: [short URL]. Reply HELP if you need assistance.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by days to due date, therapy type, and shipping preference so each text drives one action. Useful dimensions include insurance status, auto-ship enrollment, and prescriber group. Exclude opt-outs, inactive accounts, and recently completed refills.

Personalize with first name and one safe field, such as product or location. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, your refill at [Pharmacy/Clinic] is ready. Reply PICKUP for counter pickup or SHIP for delivery.” Set fallbacks so no message looks broken.

Refresh segments daily for active programs and twice daily for high-risk therapies. Tight windows can prevent double sends and missed refills.

Template Library for Refill Reminder Scenarios

Keep a concise set of messages your team can reuse. Focus each template on one goal.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, time to refill [Medication/Product]. Reply REFILL to confirm or HELP with a question.”
• “Your refill is ready today at [Location]. Reply PICKUP for counter pickup or SHIP for delivery.”
• “You missed a refill window for [Medication/Product]. Want to restart now? Reply REFILL for a quick link.”
• “Delivery update for [Medication/Product]. Want tracking? Reply TRACK.”
• “Payment needed to complete your refill. Reply PAY for a secure link.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Track confirmation speed, pickup rate, and delivery usage to refine tone and timing.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs weekly. Join those with pharmacy or commerce outcomes, such as refills completed, pickup versus delivery, and time to completion. Preserve campaign name, segment, keyword, variant, and send time so you can run cohort analysis.

Track reply-to-completion and click-to-completion rates by therapy and segment. Include send-time analysis to identify the best windows for each product. Publish a one-page summary that highlights completion rate, average time to refill, and the top-performing opener.

Clinical Safety, Shipping, and Missed Windows

Map reminders to clinical and operational checkpoints. Use an early reminder for adherence, a day-of prompt for action, and a short follow-up if no response. Keep messages clear about where to get help.

Offer delivery and pickup choices in plain language. A SHIP keyword can return a confirmation link with address review, and a PICKUP keyword can send hours and a map. If a refill is missed, send one gentle reminder and then route to a coordinator.

Avoid medical advice in SMS. Use secure links for portals, payments, and PHI.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox, where pharmacy, support, and logistics can see the same thread. The first responder assigns the conversation to themselves so the customer has one owner. Templates can standardize answers, while one personal line can keep the tone supportive.

Use tags like Refill, Pickup, Delivery, Payment, and Help Needed to organize threads. Add a short note before forwarding to clinical or billing so context is preserved. Keep notifications on during business hours so urgent cases receive fast responses.

Compliance and Deliverability for Refill Reminders

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all refill traffic. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Include a short line in the first message that says “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid sensitive details in SMS. Do not include diagnosis, dosage, or protected information. Use secure links for any personal data.

Keep attachments relevant and lightweight, such as a pickup map or a one-page refill guide. Send during local hours and respect frequency caps so reminders feel helpful.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Refill Reminders

Can I attach instructions or pickup maps to my texts?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Refill programs often attach instruction cards, hours, or maps so customers can act quickly.

Can I automate delivery or pickup confirmations?

Yes. You can schedule and repeat campaigns or connect Keywords and Sequences. A reply with SHIP or PICKUP can trigger the correct link now and a timed reminder later.

How do Keywords and Sequences reduce missed refills?

When someone replies with a keyword like REFILL or HELP, TextUs can enroll them in a Sequence. The first step can send the correct link or instruction, and the second can follow up if there is no response.

How does the Shared Inbox help pharmacy and support teams collaborate?

All replies appear in one shared view so teams can assign owners, tag threads, and add notes for handoffs. This can prevent duplicate outreach and keep context intact.

What metrics should I track to prove impact?

Track delivery, reply, click, and completion rates. Export TextUs data and join it with refill fulfillment or shipping outcomes. Weekly summaries can show which segments and messages complete the most refills.