ReminderCall Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don’t see an answer to your question here or need technical support, please email us at help@remindercall.com or give us a call Monday through Friday, 8-5 PST.

1 (888) 858-6673

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don’t see an answer to your question here or need technical support, please email us at help@remindercall.com or give us a call Monday through Friday, 8-5 PST.

1 (888) 858-6673

Contents

How much does it cost?

Does it work with my software?

How hard is it to set up?

Who is ReminderCall?

Is the data secure?

What are some of your SMS features?

What are some of your call features?

What are some of your email features?

How do I know my reminders have gone out?

Do you have a partnership program?

Can I use ReminderCall in other ways?

What regulations apply?

Is ReminderCall HIPAA compliant?

Is ReminderCall PCI compliant?

Is ReminderCall SOC2 certified?

Is ReminderCall TCPA compliant?

What are some examples of opt-in wording?

Pricing


How much do reminder calls and text messages cost?

One 30-second reminder call = 9 cents.

One text message reminder  (inbound or outbound) = 9 cents.

There is a $15.50 monthly minimum.

There is a 10% discount for non-profit organizations.

There are discounts for high-volume users.

How much do appointment reminder emails cost?

Unlimited email reminders cost $25 per month.

Do you offer volume discounts?

Yes! ReminderCall offers deep volume discounts.

What are ReminderCall credits?

A ReminderCall credit = 1 appointment reminder (1 delivered call (30-sec) or 1 text message). Pay as you go! There are no blocks of time to pay, no contracts, and no upfront charges. Every month, you are billed for exactly what you used the month before.

Need more information? Please call us at 1-888-858-6673 or use our contact form.

Is there a contract?

ReminderCall is very affordable. We have no monthly fees, no contracts, and we only charge for calls that are delivered. Live technical support is included. Check out our low-price guarantee!

What countries do you service?

We service the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Using a Third-Party Scheduler


Does ReminderCall work with my scheduling software?

ReminderCall works with many scheduling systems.

My software is not on the list, can I still use ReminderCall?

There are several ways to try the system without an integration:

1. You can manually input the appointment information into our software.
2. You can upload an excel spreadsheet that contains the data (we can supply a pre-formatted spreadsheet).
3. You could see if there is a report generated by your software that generates a file that we can parse.
4. You can use it with Google Calendar.
5. You can use it with Outlook Live.

My software is not on your list, can ReminderCall connect to it?

Although we will try our best to create an integration for you, we cannot guarantee that your system will have the features required to work with ReminderCall. In general, we can create integrations with most scheduling systems, however, some systems simply do not make an integration possible.

How much does an integration cost?

If you sign up for a ReminderCall account, we will create an integration for you. There is a $200 deposit that is required to reserve an integration. The $200 is refunded to you in ReminderCall credits once the integration is complete.

A custom integration allows you to send one appointment reminder (textvoice, or email) per appointment. Additional features may be requested and developed at an hourly programming rate.

What is a custom integration?

A ReminderCall integration is an application that allows you to send appointment reminders automatically when you enter appointments into your scheduling software. You set your preferences, and the system works in the background.

A customized application sends data from your system to ReminderCall. A secure connection shares encrypted data with the same technology used by banks.

One-Time Setup


How difficult is it to set up ReminderCall appointment reminders?

Setting up ReminderCall appointment reminders is very easy. To get started, all you need is a computer with access to the Internet. Follow the instructions, and you will be up and running in a matter of minutes.

If you need help, please call us at 1-888-858-6673. Once you are done, you can set it and forget it! ReminderCall runs in the background.

Need more information? Please call us at 1-888-858-6673 or use our contact form.

What are the steps once I have an account?

Setup is easy.

1. If you’re using a scheduling system, follow instructions to connect it to ReminderCall (or call 888-858-6673 ext. 1 to have us do it for you).

2. Set up your scripts.

3. Set up your ongoing schedule (i.e. when and how often you would like your appointments to be sent).

About Reminder Services, LLC


How long have you been in business?

The ReminderCall software, created by Rolling Hills Enterprises, first went online in 1998. In 2012, it was purchased by Reminder Services, LLC Read more about Reminder Services, LLC

Where are you located?

Our headquarters are located in sunny Morgan Hill, CA. All of our staff and servers are located in the United States. We never offshore any data. See our headquarters.

Can I see some reviews?

Absolutely. We have great reviews on:

Capterra
G2
Trustpilot
Our Testimonials

How many customers do you have?

We currently serve over 11,000 locations.

Do you offer any scholarships?

Yes! Each year, the ReminderCall Physical Therapy Scholarship helps the most promising Physical Therapy students achieve their goals and realize their dreams. Five scholarships of $1,000 are presented to Physical Therapy students who exhibit academic excellence and a strong sense of personal commitment to continuing their education.

Security


Is the data encrypted?

As a leading provider of Reminder Services, ReminderCall has taken extraordinary measures to secure your customers’ personal information by implementing SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Encryption for your protection. SSL is the same Internet security system that banks use to protect your banking information and can be trusted to secure your data.

Are you in the U.S. or does data go offshore?

All ReminderCall servers, offices, and staff are located in the U.S.

How secure are your servers?

All of our servers are kept in state-of-the-art, SOC-2 certified, colocation facilities in the U.S. They can only be accessed by key personnel who must provide several forms of identification.

SMS Features


Can I get replies?

ReminderCall offers two-way texting, so you can send reminders and get confirmations in return. See all of your replies (in real-time) on your dashboard, and get a record of them via email.

Are they automated?

Yes, if you are using ReminderCall with one of the many supported calendar systems, your text messages will go out automatically from your scheduler.

Can I send more than 160 characters?

Yes, although the industry standard SMS can only contain 160 characters, with ReminderCall you can send a long text message, up to 1,600 characters for an additional 3 cents.

Do I get a custom caller I.D.?

Yes. All ReminderCall accounts have a unique 1-800 number or caller I.D.

Call Features


Can I get replies?

ReminderCall key-press appointment confirmations allow your recipient to confirm, respond or connect to your office.

Are they automated?

Yes, if you are using ReminderCall with one of the many supported calendar systems, your voice calls will go out automatically from your scheduler.

Do I get a custom caller I.D.?

Yes, you can set a familiar number to display to your recipients when they get a Voice Reminder.
Furthermore, all ReminderCall accounts support a custom caller ID (or “DID”). A unique DID costs $2.50 per month.

Are the calls custom?

Yes, ReminderCall is such a flexible system that it can be customized in a variety of ways. You can use your own voice, a synthesized voice, or a combination of the two. You can create custom messages in English, French or Spanish. You can even set key presses to have the recipient connect with your office.

Email Features


Can I really send unlimited emails?

Our email reminder services are available for a flat rate of just $25 a month. This includes unlimited email reminders for up to three locations! Attach it to your account and use alongside call and text reminders, or keep it simple and send only emails.

Are they automated?

Many of our supported calendar systems allow you to send email appointment reminders from your ReminderCall account. Contact our support team to see if your calendar supports ReminderCall email.

How do you avoid being blocked as SPAM?

To make sure all of our appointment reminders are received, we make sure they aren’t seen as SPAM. All of our appointment reminder emails have a specific template that can’t be used for marketing, polls, or surveys.

Up Time


Does ReminderCall ever go offline for maintenance?

Barring natural disasters, ReminderCall keeps running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have servers in several U.S. states to ensure the utmost reliability. Routine maintenance is performed during graveyard hours to minimize any interruptions. We focus on bringing you the best possible quality service.

Need more information? Please call us at 1-888-858-6673 or use our contact form.

Do you alert me if there is an interruption in service?

ReminderCall has an alert function that warns you if your appointment reminder calls and appointment reminder text messages are not sent, so that you can check your system and internet connection. ReminderCall staff performs daily quality control to ensure consistent service.

Can I get a log of my account activity?

You can activate a daily email appointment reminder report to see a log of your appointment reminder calls and appointment reminder text messages. You automatically receive a monthly summary of all calls and text messages sent from your account.

Can I see live status information?

ReminderCall offers live status information on your appointment reminder calls and appointment reminder text messages so that you can see who confirmed their appointments.  Simply log in to your account to see live responses. You can also listen to any reminder call you have sent and check your text message logs.

Partnerships


How do I become a partner?

ReminderCall’s Partnership Program allows your clients to send appointment reminder calls, text messages, and emails automatically from your software platform. We create a custom integration, bill your customers for you and provide them free, live technical support.

Can I white label your reminders?

ReminderCall’s White Label Program lets you enhance your product line by adding appointment reminder functionality to your brand. Customers can send calls, text messages, and emails seamlessly from your calendar application. You bill your customers directly at your own rate.

Do you have an API?

Yes! The ReminderCall API allows developers to create connections between ReminderCall and their own services such as calendars and practice management systems.

Beyond Reminders


Can I send announcements?

Yes, announcements about your business, such as snow-day alerts, are considered informational and are allowed. However, ReminderCall can not be relied upon for critical reminders, emergencies, alarms and the like where a system failure could cause costly, fatal, or otherwise serious damage or injury. Furthermore, messages that can result in the sale of a product or service (such as an invitation to an open house) require prior opt-in from your recipients.

To use the ReminderCall platform to send alerts to cell phones, To use the ReminderCall platform, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

Can I send marketing or survey text messages or phone calls?

Yes. All automated text messages sent by ReminderCall must comply with TCPA laws. Therefore, messages that can result in the sale of a product or service require prior opt-in from your recipients.

To use the ReminderCall platform to send automated marketing/survey calls or text messages to cell phones, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients, AND email a copy of your opt-in form, email, or agreement to:  help@remindercall.com

Can I send marketing emails?

No. Our mission is to offer the best appointment reminder service available. Because marketing, poll, and survey emails are often dinged as SPAM, they can cause our entire service to be greylisted by ISPs. Once this happens all emails get blocked, including appointment reminders.

Can I send collection calls, text messages or emails?

No.

ReminderCall is not legally set up for collections. Therefore, you may not use the system to send collection messages.

What happens if I accidentally break the rules?

We know most people do not intentionally break the rules. In the event of a violation of our Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy, we will make a reasonable effort to contact you and inform you of the mistake. However, we will suspend and terminate all accounts that violate any laws or are used to harass others.

Regulations


HIPAA

HIPAA is the acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that was passed by Congress in 1996.  HIPAA does the following:

  • Provides the ability to transfer and continue health insurance coverage for millions of American workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs;
  • Reduces health care fraud and abuse;
  • Mandates industry-wide standards for health care information on electronic billing and other processes;
  • Requires the protection and confidential handling of protected health information.

ReminderCall is HIPAA compliant,  HIPAAOne Certified, and provides an industry-standard, signed BAA. HIPAA policy and certification are available upon request.

TCPA

The TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) requires you to get written permission (or “opt-in”) from recipients before sending automated calls or text messages to their cell phones. This is required even if the recipient is an established customer, patient, employee, club member, registered user, etc.

Healthcare Providers:

Because some types of messages require a verbal opt-in and others require a written opt-in (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a) 2), it has become standard practice for healthcare providers to get a written opt-in from all patients. Furthermore, since we cannot monitor any verbal opt-ins collected by your organization, to use the ReminderCall platform, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

DNC

The FCC requires you to maintain and respect an internal Do-Not-Call list of clients. These are customers who do not wish to receive automated calls or text messages from you. If you are a ReminderCall.com customer, we maintain that for you. So how is that different from the National Do-Not-Call Registry?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) maintains the National Do-Not-Call Registry. It’s a list of consumers who do not want any marketing or sales calls or texts. Rules state that you may not send marketing or sales messages to numbers on the Do-Not-Call Registry.

So, you may NOT contact numbers on the Do-Not-Call Registry for sales or marketing. But, the Do-Not-Call Registry does not ban informational messages. Automated appointment reminders are allowed. So are informational messages from charities, political groups, and (in some cases) debt collectors.

There is only one DNC Registry for landlines and cell phones. A telephone number stays on the Do-Not-Call Registry until someone removes it or cancels the number. For more information, please visit donotcall.gov.

CAN-SPAM

The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing law, known as CAN-SPAM, sets rules for commercial emails. Any business using email to communicate with customers needs to understand the CAN-SPAM Act. While it seems pretty straightforward, some aspects are a bit confusing. To help you avoid penalties, we’ve created a CAN-SPAM FAQ that answers 8 of the most frequently asked CAN-SPAM questions. Emails that are commercial in nature — meaning they can result in the sale of a product or service — are covered by CAN-SPAM and must follow the rules. On the other hand, emails that are informational, transactional, or relationship-oriented are exempt from CAN-SPAM. Examples are appointment reminder emails and requests for feedback.

Here’s how to comply:

  • Don’t use false or misleading header information.
  • Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
  • Identify your message as an advertisement.
  • List a valid postal address in every email.
  • Have clear and obvious opt-out information.
  • Honor opt-out requests promptly.
  • Check what vendors are sending on your behalf.

State Laws

Some states have laws about automated phone calls and text messages. Most of the time, these laws reiterate the TCPA but add more detail. For example, state laws will usually define what makes up an automated dialing system. Also, state laws will go into what the local penalties are for breaking the rules. Some states do have some pretty unique laws, so it’s worthwhile to take a look at what your state’s legislature says.

When there are both state and federal laws that apply to one case, judges tend to enforce the stricter of the two. For more information, we’ve compiled a list of resources and links for you to research your state’s automated call laws.

CASL (Canada)

The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) went into effect on July 1, 2014 and applies to any business that uses commercial electronic messages, whether they are based in Canada, in the U.S., or any country outside of Canada. 

How to comply:

1. Get explicit consent. Have all customers tell you how they wish to be contacted. This is a great courtesy to customers. It can be done through an online form, a written registration form, etc. Keep written records of all opt-in information. Also, remember to get renewed opt-ins from Canadian customers you have not seen in over two years.

2. Make sure your emails have a legitimate, verifiable “From” email address, a truthful subject line, and your company’s identity and physical address. Make sure your text messages include your company name and phone number. Always include a clear way for the recipient to opt-out of receiving future emails and text messages from you.

HIPAA


Is ReminderCall HIPAA compliant?

Reminder Services ReminderCall’s utilization of personal information is limited to that which is necessary to perform the specified communication. ReminderCall meets all the requirements put forth by the HIPAA Security Policy as well as the HIPAA Privacy Rule and is HIPAAOne Certified. Plus, we supply a standard Business Associate Agreement to all healthcare customers. Policy, Certification and BAA are available upon request.

Are patient reminders allowed under the HIPAA Privacy Rule?

Yespatient reminders are considered part of the treatment of an individual and, therefore, are allowed.

Can healthcare offices leave messages for patients?

Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits health care providers to communicate with patients regarding their health care. This includes communicating with patients at their homes, whether through the mail or by phone or in some other manner. In addition, the Rule does not prohibit covered entities from leaving messages for patients on their answering machines. However, to reasonably safeguard the individual’s privacy, covered entities should take care to limit the amount of information disclosed on the answering machine. For example, a covered entity might want to consider leaving only its name and number and other information necessary to confirm an appointment or ask the individual to call back. A covered entity also may leave a message with a family member or other person who answers the phone when the patient is not home.

Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule using e-mail appointment reminders?

Yes. The Privacy Rule allows covered health care providers to communicate electronically, such as through e-mail, with their patients, provided they apply reasonable safeguards when doing so. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.530(c).

PCI Compliance


Is ReminderCall PCI Compliant?

Yes. All credit card information is stored on Authorize.Net secure servers, and all recurring transactions are managed by Authorize.Net, ensuring compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

SOC2 Certification


Is ReminderCall SOC2 certified?

Yes, all data is processed in USA-based, SOC2-certified colocation facilities. Furthermore, all data is scrubbed after 30 days.

TCPA Compliance


Is ReminderCall TCPA compliant?

The TCPA governs automated calls and text messages. By using the ReminderCall platform you agree to obey TCPA laws (see Terms of Service).

-You must get permission (aka “opt-in“) to send automated calls or text messages to a cell phone.
-You may not call or text residences before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., local time (our system prevents that automatically).
-You must maintain a “do-not-call” (DNC) list of customers who do not want automated messages (our system does that too).
-You must honor a DNC request for 5 years.
-You must state your name and phone number.
-You must not send automated messages to an emergency line (e.g., “911”).
-You cannot send automated messages that would tie up two or more lines of a business.

To use the ReminderCall platform to send automated calls or text messages to cell phones, please email a copy of your opt-in form, email, or agreement to:  help@remindercall.com


What is an opt-in?

The TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) requires you to get written permission (aka “prior express consent” or “opt-in” ) from recipients before sending automated calls or text messages to their cell phones. This is required even if the recipient is an established customer, patient, employee, club member, registered user, etc.

This law protects your personal cell phone from receiving hundreds of unwanted text messages per day!

To use the ReminderCall platform, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

Are healthcare providers exempt?

Automated healthcare-related calls can only be made to a residential (landline) telephone without the prior consent of the patient. Since most patients use cell phones, this exemption is becoming obsolete.

With cell phones, some types of healthcare messages require a verbal opt-in, while others require a written opt-in ( 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a) 2). It has, therefore, become standard practice for healthcare providers to get a written opt-in from all patients. Furthermore, since Reminder Services, LLC cannot monitor any verbal opt-ins collected by your organization, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

Do you need a list of all my opt-ins?

No.

To use the ReminderCall platform for appointment reminders, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

How do I collect opt-ins?

There are many ways to ask recipients to opt-in to receiving your automated calls or text messages:

  • Add a checkbox and opt-in wording to a paper registration form.
  • Add a checkbox and opt-in wording to an online registration form.
  • Ask for permission via email.
  • Add opt-in wording to an existing agreement that customers routinely enter when doing
    business with you (contract, terms of service, SOW, etc).

What are some examples of opt-in wording?

Although we cannot give legal advice regarding the TCPA, here are some examples of the opt-in wording our customers are currently using:

Opt-in example to add to an existing policy that customers routinely enter:

“By completing this form, I am agreeing to receive automated appointment confirmations via call, text message, or email.”

Opt-in example to add to a paper form that customers routinely fill and sign:

  By checking this box you are allowing (Company Name) to send you automated text messages and calls to the phone number you have provided.

Or

I authorize (Company Name) to send automated calls and text messages to this cell phone number: _________________

Online Form Examples:

Use this phone number to send me automated text and call notifications: _______________

No.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a declaration on March 20, 2020, addressing the applicability of the “emergency purposes” exception to the TCPA’s prohibition against making automated and pre-recorded calls without prior express consent. This declaratory ruling allows healthcare providers to send auto dialed and artificial pre-recorded voice and text messages to cell phones without consent in order to convey messages that are must be “solely informational, made necessary because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and directly related to the imminent health or safety risk arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak.”

Source: FCC Declaratory Ruling

Although we are dedicated to doing our part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Reminder Services, LLC must also prevent subscribers from using ReminderCall to send misleading information on the COVID-19 outbreak. Please note the following:

  • Messages promoting products or services meant to cure or reduce the severity of COVID-19 are strictly prohibited on ReminderCall.
  • Customers wanting to send informational messages about COVID-19 must show the source of the information. The only acceptable sources at this time will be the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the WHO (World Health Organization), and state or federal government agencies.
  • Guidelines regarding how patients are to receive care from your organization are allowed (for example: “if you have symptoms, please call to make an appointment”, or “we do not test for COVID-19 at this location”).
  • In an attempt to prevent spam and misinformation, certain phone carriers are blocking identical text messages sent from one DID—and we are not notified when they do. If you need to send more than 200 identical messages, we recommend using voice calls at this time. Please call (888) 858-6673 ext. 1, or contact support for assistance.
  • Sending 1,000 or more calls or text messages concerning COVID-19 requires pre-approval. Please call (888) 858-6673 ext. 1, or contact support for assistance.
  • Due to TCPA regulations, non-medical entities still need to gather opt-ins (i.e. customer permissions) to send COVID-19 alerts or closure alerts to any cell phone. Please call (888) 858-6673 ext. 1, or contact support for assistance.
  • Emergency alerts (i.e. time-sensitive alerts) are NOT allowed on the ReminderCall platform as delivery times may vary, please refer to our Terms of Service.

To send urgent COVID-19-related calls or texts without an opt-in, please email Customer
Service at help@remindercall.com or call (888) 858-6673 ext 1Read more about COVID-19 text messaging.

Do I need an opt-in for automated healthcare message calls or texts?

Yes.

Because some types of messages require a verbal opt-in and others require a written opt-in ( 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a) 2), it has become standard practice for healthcare providers to get a written opt-in from all patients. Furthermore, since we cannot monitor any verbal opt-ins collected by your organization, we require a copy of your opt-in form, email, or agreement.

To use the ReminderCall platform, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients.

Do I need a written opt-in to invite persons to an open-house event?

Yes.

All automated event invitations, (healthcare-related or not) can only be made to a cell phone with prior express written consent.

Source: Copilevitz, Lam, and Raney

Do I need an opt-in for advertising, marketing, surveying, or polling?

Yes.

All automated calls and text messages made to cell phones require prior permission from the recipient.

To use the ReminderCall platform for any messages that result in the sale of products or services, you must sign the Compliance Agreement where you acknowledge your legal responsibility to collect opt-ins from your recipients AND you must submit a copy of your opt-in form to help@remindercall.com.

Do I need an opt-in to send automated collection calls or text messages?

Automated collection calls or text messages are not allowed on the ReminderCall platform because it is not set up to meet the legal requirements set forth by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Do I need an opt-in to send automated emails?

No.

Automated emails are regulated by the CAN-SPAM Act which does not have an opt-in requirement. But, you must include an opt-out or unsubscribe mechanism. You must also fulfill all other CAN-SPAM requirements.

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL COUNSEL. It is your responsibility to abide by any federal and state laws applicable to your use of RSI Services. Please refer to our Terms of Service for more information.