Mercumer - Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Mercumer Appointment Reminder system work?
You can use the Mercumer Appointment book as an online appointment diary. When you book an appointment with a client or patient, you enter their appointment in the appropriate timeslot, and check that you have the correct mobile telephone number listed for them. At the same time, you choose the type of reminder to send to the client. Then, you can sit back and relax. At the appropriate time before the appointment, a reminder message is sent by SMS to the client's mobile telephone.
Is there any software to download and install on my computer?
No. The special appointment book software runs with your web browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. You simply log in via a web page.
Can I choose what the message says?
Yes, you can make the message as personal as you like. You can even put the client's name, and the topic of the appointment (eg a child's name or a car's registration) into the message.
Do I have to type out the message every time I schedule a new appointment?
No. The Mercumer system is based on message templates. When you make a new appointment, you choose which template to use. The actual message is created using the message in the template, plus the client's name and the date and time of the appointment.
Can I send messages in languages other than English?
The language of a message is set in the template. You can create templates which use languages other than English. When you set the language of a template, the names of months and days of the week are automatically translated, so the appointment day will be shown in the language of the message template.
This system allows you to create separate templates for your clients based on their own preferred language.
Which web browsers and operating systems are supported?
The Mercumer application has been tested with:
  • Internet Explorer v7 and v8, Firefox v3.x, and Chrome v2 under MS Windows XP and Vista;
  • Safari v4 and Firefox v3 on Macintosh OS-X
  • Apple iPhone
  • It should work with all browsers less than 3 years old.
  • Mercumer does not work with IE versions 4, 5 or 6.
Do I have to enter telephone numbers into the system in a special format?
No, the program will let you enter telephone numbers in the format you prefer, with spaces, hyphens and brackets wherever you like. The number will be checked after you enter it, to ensure that it has the right number of digits and is in a valid number range for the type of number entered, in your country. If you want to enter a number of a telephone service in another country, you do have to enter it in full International format, beginning with '+' eg +61 495 660 233 instead of 0495 660 233 for a mobile number in Australia.
What should I do for my clients who don't have a mobile telephone?
If the client has a mobile number, but it is mostly turned off, you can enter it into the contact details, but mark it as inactive. If they really do not have a mobile telephone, leave the mobile number field blank. You can still send them reminder messages, either by e-mail, or voice. To send a voice reminder, you set the appointment reminder Schedules to be one which sends reminders of type 'voice'.
How do Schedules work?
With reminder schedules you can choose the type and quantity of reminders for each appointment. For each schedule you can set how long before or after an appointment a message is sent, in days, weeks or months. You can also set the type of message, as e-mail, SMS or voice. Examples of schedules are:
  • For someone who uses e-mail and SMS, and who has made the appointment 4 weeks in advance - an e-mail 1 week prior, SMS 1 day prior and E-mail 2 days after the scheduled appointment.
  • For someone who does not use e-mail or SMS - a voice call 2 days prior.
  • For someone who has made the appointment 12 months in advance - an e-mail 1 month prior, e-mail 1 week prior, SMS 1 day prior.
How do voice reminder messages work.
Mercumer provides the information needed for voice calls to be made by you or your staff or contractor. If a message is of type 'voice' it will be added to a list which is e-mailed to you. The e-mail will contain all of the details you need to telephone the client and confirm the appointment. Mercumer does not charge for this type of reminder. Mercumer currently does not offer appointment voice call services.
What happens to SMS replies to the messages sent out?
Currently, we recommend that the reply number is set to your mobile number, or that of a service set up for your office to receive messages. We are in the process of arranging for replies to be sent to you by e-mail.