Status texts customers can use

A simple formula for every update

Use this structure:

[Shop name] + [vehicle] + [current fact] + [next action or owner] + [next update]

Example:

Pecan Creek Collision: We completed teardown on your 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. We found additional quarter-panel damage and sent the supplement to the insurer today. We will update you when we receive a decision, or by Thursday if it is still pending.

It names the step, next decision, and update date without inventing an approval date.

Before using any template

• Write the way the front office speaks. Avoid shop shorthand.
• Use one customer-facing name for each stage. If the board says "Body 2," the customer message can say "body repair."
• Never call a target date a guaranteed completion date.
• Do not say a part is "ordered" when it is only quoted or requested.
• State who has the next move.
• Invite a reply and keep the conversation with the repair order.

1. Check-in and tracking link

Send this after the repair order is created and the customer has agreed to receive repair-related texts.

Hi [First name], we checked in your [Year Make Model] at [Shop name]. You can follow its repair status here: [Status link]. Reply here with questions or call us at [Shop phone].

If the shop has confirmed a target:

The current target completion date is [Date]. We will let you know if inspection, approval, parts, or repair conditions change it.

Use a date only when the repair plan and capacity support it.

2. Appointment or drop-off reminder

Reminder from [Shop name]: Your drop-off for the [Year Make Model] is scheduled for [Day, Date] at [Time]. Please bring [keys / insurer information / any required item]. Reply if your arrival time has changed.

If the booking is still a request, say so:

Hi [First name], [Shop name] received your request to drop off the [Year Make Model] on [Requested date]. Nothing is booked yet. We will contact you to confirm the day.

That one sentence prevents a request from being mistaken for an appointment.

3. Teardown complete and supplement submitted

[Shop name] update for your [Year Make Model]: Teardown is complete. We found [short description of additional damage] and submitted a supplement to [Insurer] on [Date]. We are waiting for their review. We will update you by [Day] even if the decision is still pending.

If a status page is available:

You can see the current repair status and shared photos here: [Status link].

Avoid "the insurance company is holding us up." State the fact and the next owner.

4. Parts delay or backorder

[Shop name] update for your [Year Make Model]: [Part name] is on backorder from [Vendor or manufacturer, if useful]. The latest ETA is [Date / not yet available]. We are [checking alternate suppliers / confirming whether other work can continue]. We will update you again by [Day].

If the wrong or damaged part arrived:

The [Part name] arrived, but it was [damaged / incorrect] and cannot be installed. We returned it and ordered a replacement. The current ETA is [Date]. We are reviewing the completion target and will update you by [Day].

5. Repair moved to the next production step

Good news from [Shop name]: Body repair on your [Year Make Model] is complete, and the vehicle has moved to [paint / reassembly / calibration / quality control]. The current target remains [Date]. We will let you know when it moves again.

Send a milestone update only after the vehicle actually moves.

6. Target completion date changed

[Shop name] update for your [Year Make Model]: The completion target has changed from [Old date] to [New date]. The reason is [plain explanation]. [Shop or outside party] is handling [next action]. We will confirm progress again by [Day].

If a new date is not supportable:

The previous target of [Date] no longer applies because [plain explanation]. We are working through [next action] and do not have a dependable new date yet. We will update you by [Day], even if that is still the status.

7. No-change update

[Shop name] update for your [Year Make Model]: We are still waiting for [approval / part / sublet completion]. There is no new decision today. We checked with [party] on [Date] and will follow up again [next action]. Your next update will be by [Day].

8. Ready for pickup and payment link

[Shop name]: Your [Year Make Model] is ready for pickup. Your balance is [Amount]. You can pay securely before arrival here: [Payment link]. We are open until [Time]. Reply with your expected pickup time or any questions.

Without stating the amount:

[Shop name]: Your [Year Make Model] is ready for pickup. You can review the balance and pay securely here: [Payment link]. We are open until [Time]. Reply with your expected pickup time or any questions.

Send customers to a secure payment page. Never text payment credentials.

9. Post-delivery follow-up and review request

Hi [First name], thank you for trusting [Shop name] with your [Year Make Model]. If anything about the repair needs attention, reply here so our team can help. If you would like to share your experience, you can leave an honest Google review here: [Review link].

Send the same honest-review invitation consistently. Google permits requests that reflect genuine experiences but prohibits incentives, discouraging negative reviews, and selectively soliciting positive reviews. See its fake-engagement policy.

Spanish templates for common repair messages

Have a fluent speaker review the shop's final wording.

Check-in

Hola [Nombre], registramos su [Año Marca Modelo] en [Nombre del taller]. Puede ver el estado de la reparación aquí: [Enlace de estado]. Responda a este mensaje si tiene preguntas o llámenos al [Teléfono].

Supplement waiting for approval

Actualización de [Nombre del taller] sobre su [Año Marca Modelo]: Terminamos el desmontaje y encontramos [descripción breve]. Enviamos el suplemento a [Aseguradora] el [Fecha] y estamos esperando su revisión. Le enviaremos otra actualización a más tardar el [Día].

Parts delay

Actualización de [Nombre del taller] sobre su [Año Marca Modelo]: La pieza [Nombre de la pieza] está pendiente. La fecha estimada de llegada es [Fecha / todavía no disponible]. Estamos [buscando otra opción / confirmando qué trabajo puede continuar]. Le actualizaremos de nuevo el [Día].

Ready for pickup

[Nombre del taller]: Su [Año Marca Modelo] está listo para recoger. Puede revisar el saldo y pagar de forma segura aquí: [Enlace de pago]. Estamos abiertos hasta las [Hora]. Responda con la hora aproximada en que llegará o si tiene preguntas.

The staff interface and customer message language can differ. The shop should review every version and be ready to understand the reply.

Consent and opt-out rules belong in the process

Templates do not create permission to text.

CTIA's best practices say non-consumer senders should obtain consent and honor opt-outs. The FCC allows revocation by any reasonable method. STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, and UNSUBSCRIBE are expressly recognized, as are reasonable plain-language requests. Revocation must be honored within a reasonable time, no more than 10 business days. See 47 CFR 64.1200 and the FCC's 2024 order.

Those are not a complete compliance plan. State laws, carrier rules, technology, and the shop's program may add requirements. Have qualified counsel review it.

AutoHound records consent and blocks outbound messages when no opt-in is on file. Consent is optional and not a condition of service. Replies stay in the shared inbox and on the RO.

Turn templates into a shop process

Set these operating rules:

• Owner: One role owns the next customer update on each RO.
• Trigger: Define the events that send or suggest a message, such as check-in, supplement submission, target-date change, parts delay, ready for pickup, and delivery.
• Cadence: If nothing changes, send an update by the date the customer was promised.
• Source: The message should use the current RO stage, owner, target date, and blocker.
• Reply path: Replies must reach a shared inbox that someone watches.
• Record: Keep the outbound message and reply with the repair order.
• Language: Maintain approved English and Spanish versions and review edits in both.
• Stop: Make opt-out handling automatic where possible and visible to staff.

Review templates quarterly. Fix missed placeholders and compare each message with what customers ask next. If everyone replies, "When will it be done?" the template missed the real question.

How AutoHound supports the workflow

AutoHound includes customizable English and Spanish templates, a shared inbox, and message history tied to the RO. Customers can receive a status link, see selected photos, review their balance, and use a secure payment link.

After delivery, the shop can automatically send a Google review request. If the customer replies with a problem, the reply returns to the shop so the team can follow up.

See Customer Messaging and Status for the full workflow, review the shop's SMS Terms and consent process, or open the AutoHound product explorer to see customer and adjuster communication on a repair.

Template checklist

Before saving a message, confirm:

• The shop is identified
• The vehicle is clear
• The message states a fact, not a vague status
• The next action and owner are clear
• The next update date is included when needed
• The completion date is a supported target, not a guess
• The customer can reply
• The template has been reviewed in each offered language
• Consent and opt-out controls are active
• The message will be stored with the RO

The best template is one the team sends consistently, the customer understands, and the next employee sees on the repair order.