SMS has a 98% open rate versus 20% for email. Under the Spam Act 2003, you need consent before sending commercial SMS, must include your business name, and cannot send before 9am or after 8pm.
What to automate via SMS: appointment reminders (48h and 2h before), missed call text-back, review requests (2-4h after service), payment reminders, and booking confirmations.
GoHighLevel includes SMS with Australian phone numbers. For standalone: Twilio, MessageBird, or BurstSMS (Australian-based). SMS costs $0.06-0.10 per message — 500 messages/month is $30-50.
SMS automation isn’t about marketing blasts — it’s about timely, relevant messages that improve the customer experience while reducing your workload.