Common questions: customer emails, sender name, and text messages

Quick answers about the emails and (not yet available) text messages Renta sends for you.

Where to find it

• Email templates and sender name: Settings → Emails (page title "Email Templates"). The same list is in the sidebar under Communications → Email templates.
• Text message settings: the SMS page at /settings/sms. It is not on the Settings page, because no text provider is connected.

Questions and answers

What emails does Renta send my customers automatically?

The list on the Email Templates page covers: Booking Confirmed, Pre-Ride Reminder, Post-Ride Follow-Up, Booking Completion, Re-Engagement, Waiver Reminder, Review Request, three receipts (Receipt — Payment Received, Receipt — Refund Issued, Receipt — Booking Completed), Receipt — Sent by Hand, and Unfinished Booking. There is also None — send by hand only for wording you send yourself. See Your customer email templates.

How do I turn an automatic email on or off?

In the table, press the Active or Inactive button in the Status column. Turning on one of the three automatic receipts also starts sending that receipt automatically.

Which emails are off unless I turn them on?

Booking Completion is off by default. Unfinished Booking (sent once to someone who started a booking and did not finish paying) stays off until you turn it on. Renta notes that those people did not ask to hear from you, so it is your decision.

How do I change the wording or the subject of an email?

Press Edit on its row, change the Subject Line and the message, and save. Receipts build their own itemized body, so for a receipt you write the subject and a message above and below it. Preview shows the finished email, and Clone makes a copy to start from.

How do I add a new email template?

Press + New Template. Choose the Trigger (when it sends), the Delay (hours), write the Subject Line and message, and keep Active ticked (it starts ticked) if you want it used.

What does "Delay (hours)" mean?

How long after the trigger moment Renta waits before sending. 0 means send right away (the table shows "Immediate"). For a Pre-Ride Reminder it counts hours before pickup, for a Post-Ride Follow-Up hours after return, and for Unfinished Booking hours after the booking hold expires.

How do I put the customer's name in an email?

Type `{{customer_name}}` in the subject or message, or press its button in the list of variables under the editor. Renta swaps in the real value when the email goes out. The editor only lists the variables that work for the trigger you chose, and warns "Heads up" if you use one that will not be filled in.

What does "Included documents" do?

It adds links Renta builds for you between your text above and below: Receipt, Waiver, Payment link (left out when nothing is owed), and Add-ons. There is also a Checklist choice, but it says it is not available yet.

How do I see when each email last went out?

The Last sent column shows when the email last went out, or "Never" in grey italics.

How do I change the name customers see on my emails?

Go to Settings → Emails and edit Sender name in the Sender card, then press Save sender settings. If you leave it blank, Renta uses your business name. See The From name and reply-to address on your emails.

How do I change where customer replies go?

Edit Reply-to address in the same card. Leave it blank to use your business contact email. If you have no contact email either, the card warns "Leave blank and replies go nowhere", so set one in General settings or type one here.

Can I send from my own email address or domain?

Not yet. The card's "In their inbox" preview shows the sending address, which is fixed, and says "using your own domain requires DNS setup and isn't available yet." Your sender name and reply-to address are the parts you can change.

Why do my customers' emails come from a Renta address?

Every email goes out from the same Renta sending address. Customers see your Sender name next to it, and their replies go to your Reply-to address.

Can I email one customer by hand instead?

Yes, use Compose under Communications in the sidebar. See Sending a one-off email to a customer.

Can Renta text my customers?

Not at the moment. No text provider is connected, so every notification goes by email. The SMS page shows "No SMS provider is connected. SMS delivery is disabled until one is configured."

Why are "SMS only" and "Email + SMS" greyed out?

For the same reason: the options read "SMS only (needs a text provider)" and "Email + SMS (needs a text provider)", and only Email only can be chosen. The three messages you could route are Booking confirmation, Pre-ride reminder, and Waiver reminder. See Choosing which messages go by text vs. email.

Where is the text message log?

On the SMS page, the Message Log tab. It stays empty while no text provider is connected. See Every text message Renta has sent or received.

Do customers have to agree before they get texts?

Yes. The SMS page says messages are only sent to customers who have opted in, either by ticking the SMS checkbox at checkout or by turning on SMS in their account settings.