Triggered messages for absence follow-up

Purpose

1.1. Automate sending personalized messages to members who have missed specific church events or services, facilitating engagement and pastoral care continuity.
1.2. Ensure all absentees are promptly followed up, reducing manual tracking workload, and supporting retention in the faith community.
1.3. Enable documentation of outreach attempts and responses in the church’s CRM or management system, improving long-term relationship management and reporting accuracy.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Absence detected via check-in system for one or multiple consecutive services/events.
2.2. Predefined absence threshold met (e.g., two or more weeks without attendance).
2.3. Custom tags such as “at-risk,” “new attendee,” or “youth group” flagged for priority follow-up.
2.4. Member profile updated with a leave of absence or prayer request status.

Platform Variants

3.1. Twilio (SMS)
• Feature/Setting: Messaging API — Configure automated “Missed You” texts triggered by absence flag, using TwiML for response handling.
3.2. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Transactional Mail API — Automated templated email to absentees, using dynamic templates for personalization.
3.3. Mailchimp
• Feature/Setting: Audience segments & automation workflows — Trigger journeys to absent members via audience activity criteria.
3.4. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhooks — Direct message to rostered leaders for manual outreach on absentees, or automated group reminders.
3.5. Microsoft Teams
• Feature/Setting: Power Automate — Post channel alerts or direct messages for follow-up coordination, integrating with attendance apps.
3.6. WhatsApp Business API
• Feature/Setting: “Session Messages” — Automated check-in via template message after missing events, triggered by attendance data.
3.7. Google Workspace
• Feature/Setting: Gmail Add-ons & Google Calendar Triggers — Email workflows based on “Did not attend” event guest status.
3.8. Zoho CRM
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Rules & Email Alerts — Automated follow-up task and email to contacts with missed attendance entries.
3.9. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Flow Builder — Scheduled or event-driven outreach to absentees, recorded as Activities under Contact.
3.10. Church Community Builder
• Feature/Setting: Process Queues & Communication Templates — Trigger pre-set absence emails or notifications to group leaders.
3.11. Planning Center
• Feature/Setting: People Workflow Automation — Send email/SMS when an individual is marked absent in Services or Groups.
3.12. Realm (ACS Technologies)
• Feature/Setting: Customized Communication Flows — Automate email/SMS after failed check-ins or consecutive misses.
3.13. Breeze ChMS
• Feature/Setting: Follow-Up Workflows — Trigger tasks and email/text messages upon absence patterns.
3.14. One Call Now
• Feature/Setting: Automated Voice Calling — Pre-recorded or text-to-speech message to absent members after event date.
3.15. Constant Contact
• Feature/Setting: Automated Email Series — Segmented campaign triggered by non-attendance status in imported list.
3.16. Viber Business Messages
• Feature/Setting: API Send Message — Automated message sent to absent group participants upon trigger.
3.17. Facebook Messenger (Messenger API)
• Feature/Setting: Automated message flow to page followers tagged ’recently absent’ in external database.
3.18. Microsoft Outlook
• Feature/Setting: Power Automate Connector — Auto-send personalized follow-up emails based on attendee tracking sheets.
3.19. Intercom
• Feature/Setting: Event-based Messages — Trigger follow-up chat or email when absence logged via API.
3.20. Telegram Bot API
• Feature/Setting: Scheduled or event-triggered message to user/chat group, configured via bot commands and webhook.
3.21. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automation — Track “last attendance” field and trigger communication to absent contacts.
3.22. ActiveCampaign
• Feature/Setting: Automations — Tag contacts as absent and initiate SMS/email sequence accordingly.

Benefits

4.1. Ensures swift, consistent pastoral outreach to members at risk of disengagement.
4.2. Reduces staff and volunteer administrative workload, freeing time for high-touch ministry.
4.3. Data-driven process enhances tracking and accountability of engagement efforts.
4.4. Increases probability of attendance resumption and member retention via timely, personal touchpoints.
4.5. Supports leadership visibility into attendance trends and necessary interventions.