In addition to Stage message, you can set up multiple Follow-Up messages that will notify the applicant if they haven't completed that Stage. Follow-Up messages are sent based on idle time (in days). If the applicant has been inactive in that stage in X days, they can receive a Follow-Up message. This means that applicants who are diligent at completing the steps in a timely manner, won't receive Follow-Up messages.
Each Follow-Up message can be different allowing you to tailor your communication to be more compelling or express a sense of urgency as time progresses.
Add Follow-Up Messages
From the Workflow Editor, click on the Stage you wish to edit.
On the right side of the Workflow Editor, find the Follow-Up Message section.
Click on the Add Message button.
We recommend adding a Follow-Up message in Message Templates within Company Settings and linking to it by clicking on the dropdown under Use Message Template.
This option will only show up if you have already created a Follow-Up Message Template.
If you want to add a new individual email or text Follow-Up message, click on Add Email to compose the email and/or click on Add SMS to compose the SMS. If you create these Follow-Up messages individually, you will not be able to use them for future openings. Therefore, we recommend using the Message Templates option.
Click Save Message.
When back in the Workflow Editor screen, within the Add Follow-Up Message section, type in the number of Delay (days). This is the number of days the applicant will be idle for before the message is sent.
If you want to send several Follow-Up messages, click + Add Message.
Important Warning: Don't Spam
Fountain doesn't restrict you on how many Follow-Up messages you can add, but we recommend making no more than three Follow-Up messages. You may also want to stagger your messages so they are not sent back to back. Please keep in mind that sending out too many Follow-Up messages will not encourage applicants to take action, but rather deter them from taking action.
Edit Follow-Up Messages
You will edit the Follow-Up message the same way as adding the message above, by going to the Stage's Follow-Up Message section through the Workflow Editor. Click on the Pencil Icon by the message you want to edit, then click on View Email or View SMS when you are in the editing message screen.
If you used a Template, click the Edit Template link under the template name, which will take you to Message Template to make your edits.
Important Note:
The changes you make to the Template will affect any stages that use this Follow-Up Message Template. If you want the Template changes to only affect this message for this stage and this opening, click unlink instead.
Idle Time
Follow-Up messages are triggered by the applicant's idle time in that stage. Applicants are considered idle if they have not taken the action associated with the stage they are in.
So, applicants become idle if they:
haven't been moved to another stage from a Custom Stage.
do not have a booked session in a Scheduler Stage.
have not submitted consent for a background check in a Background Check Stage.
have not submitted the data collection form in a Data Collection Stage.
have not signed the document(s) in a Document Signing Stage.
have not completed a lesson or course in a Learning Stage.
Applicants' idle times are reset when:
they are transitioned from one stage to another.
a background check email is sent to them.
their booked session on the calendar is created or updated.
their background check report is created or updated.
their document signature request is created or updated.
they have completed a lesson or course.
they have submitted a data collection form.
Existing Applicants Idle Time
Adding a Follow-Up message to a stage with applicants already in it WILL NOT retroactively send the message for some if they do not meet the trigger rule.
Example #1: Assume we have two applicants, A and B. A has been idle for 5 days and B has been idle for 1 day. We create a Follow-Up message with idle days = 2. Applicant B will receive the trigger message in 1 day; applicant A will never receive the message.
Example #2: Assume that we already have a trigger with idle days = 5 and there are two applicants, A and B, who are 1 day and 3 days idle, respectively. We update the trigger and set idle days = 2. Applicant A will receive the trigger message in 1 day (instead of 4 days); applicant B will never receive the message.
Disable Automated Messages
Sometimes, you may want to disable messages without completely deleting them. You can do this with the disable toggle.
Navigate to the Stage/Follow-Up message the same way you did above.
Toggle on Disable message.
That's it! This message will no longer be sent to applicants.
To start sending this message again, simply click the toggle to off.
Important Note:
This setting will not be retroactive; applicants in the past will not receive messages.