Why Contractors Are Switching from QuickBooks Reminders

If you're a contractor in Quebec using QuickBooks Online, you've probably noticed that the built-in reminder feature doesn't do much beyond sending emails. For a lot of trades businesses, that's becoming a dealbreaker.

Here are the five most common reasons Quebec contractors are looking for something better — and what they're switching to.

1. Email-only reminders get ignored

QuickBooks sends email reminders and nothing else. No SMS, no text messages. For clients who are on job sites all day and don't check email until evening — or never — an email reminder is easy to miss.

SMS has a near-perfect open rate. When a reminder shows up on a client's phone screen, it gets read. QuickBooks doesn't offer that channel, so contractors are adding tools that do.

2. Limited bilingual control

In Quebec, you work with francophone and anglophone clients. QBO can send email reminders in the language set on each customer's profile — but it requires manual per-client configuration, applies to email only, and there's no way to default new clients to French.

For contractors with a mixed FR/EN client list, those missed configurations add up. Relanco sends reminders in the client's language automatically — French or English — via both SMS and email, based on the client record.

3. One tone fits all

QuickBooks lets you write different text for each of the three reminder stages, but the same message goes to every client. There's no automatic escalation based on how overdue each invoice is.

A 3-day overdue notice should sound different from a 45-day one. Relanco offers 5 tone levels — from friendly to final notice — that automatically escalate based on how overdue the invoice is.

4. No reply tracking

When a client replies to a QuickBooks reminder email, the reply goes to your inbox. It's not tracked in QuickBooks, not linked to the invoice, and not flagged in any dashboard.

Relanco tracks inbound SMS replies and flags them in your dashboard, so you know immediately when a client responds to a reminder.

5. No per-client control

QuickBooks applies the same reminder schedule to every client. Your best client who always pays within 30 days gets the same reminders as the one who's chronically 60 days late.

Relanco lets you customize sequences per client — or pause reminders entirely for specific clients — without affecting anyone else.

What contractors are doing about it

Most contractors don't want to replace QuickBooks. They like it for invoicing, reporting, and accounting. They just need the reminder piece to do more.

Relanco connects to QuickBooks Online via OAuth in under 5 minutes. It syncs your invoices, adds SMS and email reminders with bilingual support and escalating tone, and stops the sequence automatically when the client pays.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep QuickBooks and use Relanco?

Yes. Relanco connects to your existing QuickBooks Online account. Your invoices and client records stay in QuickBooks.

Does Relanco work for French-speaking clients?

Yes. Relanco sends reminders in the client's language — French or English — automatically.

How much does it cost?

$29 CAD/month for the Solo plan. 30-day free trial, no credit card required.

Read also: QuickBooks Invoice Reminders Don't Send SMS — Here's the Fix