WhatsApp alerts
WhatsApp queue notifications for events
Cue tells guests on WhatsApp when their turn is near and when it's time to come over, in English or Arabic. They keep their place without watching a screen or standing in line.
The channel
Why WhatsApp?
A queue alert is only useful if the guest sees it in time. In the UAE and the wider Gulf, WhatsApp is the app people check first and keep notifications switched on for. A message there is more likely to be noticed than a push notification from an app they don't have, or an email in a busy inbox.
Guests also trust it. The message comes from your sender name, it sits in a chat they already use, and they can find their code again later by scrolling up.
Message flow
The messages guests receive
Here is a typical flow for one guest at the simulator in our automotive demo, from joining to rating the experience:
Joined
You're in the queue for Hot Lap Simulator, Layla. Your code is 4821. We'll message you when it's nearly your turn.
Get ready
Get ready, Layla. You're next at Hot Lap Simulator. Head towards the Sim Bay.
Your turn
It's your turn at Hot Lap Simulator, Layla. Show code 4821 at the Sim Bay. Your place is held for 10 minutes.
Call withdrawn
Your place at Hot Lap Simulator was released. You can join again from the app any time.
Rate the experience
Thanks for visiting Hot Lap Simulator, Layla. Your lap: 1:52.4. Tell us how it was: joincue.events/rate
The call withdrawn message only goes out if the marshal releases a place after the hold timer runs out. Every message is a template you can edit in the Event Studio, with variables for the guest's first name, the experience, their code, the meeting point and how long their place is held.
Languages
English and Arabic templates
Each template exists in English and Arabic, and guests receive messages in the language they chose when they joined. Here is the call message in Arabic:
Your turn
حان دورك في محاكي اللفة السريعة يا ليلى. اعرض الرمز 4821 في منطقة المحاكي. مكانك محجوز لمدة 10 دقائق.
Writing alerts
What makes a good queue message
- Short enough to read at a glance on a lock screen.
- The guest's first name and the experience, so it's clearly meant for them.
- The code to show and where to go, in that order.
- How long the place is held, so nobody panics or dawdles.
- One message per moment: joined, get ready, your turn. No reminders in between.
Cue's default templates follow these rules, and you can adjust the tone to match your brand.
Fallbacks
SMS and email when WhatsApp isn't available
Not every guest uses WhatsApp, and not every number can receive it. When a WhatsApp message can't be delivered, Cue falls back to SMS, and to email where the guest gave one. The pass in the browser shows the same call as an on-screen banner, and the venue screens show the code, so the call reaches guests by more than one route.
Consent
Consent and opt-in
Guests choose to receive queue alerts when they join, with clear wording that names you as the data controller. Queue alerts and marketing messages are separate choices, and marketing consent is optional and never pre-ticked. Contact details are used to run the queue and send alerts, and are deleted on your schedule after the event. Read more on data and privacy.
WhatsApp business messaging has its own rules for templates and opt-in. We set up your sender name and approved templates with you before the event.
See the messages arrive for yourself in the live demos: join from the guest app on your phone and call yourself from the console. Or read how the QR code queue system and queue management in the UAE fit together.
Do guests need to give a WhatsApp number?
They enter a mobile number when they join and agree to queue alerts. If the number isn't on WhatsApp, Cue uses SMS instead.
Can we change the wording of the messages?
Yes. Every message is an editable template in English and Arabic, with variables for the guest's name, the experience, their code and the meeting point.
Do messages come from our brand?
Yes. Messages go out under your sender name, so guests see your event, not Cue.
What if a guest doesn't see the message?
Their place is held on a timer. The pass shows the call as a banner, the venue screens show their code, and staff can send a second call before deciding to release the place.
Can we send marketing messages too?
Only to guests who opted in to marketing separately. Queue alerts and marketing are different choices, and marketing consent is never pre-ticked.