Tip:
In addition to scheduled automated messaged, you have the option to send a one-time message to guests. See more information here.
Sending Automated Messages to Guests
When you first create a message automation rule, you select which type of message to send: Platform, email, or SMS. See the below to understand how each message type is sent, and the default settings if the original message type cannot be sent.
If you would like to change how a message is sent at a later time, you must create a new automation rule and switch off or delete the original rule.
Note:
For direct booking website guests, email and SMS messages will be sent to the guest's contact details. Platform messages will default to be sent to the guest's email.
Platform Message
- Sent to the guest via connected channel platform: Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com.
- If a channel is not connected: the message will be sent to the guest email address under contact details.
- If a reservation is not from a connected channel (e.g. direct website booking, Expedia): the message will be sent to the guest email address.
- If there is no guest email address: the message will be paused.
- You can reschedule a paused message after adding the email address.
- Sent from your account email address that is selected at the time of automation rule creation.
- Sent to the guest email address under contact details.
- If there is no guest email address: the message will be paused.
- You can reschedule a paused message after adding the email address.
Tip:
If you have a mix of reservations through channels and your direct booking website, you can create only platform type automation rules. Platform type messages will be automatically converted to be sent by email for direct bookings.
SMS Text Message
- Sent from a generic phone number.
- Sent to the guest phone number under contact details.
- If there is no guest phone number: the message will be paused.
- You can reschedule a paused message after adding the phone number.
If your automated message was not sent as expected, please review this article with helpful tips to troubleshoot and re-send.
Receiving Messages and Replying to Guests
Platform Messages / Unified Inbox
- Messages sent via connected channel platform can be found in the Unified Inbox.
- Filter the inbox by channel, search by guest name or reservation code.
- See more information here.
Emails
- If a guest replies to an automated email, it will be forwarded to your account email address that was selected at the time of automation rule creation.
SMS Text Messages
- Automated text messages are designed for one-way communication; they are sent from an unreachable phone number.
- If a guest replies to your text message, the message will be forwarded to your account's primary email address.