When sending messages to guests through the inbox or calendar, or as an automated message, you choose how it will be sent. Read more below about the options and limitations, depending on your distribution channels and type of message.
Sending options
-
via booking channel
- Message sent to guest's booking channel inbox
- Available for Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo only
-
via email
- Message sent to the guest's primary email in Guesty
- If the primary email is a proxy email, the guest will receive the message in the booking channel
- If the primary address is the guest's private email, the message will be sent to the guest's private email.
-
via SMS
- Available if the guest's cellphone number is saved in Guesty
-
via WhatsApp
- Available for messages sent from the inbox and calendar only
What is a proxy email address?
A proxy email is a unique email address used to facilitate communication between the booking channel and Guesty.
Depending on the guest contact details collected, you may have both a proxy email and a private email address for a guest. These are easily distinguished from each other; the proxy email will be a string of numbers and letters, for example:
60751cdf-d121-40a3935f9450336f@messages.homeaway.com.
Reservations made manually don't receive a proxy email.
Sending a one-off message
When a guest makes a reservation, the guest's details are automatically saved to the contacts list in Guesty. Learn more about setting up contacts.
You can reply to a guest or send a one-off message via the inbox or calendar. The options you have to send the message will depend on the booking channel and the guest's contact details in Guesty.
For example, if the contact details include an email address and a cellphone number, you will see the following options:
If the ability to communicate via booking channel inbox is available for the guest, it will appear as an option:
If there are no contact details for a guest, you cannot send a message. The only available option will be "Internal Note".
Sending an automated message
When creating an automated message, how you choose to send the message will depend on which channels you're connected to and what formatting you'd like to use.
Take the following considerations in mind when selecting a sending option.
What is the source of the reservation?
Due to Airbnb’s Off-Platform Policy, all communication between hosts and guests must remain on the Airbnb platform. This means that messages to Airbnb guests can only be sent via booking channel.
If the reservation is from Booking.com or Vrbo, and you are not using message formatting, send messages to the guest's booking channel inbox via booking channel.
Sending via Booking.com has the following limitations:
- You can only send your guest a message within 7 days after they have checked out or canceled their reservation.
- You must respond to your guest's message within 14 days.
- You cannot use URL shorteners in your message (such as TinyURL).
Sending messages to Expedia guests can be done in the following ways:
- The Expedia Communication Center:
If the guest's primary email address in Guesty is the proxy email address provided by Expedia, messages sent from the Guesty inbox are delivered to the Expedia Communication Center. Ask your Expedia account manager to make sure Expedia provides these proxy addresses when sending the reservation to Rentals United. In addition, add your Rentals United integration email as an authorized address in the Expedia platform. Failure to do so will default to the guest's private email and messages will not be displayed in Expedia. - The guest's private email address:
If the guest's private email is set as the primary address in Guesty, all emails, whether manual or automatic, will be sent to this address.
For reservations made through all other booking channels or platforms, the message will be sent to the guest's primary email address in Guesty.
Do you want to send images or use HTML?
If you would like to do any of the following then the only option to select is via email:
- Include images, videos, attachments, or links
- Use HTML for headings, lists, color schemes, and other elements
Automated messages sent via email will not be sent for Airbnb. There is no option to include images, links, etc. for Airbnb.
Do you want to send an urgent message?
To send a short message for your guest to see right away, select via SMS. Send a message to their phone for quick communication, for example a mid-stay or pre-checkout reminder.
See more information and limitations about sending messaging via SMS.
Specific channel messaging set up
To set up guest communication with these channels, make sure you have taken the following steps.
- Booking.com: Set Guesty as the connectivity provider in the Booking.com Extranet for each of your listings.
- Vrbo: Enable message sync by adding the Guesty integration email to your Vrbo account and as a contact for each of your listings.