Chat and guest support are two inseparable elements of managing holiday accommodation. Every day, owners and managers receive enquiries about bookings, access, check-in times or issues that arise during a guest’s stay. When these conversations come through via different OTAs and channels, keeping communication organised can become a real challenge.
To meet this need, Bookipro has introduced a new centralised chat system that allows users to view all conversations from a single dashboard within the PMS.
Why is it important to centralise guest messages?
As the volume of bookings increases, so does the number of conversations that need to be managed.
Without a unified tool, it is common to encounter situations such as:
- Bookings spread across various OTAs such as Booking or AirBnb.
- Difficulty finding old conversations.
- Slower responses.
- Risk of missing important appointments.
- More time spent on administrative tasks.
Centralising all communication within a single platform helps to maintain better control and enables us to offer guests a more professional experience.
A single panel for all conversations
Bookipro’s new chat feature brings together, on a single screen, the conversations relating to bookings managed via the Channel Manager.
From this dashboard, you’ll be able to view all your messages in a more convenient and organised way, without having to switch between platforms all the time.
Furthermore, access to the chat function is integrated within the PMS itself, alongside the other main management features.
Key benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
|
Unified conversation dashboard Built to scale and support professional property management |
Less time searching for messages Better suited for small property managers |
|
Centralized information Advanced and strategic |
Greater control over each booking Basic and operational |
|
Advanced search Automated and centralized |
Quick access to guests and properties Manual or limited |
|
Time-based filters Personalized support with direct contact |
Easy access to recent conversations No direct or personalized interaction available |
|
Sent message tracking Comprehensive occupancy, revenue, and pricing metrics integrated into the dashboard |
Better communication tracking Basic analytics, requiring data exports or additional integrations |
Contextual information in every conversation
One of the most useful features of this new tool is that each conversation displays relevant information straight away.
When you access a chat, you will be able to see:
- Guest’s name.
- Accommodation linked
- The OTA through which the booking was made.
- Message history.
- The user who submitted each response.
- Templates used in communication.
This enables any team member to quickly understand the context of the conversation without having to look up the booking separately.
Find any conversation in seconds
As the number of bookings increases, finding a specific message can become a difficult task.
That is why the system includes filters that allow you to:
- Search by guest name.
- Search by accommodation.
- Filter conversations by date range.
- Quickly view recent messages.
Thanks to these options, finding a specific conversation is no longer a tedious task but becomes a virtually instantaneous process.
Better coordination for the whole team
In many tourist accommodation establishments, several people are involved in guest services: reception, operations, housekeeping and customer service.
When each team member is working with different information, it is easier for errors or duplicate responses to occur.
By using a standardised tray:
- The whole team accesses the same information.
- The risk of misunderstandings is reduced.
- Internal coordination is improved.
- A more consistent level of service is provided to guests.
The result is more efficient management and a more satisfying experience for guests staying at your properties.
A feature built into Bookipro’s Channel Manager
This chat service is available to users who have Bookipro’s Channel Manager and have subscribed to the chat service.
What’s more, it also allows you to view conversations from the GuestApp, making it even easier to centralise communication with guests.
Communication is also part of the guest experience
When we talk about optimising the management of a holiday accommodation, we tend to think of prices, availability or automation. However, communication remains one of the factors that most influence guest satisfaction.
Having all your conversations organised in one place allows you to respond more quickly, work more efficiently and provide a more professional service.
And when things are easier for the team to manage, it’s usually better for the guest too.
A complete record for each guest
As well as replying to messages, having a unified conversation history makes it easier to keep track of each booking. All the information is centralised in one place, allowing you to quickly look up previous interactions and better understand each guest’s needs.
This is particularly useful when a single booking generates several enquiries before, during or after the stay. Rather than searching for information on different platforms, the team can access the full context of the conversation directly from the PMS, improving continuity of care and avoiding duplicate or contradictory responses. This also helps maintain consistent communication across different team members, reduces the risk of misunderstandings and enables faster, more informed decisions when handling guest requests or resolving issues.
Fewer platform changes, more time for management
One of the biggest challenges in managing holiday accommodation is the number of tools used on a daily basis. Checking messages on various OTAs, accessing the PMS, viewing bookings or coordinating tasks with the team can mean that a significant part of the working day is spent simply switching from one platform to another.
By integrating the chat function into the management system itself, the need to constantly switch between different systems is reduced. This not only streamlines day-to-day work, but also allows staff to devote more time to tasks that genuinely add value to the business and the guest experience. Furthermore, having all the information centralised minimises errors and improves coordination between different team members. All of this contributes to smoother, more efficient operations that are better equipped to handle a higher volume of bookings without complications or wasted time, while improving response times and creating a more consistent experience for both staff and guests.
For further information, please contact us; and if you’re not yet using Bookipro, request a demo and find out how it can fit into your operations.
