Tweaking a guest message while keeping same scheduled trigger?

Chelsea V
Jan 12, 2022 2:13 PM
Joined Oct, 2021 8 posts

Hi folks,

I am trying to do something that I used to do quite easily in smartbnb.  For the life of me, I can't figure out if it's possible to do in OR.

Use case 1: 

Guest books.  They immediately get the initial automatic message that their booking has gone through. In smartbnb I would set up this message to go out about 1 hour after booking.  That would give me a chance to go in and tweak it or personalize it a bit if I have time.  I might say "It looks like you pick a great weekend for snow!" or "I'm sure you and your furry friend will have a great time."  I would go in and tweak this message and either send it immediately OR save it and have it go out as scheduled.

Can I do this in OR?

 

Use case 2:

The other use case is similar.  Seven days before arrival I send a message giving them the key codes and link to my digital guidebook.  It would be great to be able to tweak/personalize that message if I have time, and keep the original schedule.  From what I can tell, I can tweak those message, but then I have to send the edited message immediately.

The ability to personalize message and still have the option to keep to the schedule would be awesome.  Is this possible? 

Thanks everyone!

 

 

 

Shawn H
Jan 12, 2022 9:36 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2021 237 posts

HI Chelsea!

Use Case 1: Absolutely! One idea, you could modify your message to include a Booking field code in the message at the desired location. If you get to the booking in time, you could fill in some personalized warm-fuzzies into the Booking Field Code under the new Booking. If you don't make it in time, the regular message would send and the field code placeholder would not be included in the communication. So no harm, no foul. You can do multiple field codes in the same message... say for example, one for the first sentence and then one for the last.

Use Case 2: Yes, also possible! You could have separate Booking field code(s) for the pre-arrival message and do a similar thing. Again, the message could have most of the details needed for their stay so if you don't have a chance to personalize it using the field code(s), it could go out fine as scheduled and still be useful to the guest.

You set up custom field codes under Custom Field Definitions in Settings. If you do a custom Booking field code, you then would go under that Booking to the Custom Fields tab to define the specific info for Booking-based field codes.

Another example is, you can do Property-based custom field codes for things that are specific to that property but you might want to lessen how many email or Airbnb templates you need to build out.

Here's the support article on how to do custom field codes in messages with your guests --> Messaging - Create a pre-arrival email using email templates, triggers, and custom fields

-Shawn

Chelsea V
Jan 19, 2022 10:23 AM
Joined Oct, 2021 8 posts

This was amazingly helpful. I figured out the custom fields and they work just as you explained. So, problem solved.

Thanks so much.