Messages Hub & Inbox Guide

🌱Growth5 minutes

Messages Hub & Inbox Guide

Tier: 💼 Business Plan ($79/mo)
Time to read: 7 minutes

What is Messages Hub?

Messages Hub is your unified inbox for all guest communications. View, respond to, and manage messages across SMS, email, and internal notes—all in one place.

Key Features:

  • Unified inbox for all channels
  • Conversation threading
  • Quick replies and templates
  • Guest context at a glance
  • Team collaboration tools

Accessing Messages Hub

Navigate to Dashboard → Messages to access:

  • Inbox: All incoming messages
  • Sent: Messages you've sent
  • Approvals: Pending upsell approvals (if enabled)
  • Archived: Closed conversations

Inbox Overview

Message List

The inbox shows conversations organized by:

Sort Option Description
Recent First Newest messages on top
Oldest First Oldest unread first
VIP Priority High VIP score guests first
Property Grouped by property

Conversation Preview

Each conversation shows:

┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 👤 Sarah Johnson          Dec 4, 2:30p │
│ 📍 Mountain View Cabin                 │
│ 💎 VIP 92 • 6 stays • Direct           │
│                                        │
│ "Thanks for the check-in info! What    │
│ time does the hot tub close?"          │
│                                        │
│ [SMS] [Reply] [Archive]                │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘

Status Indicators

Icon Meaning
🔵 Unread message
✅ Replied
⏰ Awaiting response
📌 Pinned
🔒 Archived

Message Channels

SMS Messages

Incoming SMS replies appear in your inbox:

  • Guests reply to guidebook texts
  • Two-way conversation in thread
  • Uses your SMS credits to reply

Email Replies

Guest responses to email campaigns:

  • Reply-to address captures responses
  • Thread shows full conversation
  • Can reply directly from inbox

Internal Notes

Private notes visible only to your team:

  • Add context about guests
  • Document special requests
  • Flag issues for follow-up

Reading & Replying

Opening a Conversation

  1. Click any conversation in the list
  2. Full thread loads on the right
  3. Guest info panel shows context

Guest Context Panel

When viewing a conversation, see:

┌─ Guest Info ─────────────────┐
│ Sarah Johnson               │
│ sarah@email.com             │
│ +1 (555) 123-4567          │
│                            │
│ 💎 Platinum VIP (92)        │
│ 📊 6 stays • $8,500 LTV    │
│ 📍 Mountain View Cabin     │
│                            │
│ Current Booking:           │
│ Dec 3-8, 2025 (5 nights)   │
│ Status: Checked In         │
│                            │
│ [View Profile] [Edit]      │
└────────────────────────────┘

Sending a Reply

  1. Type your message in the reply box
  2. Choose channel (SMS or Email)
  3. Click Send or press Ctrl+Enter

Note: SMS replies use your monthly credits.

Quick Replies & Templates

Using Quick Replies

Save time with pre-written responses:

  1. Click the ⚡ Quick Reply button
  2. Select from saved templates
  3. Edit if needed, then send

Creating Templates

  1. Go to Messages → Templates
  2. Click "+ New Template"
  3. Write your template with variables
  4. Save and categorize

Template Variables

Use placeholders for personalization:

Variable Replaced With
{guest_name} Guest's first name
{property_name} Property name
{check_in_date} Arrival date
{check_out_date} Departure date
{wifi_password} WiFi password
{access_code} Guidebook code

Example Templates

Check-in Reminder:

Hi {guest_name}! 👋

Just a reminder that check-in at {property_name} 
is at 3pm today. Your guidebook has all the 
details: {guidebook_link}

Your access code: {access_code}

Safe travels!

Hot Tub Hours Response:

Hi {guest_name}!

Great question! The hot tub is available 
24/7 during your stay. The cover lever is 
on the left side.

Enjoy! 🛁

Conversation Management

Pinning Conversations

Pin important conversations to stay at the top:

  • Click the 📌 icon
  • Pinned items stay visible
  • Useful for ongoing issues

Archiving

Archive resolved conversations:

  1. Click Archive button
  2. Conversation moves to Archived
  3. Can be restored anytime

Marking Read/Unread

  • Click the 🔵 icon to toggle
  • Mark as unread for follow-up
  • Helps with inbox zero workflow

Searching

Find past conversations:

Search: "hot tub" 
Filter: Property: Mountain View
Filter: Date: Last 30 days

Approvals Tab

Business Plan Feature

Review and approve pending requests:

Upsell Approvals

When guests request upsells:

┌─ Approval Request ───────────────────┐
│ 🛒 Late Checkout Request             │
│                                      │
│ Guest: Sarah Johnson                 │
│ Property: Mountain View Cabin        │
│ Service: Late Checkout (2pm)         │
│ Price: $75                           │
│                                      │
│ [✅ Approve] [❌ Decline] [💬 Reply] │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘

Approval Actions

Action Result
Approve Confirms request, notifies guest
Decline Rejects request, notifies guest
Reply Ask guest for more info

Auto-Approval Rules

Set up automatic approvals:

☑️ Auto-approve upsells under $50
☑️ Auto-approve requests from VIP guests (80+)
☐ Auto-approve all requests

Team Collaboration

Assigning Conversations

Assign conversations to team members:

  1. Open conversation
  2. Click Assign
  3. Select team member
  4. They receive notification

Internal Notes

Add notes only your team sees:

  1. Click + Add Note
  2. Write your note
  3. Visible to team, not guest

Mentions

Tag team members in notes:

@john Guest requested early check-in, 
can you coordinate with cleaner?

Notifications

Real-Time Alerts

Configure how you're notified:

Event Email Push In-App
New message ✅ ✅ ✅
Reply needed ✅ ✅ ✅
Approval request ✅ ✅ ✅
Mention ✅ ✅ ✅

Notification Settings

Go to Settings → Notifications to customize:

  • Turn off after-hours notifications
  • Set priority thresholds
  • Choose notification sound

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
J / K Next/previous conversation
R Reply
E Archive
S Star/pin
U Mark unread
Ctrl+Enter Send message
/ Focus search

Analytics & Reports

Message Metrics

View in Messages → Analytics:

Metric Description
Response Time Avg time to first reply
Messages Sent Total outbound messages
Messages Received Total inbound messages
Resolution Rate % conversations resolved

Response Time Goals

Track your performance:

🟢 Under 1 hour: Excellent
🟡 1-4 hours: Good
🟠 4-24 hours: Needs improvement
🔴 Over 24 hours: At risk

Channel Breakdown

See which channels guests prefer:

SMS: 65% of messages
Email: 30% of messages  
Internal: 5% of messages

Best Practices

For Fast Response Times

  1. Enable push notifications
  2. Use quick reply templates
  3. Set up auto-responses for common questions
  4. Check inbox at set times

For Guest Satisfaction

  1. Personalize responses with guest name
  2. Reference their booking details
  3. Be proactive with information
  4. Follow up after resolving issues

For Team Efficiency

  1. Assign conversations clearly
  2. Use internal notes for context
  3. Archive resolved conversations
  4. Review metrics weekly

For Inbox Zero

  1. Process messages in batches
  2. Reply, delegate, or archive immediately
  3. Use filters to prioritize
  4. Schedule time for non-urgent items

FAQ

Can guests see internal notes?

No, internal notes are private to your team only.

Do SMS replies count against my credits?

Yes, each SMS reply uses one credit from your monthly allowance.

Can I reply to emails from the inbox?

Yes, email replies are sent from your connected email address.

How long are messages stored?

Messages are stored indefinitely and can be searched anytime.

Can I export conversations?

Yes, go to Messages → Export to download conversation history.

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