Overview

Let’s face it—guest messaging takes too much time. Proper guest communication, at scale, is both an art and a science. You must balance providing a personal touch to each message with quick replies to ensure your Superhost status. You must be able to interweave scheduled messages that provide the most necessary listing details with ad hoc customized messages that answer the specific guest questions as they come up. 

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The question is: is there a right way to do it? Or better yet: what’s the right way to automate Airbnb messages? In this blog, we are going to break it all down. We will go through how to set up scheduled messages on the Airbnb platform, how to do the same on your property management system, when to send these scheduled messages, and finally a third option: using AI to automate the rest of your guest messages. 

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Let’s begin.

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Setting Up Automated Messages

Today's guests value autonomy and control when managing their stay. With strategically timed messages throughout the guest journey and a splash of AI messaging, you can align with their expectations and enable them to enjoy their stay without worru.

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Airbnb Automated Messages + Scheduled Messages

The Airbnb platform and support docs have a detailed explanation of how to set up scheduled messages so you can set them up and start sending. You can find the templates and setup guides here. Assuming you are familiar with how to set this up to ensure quick replies, take a look at this example below.

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This is one of the common use cases of an Airbnb scheduled message: a booking confirmation. Using Airbnb’s Shortcodes, Airbnb hosts can make sure each booking confirmation message is accurate and personalized to kick off their 5-star experience. For Airbnb hosts of all sizes, this feature from the Airbnb platform is an excellent way to start your communication with Airbnb guests before their stay. 

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Automate Messaging Using By Building Message Templates in Your PMS

This is where you will spend most of your time handling guest communication (unless you use AI messaging tools like HostAI), so it’s important to demonstrate how to set this up. Setting up automated messages in your property management system is crucial because the reality is that you are listing your properties to other platforms—not just Airbnb guests. By building your scheduled messages in your property management system, you can ensure quick replies for guests coming from all booking channels that you are listed on. 

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Here’s how to set up an automated message thread on Guesty. (For a more detailed description, view their article here.)

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Go to Automation then “Auto-Message”

Once here, create a template and apply some conditions like which listing details you want to use, the appropriate timing for dispatch, which booking channels, whether payment has been settled, and more.

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Choose How and to Whom You Want This New Message to Be Sent To

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Customize the Message

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Click on 'Add variable' to include a placeholder that will automatically fill in the necessary guest and listing details upon sending the message, such as guest names, check-in times, listing addresses, and more.

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If you don’t use Guesty, be sure to take this same approach and apply it to your PMS.

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Automate Messages With AI

A third way to handle Airbnb automated messages is with AI. The difference between this approach and other guest messaging alternatives is that you can use a Large Language Model (LLMs) to pull out the most important info from every new message and deliver quick replies with all of the relevant details and key info in a personalized way for each guest. 

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One example of this is getting potential guests to book a new reservation. Instead of using scheduled messages to encourage the guest to book, you can use HostAI’s Inquiry Winback feature which allows you to follow up with potential guests who haven’t made a booking and re-engage them to book a stay. 

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This approach isn’t a scheduled message. Instead, HostAI analyzes the conversations and reaches out to a guest in a way that matches the flow of the existing conversation to make it feel natural. See a video explanation of how to set it up .

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Using AI to automate your guest messaging is becoming an increasingly common practice. The reason is three-fold. The first is that you can ensure quick replies to guests. The second is that you don’t have to worry about sending long messages with your whole house's manual details which is a 5-minute read for your guest to comb through. The third is that using AI for your guest communication saves you valuable time that you can spend on more important aspects of your operation. 

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To learn more about using AI to handle Airbnb automated messages or to automate your messaging across all of your channels, see our breakdown of the top AI Airbnb Softwares on the market here.

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Airbnb Automated Messages That Are Essential For Every Guest Stay

People fear uncertainty. Scheduled messages throughout a guest’s stay, paired with physical (or digital) material like a Welcome Book or House Manual, remove the uncertainty in their Vacation Rental guest experience and give you the breathing room to manage your operations with confidence. 

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To effectively manage guest communication and enhance their overall experience, it's beneficial for hosts to employ a strategy of automated/scheduled Airbnb messages throughout the guest's stay. 

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Here's an expanded guide with specific examples and variables hosts might use:

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Pre-Stay Automated Messages

1. Inquiry Response: As soon as you receive an inquiry, send an automated message to let them know their inquiry was received. Example:

"Hello [guest name], thank you for your interest in [listing name]. I'm currently [away/asleep], but I wanted to quickly acknowledge your message. I'll get back to you with more details shortly. Feel free to ask any questions you might have!"

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2. Booking Request Response: When a guest sends a booking request without using Instant Book, respond with a message that pushes them through the purchase funnel. Example:

"Hi [guest name], I'm thrilled you're considering [listing name] for your stay! Each guest's experience is important to me, and I strive to make [listing name] a memorable place. Please let me know if you have any specific questions or requests!"

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3. Booking Confirmation: Once a booking is confirmed, send a message to welcome the guest and provide them with your digital guidebook for local tips. Example:

"Congratulations [guest name], your booking at [listing name] is confirmed! To help you get started on planning your adventure in [city/area], check out our digital guidebook [link]. Also, expect a message with check-in details [three days before your check-in date]."

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4. Pre-Check-In Information: Four days before arrival (or whatever number of days you prefer), send detailed check-in instructions, house rules, a phone number to call, and even the Wifi password to avoid last-minute confusion. Example:

"Hello [guest name], your check-in date at [listing name] is coming up! Here are the check-in details: [check-in process]. This information is also in our digital guidebook [link], which includes our recommendations for [local attractions/dining]."

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During Stay Automated Messages

5. Check-Up Message: The day after check-in, reach out to see how they have settled in. 

"Good morning [guest name], I hope you're enjoying your stay at [listing name]! If there's anything you need or have questions about, please don't hesitate to reach out."

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6. Pre Check-Out Reminder: The day before their departure, remind guests of the check-out time and procedures. Example:

 "Hi [guest name], we hope you've had a wonderful stay at [listing name]! As a reminder, check-out is at [check-out time] tomorrow. Please let us know if you have any last-minute questions."

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7. Post Check-Out Appreciation: After guests check out, thank them for their stay and express your hope for a positive 5-star review. Example:

"Thank you [guest name] for choosing [listing name]! We hope you had an excellent stay. We strive for a 5-star experience for our guests and would appreciate your feedback. Looking forward to hosting you again!"

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Post-Stay Automated Messages

8. Review Reminder: If a guest hasn't left a review a few days after their stay, gently remind them. Example:

"Hi [guest name], we hope you enjoyed your stay at [listing name]. If you have a moment, we'd greatly appreciate it if you could leave us a review. Your feedback helps us improve and helps future guests know what to expect."

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9. Friends & Family Discount: To encourage repeat bookings during off-peak times, offer discounts to past guests. Example:

"As a thank you for staying with us, we're offering a special discount for your next stay at [listing name], or if you recommend us to your friends and family. Just use the code [discount code] for [percentage] off your next booking!"

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By personalizing each communication with details specific to the guest and their stay, hosts can reduce the need for back-and-forth messaging, provide guests with a seamless experience, and encourage positive reviews and repeat visits. 

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Conclusion

Automated messages simplify communication with guests in vacation rentals at every point in the guest journey, whether that’s handling booking inquiries to sharing house rules. By setting up templates for these common use cases, you can ensure that all necessary information is given to the guest in a timely, digestible way.

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Additionally, integrating AI tools like HostAI can further streamline this process, allowing for even more personalized and timely interactions without the need for constant manual input. This approach saves hosts significant time and keeps your message thread clear, informative, and consistent for every new reservation.

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Happy hosting.