What is a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

An instant guest messaging platform is a software application that supports hotels in engaging with guests through various direct communication channels (Facebook messenger, SMS, iMessage, WeChat, Whatsapp, etc…). Such platforms allow hotels to reach guests on their preferred channel in real-time to send manual or automated messages (e.g. checking information or upselling offers) and receive requests. With guest messaging software, hotels will have all conversations from various sources aggregated and centralised in one place.

What are the benefits of using a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

• Increased efficiency: The fact that all messages are centralised in one place allows hoteliers to gain time and escalate guests' requests to specific team members. Also, most guest messaging platforms include a chatbot allowing for faster response times to basic property information questions.

• Better engagement with guests: Hoteliers will be able to meet their guests on their preferred medium, resulting in more interactions and increased satisfaction.

• More insights: As hoteliers will have the ability to engage with guests throughout their stay, rather than just post-stay surveys, more insights will be collected about guest sentiment, potentially avoiding negative reviews.

What are the most important features to look for in a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

• Multi-channel guest communication: depending on the customer segments and demographics, hoteliers should check which channels are supported by the system (facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, WeChat, iMessage, Viber, etc...)

• Website live chat: Instant guest messaging platforms should also provide hoteliers with a website live chat to have a single provider for both pre-booking experience and in-stay experience

• Messaging automation: By importing data from the hotel PMS and enabling customisable templates or bot technology, the platform should relieve hotel staff by automatically providing relevant answers and information to guests

• Multi-lingual: hoteliers should make sure to speak their customers’ language by selecting a tool that integrates automated message translation

• Ease of use and mobile ready: hotel staff is always on the move. Therefore, hoteliers should check the accessibility of the system as well as its ease of use

• Smart notifications and tasks assignment: the system should include both desktop and mobile notifications and should enable staff members to dispatch and assign tasks and requests to each other

• Integrations: hoteliers should make sure the system integrates to their existing PMS to pull guest data

What are the key integrations you should look for when selecting a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

• Property management system (PMS): guest messaging platforms should integrate 1-way to the PMS to retrieve guest data and use it accordingly

• Task management system: an integration to task management platform is essential to streamline processes by automatically escalating guest requests from the guest messaging platform

What is the typical pricing for a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

Most instant guest messaging platforms will charge a fixed recurring ranging from €50 to €100 per month.

What to expect when implementing a Multichannel Guest Messaging Platform?

Hoteliers can expect to go live with an instant guest messaging platform between 2 and 4 weeks. This will vary depending on the required integrations, the training sessions and the creation of answer templates.