Messaging
Communicate with guests across channels
Conversation List
The left panel displays all guest conversations, organized with the most recently active at the top. This is your central hub for all guest communications.
Guest Avatar & Name
Each conversation entry shows the guest's avatar (or initials) and their full name. This helps you quickly identify which guest you are communicating with, especially when managing multiple conversations.
Timestamp
The time of the last message in the conversation is displayed next to the guest name. Recent messages show the time (e.g. '2:30 PM'), while older messages show the date. This helps you prioritize responses to the most recent inquiries.
Channel Badge
A color-coded badge indicates the communication channel: WhatsApp (green), SMS (blue), Email (amber), or In-App (violet). This tells you which platform the guest is using so you can set appropriate response expectations.
Room Number
The guest's room number is displayed on each conversation entry, allowing you to cross-reference with other PMS modules. For example, you can quickly check their concierge requests or laundry orders by room number.
Last Message Preview
A truncated preview of the most recent message in the conversation is shown below the guest name. This gives you enough context to prioritize — you can see if the guest is asking a question, confirming a request, or reporting an issue without opening the full conversation.
Unread Count Badge
If a conversation has unread messages from the guest, a numeric badge appears showing the count. Conversations with unread messages are visually emphasized so they stand out. The total unread count across all conversations is shown in the panel header.
Search Conversations
A search bar at the top of the conversation list lets you find conversations by guest name or room number. This is essential when you receive a call or walk-in inquiry and need to quickly pull up the guest's messaging history.
Message Channels
The system supports 4 communication channels, each with distinct visual styling. The channel is set per conversation and determines how messages are delivered to the guest.
WhatsApp (Green, Phone icon)
Messages sent and received via WhatsApp. This is typically the most popular channel for real-time guest communication, offering rich media support and high read rates. Green color coding throughout the interface identifies WhatsApp conversations.
SMS (Blue, Smartphone icon)
Standard text messaging for guests who prefer SMS or don't have WhatsApp. Messages are kept concise due to SMS character limits. Blue color coding identifies SMS conversations.
Email (Amber, Mail icon)
Email communication for more formal or detailed messages. Best suited for confirmations, invoices, detailed itineraries, or when a written record is important. Amber color coding identifies email conversations.
In-App (Violet, MessageSquare icon)
Messages sent through the hotel's own app or guest portal. This channel is fully controlled by the hotel and doesn't rely on third-party services. Violet color coding identifies in-app conversations.
Chat Interface
Selecting a conversation from the list opens the full chat view where you can read the complete message history and send replies.
Chat Header
The top of the chat view shows the guest's name, their room number, and the channel badge. This persistent header ensures you always know who you are communicating with and through which channel, even in long conversation threads.
Message Bubbles
Messages appear as chat bubbles: outbound messages (from staff) are blue and right-aligned, while inbound messages (from the guest) are gray and left-aligned. This familiar chat layout makes conversations easy to follow.
Timestamps & Sender Names
Each message bubble shows the timestamp and the sender's name. For outbound messages, this identifies which staff member sent the reply. For inbound messages, it shows the guest's name. Timestamps help establish the conversation timeline.
Auto-Scroll
The chat view automatically scrolls to the most recent message when you open a conversation or when a new message arrives. This ensures you always see the latest communication without manually scrolling down.
Sending Messages
The message composition area at the bottom of the chat view lets you type and send replies quickly.
Text Input
Type your message in the input field at the bottom of the chat. The field supports multi-line text — press Shift+Enter to add a new line within your message. Keep messages professional, clear, and helpful.
Send with Enter
Press Enter to send your message. The message appears immediately in the conversation with your name and timestamp. If you need a line break, use Shift+Enter instead of Enter.
Send Button
Alternatively, click the Send button (arrow icon) to the right of the input field. The button is disabled when the input is empty to prevent sending blank messages accidentally.
Instant Message Display
Messages appear in the conversation immediately after sending, providing instant feedback. The conversation list also updates to show your new message as the latest in that conversation's preview.
Quick Templates
Pre-written message templates save time on common guest communications and ensure consistent, professional messaging.
Template Picker Button
Click the template button (next to the message input) to toggle the template bar. The template bar appears above the input field and shows all available pre-written message templates as clickable options.
Template Content & Variables
Templates contain pre-written messages with dynamic placeholders: {guestName} is automatically replaced with the guest's first name, and {roomNumber} is replaced with their room number. For example, 'Hello {guestName}, your room {roomNumber} is ready' becomes 'Hello Sarah, your room 305 is ready'.
Using a Template
Click any template to fill the message input with the template text (variables already replaced). You can then edit the text before sending if you need to customize it further. This is faster than typing common messages from scratch and ensures consistent communication standards.
Mobile Responsive
The messaging interface adapts for mobile devices, ensuring staff can communicate with guests from any device.
Toggle View on Mobile
On mobile screens, only one panel is visible at a time — either the conversation list or the chat view. Tap a conversation to switch to the chat view. This maximizes screen space for reading and composing messages on smaller devices.
Back Button Navigation
When viewing a chat on mobile, a back button (ChevronLeft icon) appears in the header. Tap it to return to the conversation list and select a different conversation. This provides intuitive navigation without losing your place in the current conversation.