The dream: Effortless, five-star service for every guest, every time.
The reality? There’s a line at the front desk, phones are ringing, a VIP’s eyeing you for an upgrade and someone’s waving their phone from across the room mouthing ‘Wi-Fi?!’
Giving guests enough attention is a balancing act that’s always playing out in hotel lobbies, and it’s often limited by team size and sheer bandwidth. But here’s the game-changer: AI-powered hotel guest messaging. Using AI to automate communication frees up hotel staff for better in-person interactions while giving guests instant service 24/7.
Here, we explore how to use AI-powered hotel guest communication to scale service without scaling phone calls. You’ll learn how AI communication improves guest satisfaction, increases direct bookings and slashes third-party booking fees—all while freeing up your team to focus on great hospitality.
Key takeaways include:
Guest messaging is a simple way for hotels to communicate with potential and current guests. It taps into a behavior familiar to all of us: messaging on our devices. That makes it an intuitive choice for guests of all kinds: 73% of travelers prefer booking with companies that communicate travel plans, reminders and updates via text.
Whether answering questions on a hotel’s website to lock in a booking, offering pre-stay support or providing updates during a stay, guest messaging is the trifecta of effortless communication, better guest experiences and more direct bookings.
If you think hotel guest messaging is only about freeing up staff and creating operational efficiency, it’s time to think even bigger. On top of handling traveler’s questions, automated guest messaging lets you handle more communication in less time to hit key hotel metrics.
Website visitors browse, compare prices…then often, they hesitate. Yet, your website is where you have the most power to turn browsing into booking. With AI chatbot software, guests always get instant help when they need it. This virtual assistant is embedded on your website and available 24/7 to answer questions and guide guests toward a direct booking.
Last-minute plan changes happen, but your hotel shouldn’t have to wait until midnight to spot and act on no-shows. AI can analyze past booking patterns to recognize high-risk reservations in advance and send personalized reminders or offer easy modifications. This reduces no-show rates and gives you another opportunity to fill the room for the night, turning potential no-shows into salvaged stays.
Every interaction is a chance to upsell or cross-sell, but overwhelmed employees may not always be able to take the time to capitalize on them. Automated guest messaging makes sure you communicate your add-ons with every guest at the right time: offering in-room dining options for late arrivals, a spa discount on day two or a promo when they ask about the lobby bar can boost upsells by up to 200%.
Direct bookings cut third-party fees, but still carry costs and time investment in the form of staff answering calls and emails. Staffing, however, is already a challenge: 65% of U.S. hotels face staffing shortages.
AI-powered messaging is able to handle multiple booking inquiries at once, freeing up time and driving reservations without sacrificing speed or service. With consistently low customer acquisition costs, AI bookings may even become their own category as more hotels begin to adopt this technology.
Hoteliers already create a competitive advantage by being an early adopter of AI tech, but the real advantage is created with long-term use. AI agents effortlessly analyze, continuously learning guest preferences over time and increasing their ability to anticipate needs with every interaction.
For example, a guest's request to refill an in-room snack they loved no longer ends with its delivery. With AI-powered guest messaging, the request becomes a learned preference and the system can inform housekeeping to restock that snack for every room refresh. And if that traveler becomes a repeat guest? You can surprise them with extra snacks upon arrival for a personalized touch.
Like any tool, the best guest messaging software is only as powerful as how you use it. Not every feature will fit your hotel, but the key is spotting the right opportunities AI can enhance. Here are nine top hotel guest messaging tactics to drive more direct bookings.
If your guest data reports give you a headache more than they put heads in beds, it’s time to let AI do the heavy lifting.
Automated guest messaging lets you personalize outreach effortlessly, whether it’s a birthday message to past guests or a warm welcome message upon arrival (do include that Wi-Fi password!). Every interaction is tailored and timely.
Timing is everything when a potential guest reaches out. Wait too long and their attention shifts: You’re no longer just competing with other hotels, but with whatever grabs their focus next.
An instant AI-powered webchat response keeps the conversation going effortlessly before interest fades. No lost leads, no need to re-engage.
When guests are interested in add-ons, context and timing are the factors that spur action (aka conversions). What might that look like at your hotel? Here are some ideas:
By responding intelligently to guest inquiries, an AI guest messaging platform makes upselling feel like great service, not a sales pitch.
In a time when a notification can distract us in an instant, over 70% of consumers abandon carts across industries. A simple follow-up using automated guest messaging can be the reminder they need to complete their booking.
Best of all, the system handles it independently. No extra work, just more direct bookings.
Timing matters, and guest messaging is here to promote timely offers. Whether it’s a local festival, a business conference or a seasonal holiday, automated messages help guests take advantage of relevant services, in-house events, special rates or exclusive perks.
A wine festival is in town: Why not make it effortless for guests to indulge with a message about a special tasting? Early morning conference attendees don’t have to skip breakfast when a text offer can result in a grab-and-go meal at their door. Promotions that naturally fit into a guest’s plans are seamless enhancements to their stay.
Guests love a good deal and hotel guest messaging makes it simple for guests to opt in to receive exclusive offers, giving your hotel a direct line to engaged travelers.
A simple “Want early access to special rates? Tap to subscribe!” can turn casual visitors into loyal guests who book directly every single time.
The best time to enhance a guest’s stay? Before they even check in. With guest messaging software, hotels can seamlessly suggest upgrades, dining reservations or exclusive experiences during the often overlooked pre-stay period. JD Power reports that satisfaction scores can drop by 66 points without pre-stay communication, so don't miss the opportunity to connect!
Here are some ideas:
Upselling is one thing, but automated personalization creates truly great deals by showing a deep understanding of what guests want.
Guest feedback on 3rd party review platforms shapes booking decisions and a strong reputation fuels future stays. With guest messaging for hotels, collecting and improving reviews is easier than ever.
When automated guest messaging handles these touchpoints, no opportunity to make things right or to amplify praise is ever missed.
Tracking conversions is about collecting the right data and using it at the right time. The good news: With guest messaging software, every interaction becomes a visible data point.
Here are the key metrics that are made easy to track and optimize with automated messaging:
By continuously learning and adjusting, automated guest messaging turns insights into smarter, more effective communication.
For guests, using hotel guest messaging is as natural as sending a text. For your team, Canary’s Guest Messaging solution is just as seamless. It integrates with your PMS and every conversation flows into one unified inbox, eliminating missed messages and scattered communication.
With Canary AI, you unlock:
Are you ready for smoother operations, happier guests, and higher revenue with minimal effort? Request a demo today.
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