Communicating with guests

To ensure your guests have a great experience at your property, you can use different tools to communicate with them from the time they book until they check out.

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Congratulations on receiving your first reservations with Booking.com! It's a great achievement. To ensure a smooth and successful guest experience, we recommend that you prepare your communication tools and channels in advance. Taking the time to set up effective communication can lead to positive reviews and repeat bookings.

Get in touch with your guests

Your guests' experience begins well before they arrive at your property. By using the right communication tools before, during, and after their stay, you can ensure that they have all the information they need and feel confident about their booking.

Responding thoughtfully to messages can also help you build a positive relationship with them, which can lower the likelihood of cancellations and earn you excellent review scores.

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If you need to get in touch with one of your guests via the extranet, but you're having trouble reaching them, don't hesitate to contact our Customer Service team. You can reach us via the extranet Inbox and our team will be available to help you resolve any issues you may be experiencing.

Tools for communicating with guests

Effective communication is key to providing excellent service and creating memorable experiences for your guests. By using the communication tools available to you, you can easily manage and respond to guest messages, answer questions, and provide timely and helpful information.
 

Extranet Inbox

The Inbox tab in the extranet is your go-to place for managing guest communication:

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Reservation messagesOn this page you can read and respond to messages from guests who have upcoming bookings with you. If you want to get in touch with your guests and provide them with any necessary information prior to their arrival, this is the place to do so.

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Booking.com messagesOn this page you can view and respond to any messages we send you regarding your property, account, or partnership. We want to keep you informed and up-to-date, so don't forget to check this section regularly.

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Guest Q&A: On this page you can answer questions from potential guests about your property. These answers will be displayed publicly on your property page, so be sure to provide helpful and informative responses to these questions.

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On the Messaging preferences page, which you can find under the Property tab, you have the option to modify your messaging settings, including notifications, message templates, and automatic replies.

Message templates

Message templates allow you to send pre-written messages at specific times, which can help streamline your communication process. Here are some practical examples of how you might use scheduled message templates:

  • When a guest makes a booking: “Thank you for booking with us!”
     
  • One week before arrival: “Check out our top local attractions!”
     
  • Three days before arrival: “Online check-in is available at our property!”
     
  • One day before arrival: “We’re looking forward to welcoming you tomorrow!”
     
  • On the day of arrival: “Please ring the doorbell on the right-hand side of the door.”
     
  • One day before departure: “Did you enjoy your stay? Please leave a review!”

Automatic replies

You can also set up automatic replies for frequently asked questions, such as check-in and check-out times or parking policies. At Booking.com, we split automatic replies into two categories:

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Responses to requests that fall within the applicable booking policy: The automatic reply for these requests is typically to accept them. For example, if a guest asks "Can I use the kitchen appliances?", you can set up an automatic response that says "Guests are welcome to use all of the property’s facilities, including kitchen appliances".

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Responses to requests that fall outside of the applicable booking policy: The automatic reply for these requests is typically to reject them. These automatic replies can be paired with message templates with further explanation, such as "Sorry, we don't allow pets in the rooms".

While automated message templates can be a time-saver, it's important to remember that guests value personal connection. Taking the time to personally respond to messages you receive can help build strong relationships with your guests and ultimately lead to better reviews.

Set up templates and automatic replies Learn more

 

The Pulse app

The Pulse app is a simple tool that allows you to do many of the things you can do on the Booking.com extranet while on the move. It can be especially helpful for responding to messages from guests, even when you're away from your computer.

Download the Pulse app for Android or iOS

Pulse app

Understanding your Reply Score

Your Reply Score, found on the Reservation messages page of your Inbox tab, is a measure of how quickly you respond to messages from your guests. 

Our research shows that guests prefer prompt responses, and partners who respond quickly and thoughtfully tend to receive higher review scores and have fewer cancellations. By prioritising timely responses, you can improve your guests' experience and potentially boost your overall ratings and bookings.

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More about your Reply Score

See how we calculate your Reply Score and learn what you can do to improve it.

Learn more

Before you continue…

Congratulations on reaching this stage of your journey! Before you move to the next step we'd like to summarise some useful communication best practices for you:

  • Consistency is key. When communicating with guests, it's important to be well-prepared and consistent. Effective communication is a major factor in providing an amazing guest experience, and this often starts before the guest even arrives at your property.
  • Use message templates and automation where possible. Message templates can help streamline your communication and reduce your workload. This can also provide peace of mind to guests who are staying at your property.
  • Monitor your Reply Score. Generally, responding quickly to guests is better for everyone. However, it's important to ensure that your identity and genuine care shine through when using automation or replying quickly to messages.

FAQs

  • To contact guests, visit the Reservations tab on your Booking.com extranet, and click on the guest you want to contact. You can also use the Reservation messages section in your Inbox to send messages to guests.

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  • You can share check-in information with guests who have made a reservation at your property through Booking.com by using the Message templates feature in your Booking.com extranet account, or by sending a message to guests directly through the extranet.

    Read more

  • You can create automatic replies and message notifications on Booking.com extranet by using the Message templates feature. Customise your messages for specific situations, such as when a guest makes a booking or sends a message, and choose how you want to be notified of new messages.

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  • The Reply Score on Booking.com measures how quickly and consistently you respond to guest messages. It ranges from 0 to 100%, and a higher score can lead to better visibility and higher rankings on the platform. To improve your reply score, respond promptly and consistently to guest messages.

    Read more

  • Booking.com Pulse App is a mobile app designed for property owners and managers to manage their properties on-the-go. It allows them to receive real-time notifications, update availability and pricing, communicate with guests, and access performance insights.

    Read more

Managing guest-related tasks

Learn how to manage guest-related tasks, such as payments, cancellations, and policies, with confidence and ease.

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