Text-powered hospitality: ThinkMessenger's innovative guest engagement tool

ThinkMessenger manages automated text message responses, or real-time SMS messaging, to communicate with your guests. It should be a key component of every property’s guest communication strategy.

A recent study from TrustYou revealed that 80% of travelers expect hotels to initiate contact after booking and that messaging methods like SMS drove higher guest satisfaction than email. Inns must adapt to meet guests on their preferred platforms and communicate consistently throughout the guest journey.

Text message marketing for hotels

The consumers have voted. Texts are in and emails are out! Studies show that most people check their phones every 10 to 12 minutes and often spend that time reading and replying to text messages. Recognizing this trend, nearly 9 out of 10 businesses surveyed reported using text messaging to communicate with customers within the past year.

The guest experience starts well before they ever step foot into your hotel. Build a rapport with your guests before arrival and maintain that connection throughout the stay (and beyond). With ThinkMessenger, your entire team can be part of delivering an excellent guest experience. Features like real-time notifications, ready-to-use message templates, internal staff notes, and even typing indicators make it easy to respond to guest questions and needs seamlessly—anytime, anywhere!

Here are some ideas on how you can use automated messaging through ThinkMessenger to improve guest satisfaction for your inn, hotel, or bed and breakfast:

Ditch the front desk

Automated check-in and checkouts? Check!

Welcome and thank you messages? Double check!

Send your guests the information they need for their stay, and then follow up after they’re gone…all without lifting a finger. ThinkMessenger’s automated text message service enables you to create as many templates as needed and automate reminder texts, arrival texts, and departure texts. Notice any frequently asked questions? Create additional templates with a few swipes.

Sending an automated confirmation code with reservation details via text ensures guests can quickly access important trip information. Unlike email, which requires internet access, text messages are readily available anytime, making them a reliable way for guests to retrieve their reservation details.

Just as Yara Hotel aims to create a unique experience reminiscent of Bali, Tulum, or Greece in Palm Springs, ThinkMessenger allows hotels to personalize their guest communication, enhancing the overall experience. The system's automated features, such as check-in and check-out messages, welcome notes, and thank you messages, align with Yara Hotel's goal of providing exceptional service with limited staff.

The ability to engage guests through ThinkMessenger and automated messaging complements Yara Hotel's intentional approach to creating a distinctive experience. Co-owner Kate Reid talks about it in the dedicated case study.

Engage guests and boost sales

SMS marketing software can help hotels connect with prior guests or people who opted in to receive messages but haven’t booked another stay. Reengage with prospective return guests with a special discount or promotion.

You’d be surprised how often our clients hear, “I stayed at your hotel a few years back and totally forgot how much I loved my stay. Then, I got your text message!” SMS marketing services can reach your guests more easily than email newsletters or snail mail postcards.

ThinkMessenger integrates seamlessly with your other platforms. Direct guests to your upsell portal via text message before their arrival. The upsell portal lets guests customize and enhance their stay, all while increasing your bottom line! Take advantage of automatic text messages to sell additional packages and upgrades to your guests.

Improve guest satisfaction

ThinkReservations makes messaging a breeze! Everything you need—guest details, incoming messages, and staff notes—is right at your fingertips. Spot new messages directly from the Calendar, chat seamlessly while viewing guest info, and keep everything organized with built-in staff notes. It’s all in one place, so you never miss a beat.

Your guests may want to know about events or attractions in your area. They may have questions about the weather. Maybe they want your advice on the best places to eat, or rent a car.

Being able to easily and conveniently engage guests to answer these questions will pay dividends on improving the guest experience.

ThinkMessenger’s interface enables guests to easily communicate with innkeepers about their stay, such as requesting room service or asking about breakfast. By enabling your guests to communicate with staff via text, hotels can reduce the number of customer-service calls or complaints they receive.

Reviews and feedback

People just don’t check their emails like they used to. Grab guests’ attention for those valuable guest reviews by going where it’s already directed…their phone!

After a guest checks out of your hotel, send them a text poll to gather feedback about their stay. Automated messaging makes it simple for guests to respond at their convenience—whether they’re heading to the airport or later in the day—without the hassle of completing a paper form at checkout.

With high response rates for text messages, you’re more likely to collect valuable insights and guest reviews. Providing an easy way for guests to share concerns or feedback shows that you value their opinions, which is key to building long-term guest loyalty.

Setting up polls is easy in ThinkMessenger. Simply ask your guests their preference ahead of time with an “Options” survey, where you can customize prompts and options to choose from and send an automatic response depending on how your guest responds. Garner reviews from your customers by asking guests how they enjoyed their stay, and customize the automated reply depending on their 1-10 rating.

Instant connection at your fingertips

Stay connected wherever you are with ThinkMessenger! Designed for both desktop and mobile, this automated text message response system offers seamless access to your messages on any device. Plus, you can add it to your mobile device as an app for instant, on-the-go communication.

Meet guests where they're at. Market trends indicate that hotels need to connect with guests the moment they book, and remain consistent throughout their journey with the establishment. Our inn management software helps hotels adapt to meet guests in their preferred communication channels, which are swiftly becoming text message services that connect guests with the hotel team.

See how text messaging has completely transformed the York Harbor Inn in York, Maine