Why booking confirmations via WhatsApp are better received than via email
98% open rate | Opened within five minutes | Fallback to SMS and email
Max books his room, whether via the chatbot on the hotel website, by phone with the voice agent, or through an OTA. As soon as the booking lands in the PMS, DialogShift automatically triggers the confirmation, and Max receives it via WhatsApp.
That sounds like a detail, but it's not. WhatsApp achieves open rates of around 98%, while emails average 20 to 40%, and most messages are read within five minutes. A booking confirmation that gets lost in the inbox has only done half its job. It arrives via WhatsApp because the channel is where guests communicate anyway, with family, friends, and acquaintances. This is precisely what makes it more personal than any email.
If the guest doesn't use WhatsApp, DialogShift sends the message alternatively as an SMS or email. The hotel determines the order of preference.
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How hotels automate pre-arrival upselling with message flows
Filtered Flow: Upgrade | Online check-in | Breakfast | Table reservation
The guest journey doesn't start at check-in. In DialogShift, the hotel sets up an entire message flow for the pre-arrival phase – not just individual triggered messages, as most systems do, but a well-thought-out sequence with filters, conditions, and timing.
One week before arrival, Max receives an upgrade offer. The flow automatically filters which room category Max has booked and whether an upgrade can be offered. Guests who have already booked the best category in the house do not receive the message. If the guest wants an upgrade, they can request it directly in the live chat.
A few days later, a reminder for online check-in follows, including the direct check-in link. Guests who haven't booked breakfast yet also see the option to add it now. Guests who already have breakfast included in their package skip this part of the flow and only receive the check-in link. No guest is confronted with offers that are not relevant to them.
On the day of arrival, Max learns that his room is ready and early check-in is possible, along with a note about the restaurant and the option to reserve a table directly.
The difference from simple triggered messages lies precisely here. The flow reacts to what the guest has already booked and provides them with the information that is currently relevant to them at the right time. This not only increases the open rate but also the likelihood that a suggestion will turn into an actual booking.
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Can a cancellation be a positive touchpoint?
Personal message with offer link instead of a dry system email
Not every booking leads to a stay. Sometimes plans change, and even this moment is an opportunity. Instead of a dry system notification, the guest receives a personal message via WhatsApp, which leaves the door open. With a direct link to current offers, the connection to the hotel remains, and the likelihood of a future booking increases.
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How Journey Messaging increases TRevPAR during the stay
Weekly program, events, and weather-dependent tips | Integration into guest information systems
Immediately after check-in, Max receives a welcome message with the current weekly program. Wellness times, events, culinary highlights – all at a glance. Many guests don't know what the hotel offers when they check in.
Most upselling offers fail not because guests aren't interested, but because they arrive at the wrong time. The same offer on the first evening of a multi-day stay, when the guest has arrived and is relaxed, converts with a fraction of the effort. DialogShift leverages precisely this moment to increase overall revenue, without additional staff and without pressuring the guest.
On the third evening, a barbecue party takes place on the rooftop terrace. Instead of hoping Max notices the notice in the lobby, he receives a short message on his phone: "The grill is hot, the drinks are cold. Rooftop Grill Party tonight from 7 PM." A few hours later, he's sitting on the terrace with a cocktail, watching the sunset. When it rains the next morning, a tip follows that perfectly fits the moment: wellness, restaurant recommendations, indoor activities. A gloomy day turns into a day of well-being.
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DialogShift is deeply integrated into guest information systems like Guestnet, Hotel Messenger, and giggle.tips. All information, such as the weekly program, menu, sports schedule, and events stored there, is also available to the AI. If Max opens the chat and asks a question, the AI responds based on this content, around the clock, without anyone at the reception needing to intervene.
How hotels prevent negative reviews after the stay
Automatic feedback message | Prompt for rebooking
One to two days after departure, Max receives a short message requesting feedback. Those who were satisfied leave a review. Those who have criticism write it to the hotel, and not on TripAdvisor.
A guest who has had a bad experience will express it somewhere. The only question is whether the hotel gets the chance to learn about it and react beforehand. A message via WhatsApp opens this channel before the guest visits a review platform. Because WhatsApp feels more personal than an automated email, significantly more guests actually complete the feedback. Those who respond still have the hotel in mind, and precisely this moment is the best opportunity to encourage them to rebook.
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What sets Journey Messaging with DialogShift apart from other providers?
Hospitality AI for inquiries across all channels
Guests book more upgrades and additional services because they are prompted at the right time. The front office handles fewer inquiries because relevant information arrives proactively before the guest even looks for it. Reviews improve because the overall experience feels more attentive and consistent.
Messages run automatically once the system is set up. The effort is a one-time thing, the effect is lasting.
With most other journey messaging providers, automation ends as soon as the guest replies. Inquiries land in the inbox and have to be handled manually, which negates some of the efficiency gains. With DialogShift, Hospitality AI is behind every message, the same AI that also handles chat, email, and phone. If Max replies to a WhatsApp message and asks a follow-up question, the AI takes over. The hotel communicates more with its guests while saving time. More communication, less effort: that's the 360° communication that sets DialogShift apart as a platform.
Can Journey Messaging be connected with external systems like Make.com?
Bidirectional Triggers for Journey Messaging
Through integration with Make.com, Journey Messaging can be connected with virtually any external system the hotel already uses. Make.com is an automation platform that links various services, and DialogShift communicates with it bidirectionally.
What this means in practice: Max pays for his dinner at the restaurant. Four minutes later, he receives a WhatsApp message that the rooftop bar is still open and he can end his evening there. The trigger came directly from the POS system, without any manual intervention.
It works the same way in the other direction: A Journey Messaging flow can trigger an external scenario, for example, an entry in a spreadsheet, a notification to the team, or an action in a third-party tool. What previously had to be coordinated manually now runs fully automatically.
For hotels operating with lean teams, this is more than just a gimmick. Processes that previously required manual coordination now run fully automatically. The guest still receives the right message at the right time, and anyone who asks a question gets an immediate answer. Less effort for the team, better communication for the guest.
Curious how this would look for your property?
In a brief conversation, we'll show you which journey steps will yield the quickest returns for your property.
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