At Airbnb, we know the last year hasn’t been easy. We’ve spent this time asking ourselves (and you!) how we can prepare for the return of travel and help you welcome guests with open arms.
Our Host inbox has been revamped to save you valuable time. It’s now up to 10 times faster and includes updated features like scheduled messaging and personalized quick replies, as well as search and filter—all designed to help you streamline your communications with guests.
These time-saving inbox upgrades are part of a comprehensive update to Airbnb’s service that we announced in May to make hosting easier on the verge of big changes in travel.
Here’s how we’re helping you communicate with guests more easily:
Automate messages to ensure communication at key moments
Responding to guests promptly helps create a great guest experience, but it can be time consuming.
Enter: scheduled messages. You can use this feature to automatically send messages to guests at key milestones like booking, check-in, or check-out.
We’ve also added personalized shortcodes, which automatically insert details like a guest’s name and check-in date. That means you can go from scheduling messages that say, “Thanks for booking!” to “Thanks for booking, Anna!” with minimal effort.
Respond to guests faster with quick replies
Messages from guests like “Can I get instructions to your place?” and “What’s the wifi code?” are very common.
That’s why we created a quick replies feature that makes responding to frequent questions fast and easy. Simply select your pre-drafted message and hit send. Like scheduled messages, quick replies now contain shortcodes to help you add a personal touch to every message you send.
“[Quick replies] allow me the time to create a well-crafted response—one that has been proofread, is crystal clear, and, if appropriate, is especially sensitive to our guests’ needs,” says Host Sally of Snoqualmie, Washington.
Find messages in your inbox quickly
The inbox is also more intuitive thanks to new search and filter features that make it easier for you to find the message you need, when you need it. Say goodbye to sifting through message after message to find the right thread.
Search
Now you can search the inbox more easily by guest name, confirmation code, or keyword. To search by keyword, simply type in the search bar—the inbox intelligently and predictively searches messages as you type. (One note: your keyword needs to be spelled correctly, or the inbox won’t be able to find the right messages.)
Organize
To help you better prioritize threads and focus on the most pressing issues first, you can also organize your messages by marking a message as unread, starring it if it’s important, or archiving it.
Filter
Once your messages are marked unread or starred, you’ll be able to easily filter them and find the message you need. A filter icon to the right of your search bar helps you filter by message type and/or trip stage. The starred filter allows you to focus on messages you’ve noted as important, while the unread filter displays only unread messages, or messages you’ve marked as unread.
You can also filter by listing (if you have more than one) and stage of trip, such as:
- Inquiries or requests
- Review needed
- Check-in or checkout
- Pre-trip, on trip, or post-trip
A filtered, searchable inbox can make it easier for you to find and reply to messages—and stay in touch with guests.
Simplify your hosting business
We designed the new Host inbox and updated our messaging tools to help you communicate with guests more effectively and save valuable time. With a bit of time back in your day, we hope you can focus on what matters most: enjoying the world of hosting.
