Is anyone using texting to communicate with guests?

[GoodScout]

ThinkReservations is offering an integrated texting service, and there are a variety of third-party texting services that have been out there for 3-4 years.

Is anyone using texting as a way to communicate with their guests? I'm sure some of our guests, especially millenials, would like and use it. But quite honestly, it's just another channel in addition to phones, email, and social media that I'll have to constantly monitor.

Thoughts/experiences?

 

[gillumhouse]

My landline rolls into my cell so I get those calls. When I call them for their credit card # I tell them this is the number to text to. (Only 2 reasons I have the landline: #1 - had to have it for DSL to get WIFI and #2 - it predates cell phones and is the public number for the B & B. I am not going to pay any more for guests to be able to communicate with me.

 

[Tom]

Text all the time. I have about 8 stock texts like "Looking forward to your visit, when do you expect to arrive?" and road directions, all pinned to my own inn mobile number to copy and paste to guest mobile. Works really well. I'll text door keypad code for late arrivals, etc. I get guest mobile from reservation info, but I don't need booking engine to text for me -- just what I need, when I need.

 

[JimBoone]

I use text from time to time but not as a regular thing.

@Tom , do you use individual codes for each guest/room like Arks or ? I often wonder if WiFi door locks would save or add work for mom and pop that live onsite

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Guests get our text number when they check in. They can request ice or let us know of a problem. Gives us freedom to leave the house once in awhile. We use landline, email and website for registration and general info to the public.

story - once, we were at the beach at cocktail time and got a request for ice. We don’t have ice machines, just our personal refrigerator. I didn’t feel like leaving the beach so,I told the guest to access our personal entrance and find the ice in the freezer. He didn’t mind at all. In our family, we respect cocktail hour. When a guy needs ice, it’s important.

 

[JimBoone]

Anyone use a "Ring" or that type doorbell? Don't have to be home to talk with a guest with a question and in our case, it alerts daughter next door so she can come over if we are away.

 

[GoodScout]

Anyone use a "Ring" or that type doorbell? Don't have to be home to talk with a guest with a question and in our case, it alerts daughter next door so she can come over if we are away.

Yes, we have a Ring doorbell. Very helpful when unexpected guests show up at the door while we're out of town shopping.

 

[Arks]

I text with guests all the time. My business phone number is a free Google Voice number. When they call that number, the recording tells them they can either leave a message or they can send a text to the same number. So a lot of them hang up and text to the Google Voice number. I like it because it keeps a running list of all the texts we're exchanged, and I can text back to them using my computer and keyboard, which is a lot easier to use, and lets me easily paste links and other info into the text messages.

 

[KenW]

We have a separate system for receiving incoming calls and separate number specifically for business. We use text all the time but mostly for pre arrival information and communication while guests are with us.

 

[Tom]

I use text from time to time but not as a regular thing.

@Tom , do you use individual codes for each guest/room like Arks or ? I often wonder if WiFi door locks would save or add work for mom and pop that live onsite

Not individual codes -- rooms still have old -fashioned key. There is a one guest code for the main and side door entry.
Wi-fi lock would be a must if you are not in the building. This fall I installed one (Kwikset) in a condo I share with 3 other families at Lake Tahoe so I can keep track of use and service. Seems to be working well.

But I text the guests a lot.

 

[seashanty]

I love texting. I don’t have to answer right away if I choose not to. I have a simple chime as an alert and find it far less intrusive than the phone ringing or even vibrating. And I have saved responses to use.

Bonus: our conversation can be saved and shared back like when I tell someone NOT to follow the GPS instructions at XYZ street. Or when they say they will be arriving at a certain time. It’s right there on the screen.

 

[gillumhouse]

I love texting. I don’t have to answer right away if I choose not to. I have a simple chime as an alert and find it far less intrusive than the phone ringing or even vibrating. And I have saved responses to use.

Bonus: our conversation can be saved and shared back like when I tell someone NOT to follow the GPS instructions at XYZ street. Or when they say they will be arriving at a certain time. It’s right there on the screen.

I had a call for a room yesterday afternoon. Rather than send an e-mail - he needed to get driving - O texted directions to the house. He thanked me. Later he texted an ETA - later than he had expected to arrive (1 AM instead of Midnight) for which I thanked him) and HAE appreciated that I waited up for him. It can be a beautiful thing (my text notification is a duck quack).

 

[seashanty]

A duck quack! Haha

I can put it on quiet mode when I decide ‘it’s the middle of the night’ unless there’s some kind of emergency like someone who was supposed to arrive didn’t.

 

[JimBoone]

I love texting. I don’t have to answer right away if I choose not to. I have a simple chime as an alert and find it far less intrusive than the phone ringing or even vibrating. And I have saved responses to use.

Bonus: our conversation can be saved and shared back like when I tell someone NOT to follow the GPS instructions at XYZ street. Or when they say they will be arriving at a certain time. It’s right there on the screen.

I like text and email as well, for me mostly that when I think of something to say it's probably not a good time to call someone. As a pack rat, I can save emails to remember what was said.