What emails to send and How to automatically send them for bookings from the Sales Channels

This guide provides best practices for configuring guest communication emails across various sales channels such Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, Google, Olivers Travels, etc.... By following these steps, you will ensure that your guests receive timely and relevant information, improving their overall experience.

Sales channels like Airbnb and Booking.com may not provide the real guest email address.

Instead, they use an alias:

 stay+gfn1dxkedrfger4qbq9ecme4oftze@guests.quickconnect.rentals

which routes communication through the platform. Any email sent to this alias appears in the sales channel’s messaging system, and certain types of content (e.g., links or branding) are often blocked.

As a good rule of thumb to follow, they only an email to be sent that has the same basic formatting as an SMS message without any links.

This guide explains how to handle email communications for bookings that come through sales channels and what processes to follow.

Prerequisites

• Using iPRO Version Agency or Agency PRO
• Has the iPRO Channel Manager Module

How to Configure Emails For When The Sales Channel Take Payment & Do not Provide Real Guest Email Address

In this scenario, the sales channel manages the entire payment process. The guest’s real email address is not provided, so emails must be sent to the alias email provided by the sales channel. 

Key points to remember:

• Emails must be unbranded: No images, links, or contact information should be included.
• Basic email structure: Send simple booking confirmations and arrival details.
• No payment chasers/confirmations: Since the sales channel has already taken payment, you won’t need to send reminders for outstanding balances just confirmation that the booking has been made and Arrival Information.

Example Email Templates:

1/ Booking Confirmation

• Subject: “Thank you for booking through {source}”
• Content: Plain text confirmation of the booking. No links, branding, or external references.

---- EMAIL SAMPLE ----

Hello {firstName},

Thank you for your booking via {source}, we are delighted to welcome you at {PropertyName} for the dates {txtStartDate} to {txtEndDate} ({Nights} Nights)

Best wishes,

[Your Agency]

2/ Arrival Information

• Subject: “Your stay at {property} is approaching”
• Content: Plain text check-in instructions, arrival times, and contact details for on-site assistance.

---- EMAIL SAMPLE ----

Hello {firstName},

We are delighted to welcome you to {PropertyName} for the dates {txtStartDate} to {txtEndDate} ({Nights} Nights).

Arrival Instructions:
{propertyDirections}

How to Configure Emails For When A Virtual Credit Card is Provided & No Real Guest Email Address

The agency uses the virtual credit card details provided by Booking.com to process the guest’s payment manually.

• Pros:
  • Simple for the guest as no further action is required.
• Cons:
  • Manual process, which can be time-consuming.
  • VCCs have expiration dates.
  • Requires MOTO (Mail Order/Telephone Order) functionality enabled with the payment provider.

Example Email Templates:

1/ Booking Confirmation

• Subject: “Thank you for booking through {source}”
• Content: Plain text confirmation of the booking. No links, branding, or external references.

---- SAMPLE EMAIL ----

Hello {firstName},

Thank you for your booking via {source}, we are delighted to welcome you at {PropertyName} for the dates {txtStartDate} to {txtEndDate} ({Nights} Nights).

Your card will be charged on [x date].

Best wishes,

[Your Agency]

2/ Arrival Information

• Subject: “Your stay at {property} is approaching”
• Content: Plain text check-in instructions, arrival times, and contact details for on-site assistance.

This template can be the same template you have used for when sales channels take payment.

How to Configure Emails For When You Wish to Use the iPRO Payment Page

In this approach, the agency bypasses/ignores the virtual credit card option and requests the guest pay via a secure link on the agency’s website.

• Pros:
  • You can establish direct contact with the guest, improving the chance of repeat direct bookings.
  • Allows you to take ownership of the guest relationship.
• Cons:
  • Requires you to call the guest to obtain their real email address, which can be time-consuming.
  • Guests may be confused or reluctant to pay again if they’ve already entered card details on Booking.com.

Example Email Templates:

1/ Booking Confirmation

• Subject: “Thank you for booking through {source}”
• Content: Plain text confirmation of the booking. No links, branding, or external references.

---- SAMPLE EMAIL ----

Hello {firstName},

Thank you for your booking via {source}, we are delighted to welcome you at {PropertyName} for the dates {txtStartDate} to {txtEndDate} ({Nights} Nights).

Please copy and paste the link into your browser https://{PayNowUrl}, to pay your deposit / balance.

Best wishes,

[Your Agency]

2/ Arrival Information

• Subject: “Your stay at {property} is approaching”
• Content: Plain text check-in instructions, arrival times, and contact details for on-site assistance.

How to Configure Emails For When You Have The Guest Email Address

For sales channels like VRBO and Google Travel, where the guest’s real email address is provided, you can send branded emails similar to those used for direct bookings. 

Example Email Templates:

1/ Booking Confirmation

• Subject: “Thank you for booking through {source}”
• Content: Branded emails with your logo and any links required.  

---- SAMPLE EMAIL ----

Hello {firstName},

Thank you for your booking via {source}, we are delighted to welcome you at {PropertyName} for the dates {txtStartDate} to {txtEndDate} ({Nights} Nights).

Please copy and paste the link into your browser https://{PayNowUrl}, to pay your deposit / balance.

Best wishes,

[Your Agency]

2/ Arrival Information

• We recommend using the same guest journey (alerts and emails) for your direct bookings for the rest of the guest communication journey where the sales channel provides the real guest email address.

How to Create and Amend Your Email Templates

Learn how to personalise your guest communication by creating and modifying email templates in iPRO. You can create new templates, edit existing ones, and duplicate templates for quicker customisation.

1. Create New Templates: Start from scratch or choose a layout.
2. Edit Existing Templates: Make changes to content, layout, or settings.
3. Duplicate Templates: Quickly copy an existing template and adjust as needed.

For more details, visit How to customise your emails.

1/ Navigate to the iPRO CMS

2/ Navigate to the folder Online Booking Settings > Email Settings > Booking Emails > channel emails

How To Set Up Automation To Send These Email Automatically 

Defining when emails will be sent automatically is managed through Alerts and Reminders in your booking system. The triggers depend on factors like:

• The guest’s booking source
• The payment status (deposit paid, balance due, balance paid)
• The time until check-in (arrival information)
  
  

To ensure the emails send automatically to the correct guests at the right time, use Alerts and Reminders in your booking system. Set up separate alerts for:

• Unbranded emails for sales channels that don’t provide the guest’s real email
• Branded emails for sales channels that provide the guest’s real email
  
  

You can adjust the number of days before check-in that emails are sent and add sales channels to the "Include Source" filter based on the sales channels you are wanting to advertise on

Below is an example of an Alert that is set up for bookings that come into the system with a Payment. Where the sales channel takes payment. The email it would send would be your Unbranded Confirmation

Unbranded Channel take payment - Guest Booking confirmation

Below is an example of the next Unbranded email in this guest communication journey for the arrival information. You may wish to change the amount of days before the start date that this sends to your preference

Unbranded Channel take payment - Guest Arrival Information

Below is an example of an Alert that is sending an unbranded email where you take the payment. Either by Virtual credit card or by the guest paying via your website. This email would be unbranded and confirmation of a provisional booking (booking with no payment)

Unbranded Channel - You take payment - Provisional Booking

Below is an example of an Alert that sends an unbranded email where you take the payment in confirmation of the deposit payment being made.

Below is an example of an alert that is sending a branded email to a provisional booking (booking with no payment against it)

Channel - You take payment - Provisional Booking

For the rest of the guest communication journey for Sales channels that provide the real guest email address, they can follow the same email and alerts journey as your direct bookings would. The only reason the first email should be different is so you are

1/ Acknowledging where the booking came from via the booking source token

2/ Introducing yourself 

3/ Wording the email in a way that builds Trust with the guest so they will pay via your pay now links (for sales channels where you take payment + sales channel provides real guest email address)

Tips and Best Practises

If you want to automatically send branded emails to guests who booked through sales channels that do not provide the real guest email address (like Airbnb or Booking.com), you’ll need to follow this setup:

1. Create a Booking Tag:

• Go into your system and create a booking tag called "Email Confirmed".
  

2. Modify Your Unbranded Alerts:

• Edit the existing Unbranded alerts.
• In the "Exclude Booking Tag" field, add the booking tag "Email Confirmed".
• Ensure this is the only booking tag in that field because the system works on an "OR" basis, not "AND". This means if the tag is present, the unbranded alert won't trigger.
   

3. Create "Email Confirmed" Branded Alerts:

• Set up new alerts to send branded emails to these Sales channels bookings that do not provide the real guest email address.
• In the "Source of Booking (Include)" field, select all the sales channels you advertise on that do not provide the real guest email address.
   
• In the "Include Booking Tag" field, add the "Email Confirmed" tag you just created.
   
• Make sure this is the only tag in that field, as this also works on an "OR" function.
  
  
  

How This Setup Works:

• Initially, an Unbranded email will be sent to sales channel bookings (e.g., Airbnb) unless the booking has the "Email Confirmed" tag.
• If you obtain the guest's real email address and manually add the "Email Confirmed" tag to the booking, the system will stop sending Unbranded alerts and instead trigger the branded alerts you’ve set up.

How to Get the Real Guest Email Address

There are only two ways to obtain the real guest email address, both of which involve using the guest’s contact number provided by the sales channel:

1. Call the Guest:

   • Reach out to the guest directly by phone, introduce yourself, and politely ask for their real email address.

2. Send an SMS via Alerts:

   • You can set up alerts to automatically send an SMS to the guest's contact number when no "Email Confirmed" tag is present. This message would ask them to provide their real email address.

   • To do this, you will need to configure a Fire Text account for sending messages.
     Note: You will need to ensure your FireText account is correctly set up for this, including enabling international number support, if necessary.

FAQs

Q: What types of emails should I send to guests who book through sales channels that do not provide the real guest email address?

• A: unbranded/plain SMS text style emails
  

Q: What does "Unbranded" mean?

• A: No logos, contact information or any links. No information that could lead the guest to find your website in anyway shape or form.

Q: How do I get the real guest email address for a sales channel that does not provide it like Airbnb for example?

• A: You need to use the guest contact number that is provided and update the email address in the booking

Q: Why does any of this matter?

• A: Sending an email to a booking from a sales channel that does not provide the real guest email address inserts that email as a message directly into the sales channel communication thread on their platform. If this message contains branding it will either be removed, the message blocked or the sales channel can even penalise your account.
  

Q: What are the key differences between handling direct bookings and sales channel bookings?

• A: When a guest books via your website, you have ownership of the guest. They can login via your guest portal and make payments into your payment provider. 
• When guest books via the sales channel, the sales channel has ownership of the guest. The Guest logs in via the sales channel platform and agrees to the T&C's on the sales channel. They do not know what your website is or who you are other than the host of the property they found on the sales channel.
• Implementing processes to take ownership of the guest from sales channel bookings can lead to them booking with you direct next time which is in their best interest to do so as it might be cheaper for them due to no scaling/markup which is applied to sales channels but not your website. Returning guests is a positive performance marker

Conclusion

From this guide you have identified the sales channels you advertise on or want to advertise on and how the payment terms and if they provide the real guest email address impact the type of email you need to set up to be sent. As well as how to configure the Alerts/Automated Work Flows so those emails send automatically.

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Additional Resources (if applicable)

Links to related articles or documents for further reading.

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