SMS Messaging – Seekom

Introduction

iBex SMS Messaging allows operators to send text messages to their guests, in conjunction with email messages.

PMS Options

Access to this feature will be controlled through a new PMS option. The option is labelled “SMS Messaging” if you need help accessing it please contact Seekom support.

User Permissions

A new permission will be added, so operators can control which users have access to the system.

Billing

Charging of SMS:

All SMS messages will be logged for billing purposes. The amount charged will be in your normal monthly invoice for SMS charges incurred during the previous period. For those on quarterly on annual billing cycles, you will receive a separate monthly invoice for SMS charges.

SMS Improvements

SMS Templates
SMS Scheduler
Bulk SMS
SMS Replies
SMS Logs

Opt-In

On both the front end and back end screens there is now an ‘Opt-In’ tick box which will need to be selected in order for that guest to receive any SMS

If the ‘Opt-In’ hasn’t been selected, when you try to send them an SMS you will get an error instead

SMS Templates

Create a new template to either send manually or as a scheduled message

SMS Template: Will display templates you have already set up

Name: The name of the sms template to easy identify

Message: Either free hand text or use the / (forward slash) and template tags will appear to pre fill in the message

Example tags:

Guest first name	Property name	Booking balance
Guest cellphone	Property address	Booking arrival
Guest email	Property phone	Unit room details
Guest vehicle rego	Property email	Door codes

Once you are happy with your template hit the Save button

SMS Scheduler

**Please note, automated messages are supported for future bookings made after the 13th of September. All prior bookings before this date will require manual messages to be sent**

*Make sure you have some Templates in place first

You will first need to create some scheduler rules by selecting the “Create New Rule” button

Fill in all fields and set to active once happy

Currently Active?: Toggle button, when grey it is not in use, when green it is active

Rule Name: Lets you easily identify the SMS rule (e.g Confirmation SMS, Prior to Arrival SMS, Arrival SMS, During Stay SMS etc)

Applies to bookings: Select whether this SMS rule will be sent out for confirmed, request or cancelled bookings

Rule Type: Select when the SMS should be sent

before a guests departure
after a guests departure
before a guests arrival
after a guests arrival
after booking action (booking is created, confirmed or cancelled)

SMS To: Select either customer or other

other will allow you to input a valid number (e.g to a property owner)

Use SMS Template: Select which template to use for this rule

Days: Enter how many days before/after you want the scheduled SMS to be sent

If set to 0 it will be sent the same day upon action (eg rule is set to “after booking action” send 0 days, once the booking is created and the time of day has been reached the SMS will be sent that same day)

Time: Enter the time of day you want the SMS to be sent

If set to 0 it will be sent immediately upon action (eg rule is set to “after booking action” send 0 Days + 0 Time, as soon as the booking is created the SMS will be sent)

Applies to Property: Select which property this SMS rule will apply to

*Only applicable for multi property accounts

Room(s): Select which rooms this SMS rule will apply to

Repeat the steps above to add in more SMS Schedulers.

The SMS Scheduler page will now have a working search, you will be able to filter by property, see which rules are active or not, what rooms they apply to and so on

As you can have multiple schedules all set up at the same time, here you can see we have a real mixture set up and set for different times of the day depending on what the rule was

Bulk SMS

The Bulk SMS function allows you to send an sms to all chosen guests in one go, to maybe warn them of a slip on the road or the office will be unmanned.

You can send the bulk messages to all guests who are arriving over a particular date range like we have here

Or you can individually select which guests to send it too by entering their number or name

SMS Replies

**Two Way SMS are currently supported for New Zealand, Australia only (UK and USA to be added in the short term), all other countries are supported for a one way connection only.

Two way support for select countries may be added in future updates**

We also now have the capability to view the SMS replies.

When you receive a new sms message it will be highlighted along your header bar here