Booking.com releases new booking messages interface for hotels

Booking.com releases its new Booking Messages interface, a chat-inspired communication platform that lets customers and accommodation providers effortlessly connect with each other from the moment a booking is made. In addition to being able to initiate any kind of conversation they want with the property, Booking.com customers around the world can now quickly and conveniently manage the most common stay-related requests in just a few taps.

The Booking Messages interface features automatically pretranslated templates for certain predefined requests, including arranging check-in and check-out times, as well as questions about parking and bed preferences—all in real-time and with a familiar, chat-like interface.
 
“We’re always looking at innovative ways we can create an even more seamless travel experience for our customers,” said David Vismans, chief product officer at Booking.com. “We know that 75 percent of our customers prefer self-service options to take care of simple requests. With the new Booking Messages interface, customers can literally customize and manage their trips in the palm of their hand. This technology takes away the worry of a busy front desk, different time zones, or friction of communication between people speaking different languages.”
 

Although the technology is now available to all customers, Booking Messages is being rolled out to Booking.com’s accommodation partners in phases to integrate within Booking.com’s current Pulse app, a mobile platform for partners that keeps them up-to-date with the most relevant and time-sensitive news related to their property, including check-ins and check-outs for the day, new bookings, and now with the addition of Booking Messages, special requests from their Booking.com guests.

With more than 150,000 accommodation providers already actively using the Pulse app, more and more customers will soon have access to this instantaneous communication channel for all of their stay-related requests. Full rollout of the chat interface to partners is expected over the coming months.

The new Booking Messages interface is now available to customers in both the Android and iOS versions of the Booking.com app, as well as the web versions of Booking.com on desktop, mobile and tablet.