What is a unified inbox?

A unified inbox is a tool that consolidates messages from multiple communication channels, such as email, social media and SMS, into a single interface that allows users to manage all their messages in one place.

A unified inbox can prove particularly valuable for hotels, which often engage with guests using dozens of different communication platforms.

What is a unified inbox used for, and what is a unified inbox example? Think of the unified email inbox app on most smartphones, which brings together all messages from your different email addresses together in one place.

Another example is a unified inbox for social media. Rather than having to navigate to different apps and platforms, you can see everything in a single screen.

What is Messaging Hub?

Messaging Hub is a new unified inbox feature included in Little Hotelier’s Guest Engagement feature. It allows hoteliers to integrate and manage their communication channels within Guest Engagement, including email, SMS, WhatsApp and Airbnb.

What is the purpose of Messaging Hub? Ultimately it is designed to help your hotel offer a more seamless and personalised experience to boost guest satisfaction, while simultaneously making your and your team’s job easier by lightening your workload.

This guide will take you through all the vital elements of a unified inbox for your hotel or small accommodation property.

Unify and centralise your communications with Little Hotelier

All your email, SMS, WhatsApp and Airbnb messages in the one place. Messaging Hub seriously simplifies guest comms, helping you to deliver better experiences than ever before.

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What are the benefits of a unified inbox for hotels?

Why is a unified inbox such a valuable tool for an independent hotel? Implementing such a centralised messaging system can drive three major benefits.

Improved efficiency

Switching from phone to tablet to desktop, then from SMS to email to WhatsApp to Airbnb, can be both annoying and surprisingly time consuming. Save your time and your sanity with a unified inbox, a single portal where you can quickly and easily read and respond to all of your messages. A tool like Messaging Hub will even let you create WhatsApp templates that automate the delivery of important guest info.

Enhanced guest experience

Let your guests send and receive messages through their preferred channel – it’s all the same to you! Converse with your guests in real time while maintaining a centralised record of all communications.

Boosted revenues

On top of the revenue boost that can be driven by an enhanced guest experience, a unified inbox can also drive direct revenue by allowing you to configure and send upsell offers through WhatsApp templates.

How does a property management unified inbox work?

To understand how a unified inbox tool works, let’s take a closer look at the ins and outs of Messaging Hub. Our unified inbox:

Connects your communication channels

You can link Messaging Hub up to your email, SMS, WhatsApp or Airbnb comms channels.

Facilitates templates and automations

Once you’ve connected all your communication channels, set up the templates and automations that will help you to gain maximum value from the tool.

Lets you communicate with guests in real time

Send one-off or automated messages quickly, easily and instantly. You can also tailor your messages based on guest insights served up by Little Hotelier.

unified inbox

How to set up a unified inbox for your accommodation business

Ready to take your guest communication to the next level? Here’s how to create a unified inbox.

Select the number one messaging hub for your property

A new tool within Little Hotelier’s Guest Experience feature, Messaging Hub is the best solution for independent hotels looking to enhance their guest experience and internal operations. No setup is required – it’s a standard feature within our solution!

Configure the settings of each communication channel

Quickly and easily configure communication channels like email, SMS and WhatsApp within the Settings tab of the Communication Hub. Simply click on ‘configure’ then sign in!

Generate templates and automate messages

Once configured, you can save huge amounts of time by creating templates for any messages that you regularly send to guests. You can also boost revenue by crafting compelling upsell messages to send out at key moments.

What is a unified inbox example for small properties?

The best unified inbox app will integrate with all the most important communication channels for a hotel, such as SMS, email, WhatsApp and Airbnb.

It will connect with your other hotel software. It will be easy to navigate and use. It will allow you to craft message templates that reduce your communication workload and boost revenue. And it will do a whole lot more…

Features of the best messaging hub solution

The best unified inbox tools are defined by a few key features, including:

  • Unified inbox user interface
  • Multi-channel messaging
  • Automated and scheduled messaging
  • Guest feedback and surveys
  • Personalisation and guest profiles
  • In-stay communication
  • Pre-arrival and post-stay communication
  • Upselling and promotional messages
  • Integrations with property management systems
  • Analytics and reporting

What is the number one messaging hub? There’s one unified inbox that ticks all these boxes, and that is built specifically for small, independent hoteliers: the Messaging Hub in Little Hotelier’s Guest Engagement feature.

Make guest engagement easier with a unified inbox by Little Hotelier

Ready to experience the difference that a unified inbox can make to your hotel?

Using Messaging Hub within Little Hotelier can make guest communication vastly more efficient by placing all your messages in the one screen, and by using templates to send out key info in a click. It can boost your bottom line through automated upsell messages and by creating an enhanced guest experience.

It turns the complexity of hotel communication into something faster and simpler, leaving you free to focus on the important stuff, like giving your guests the ultimate experience.

You can get started with Little Hotelier today or learn more about how it all works.

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By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).