Guest expectations are sky-high, and hospitality teams are operating at an all-time low. More front desk teams across all service levels and geographies are adopting guest messaging: a way to connect with guests in-the-moment to answer common questions, address maintenance requests, and effectively run check-in processes. The result? Higher survey scores, more direct bookings, and less-stressed hospitality teams. Here’s how it works.

OK, give me a rundown.

Guest messaging, or what Kipsu likes to call “Real-Time Engagement,” is digital messaging between hospitality brands and guests. Most commonly, it looks like business text messaging directly from a hotel concierge to a customer.

Kipsu provides an all-inclusive platform for hospitality professionals to connect directly with guests through multiple channels including text messaging and Facebook Messenger. Guest late to check in? Send ‘em a text! Guest got a leaky ceiling? Get it fixed before it finds its way to a bad review on Tripadvisor.

We work with the whole spectrum of hospitality brands, from luxury leaders like Waldorf Astoria, to economy staples like Clarion Suites. Hotels can customize the platform to fit their specific needs, such as connecting internally with the team for maintenance issues.

(Kipsu also provides guest messaging for shopping centers, the healthcare industry, higher education, and more.)

How does it work? 

Once you partner with Kipsu, we set you up with free training and a log in to the Kipsu platform, where you can reach guests through multiple channels.

‍‍There’s no download required for guests, and the platform—which is currently live in 113 countries—can be accessed through a login page on any internet browser. In addition to text messages and digital messages such as Apple Business Chat, Kipsu allows you to send guests documents and images, pull reports on customer data, and extend personalized, high-touch service to current and potential guests.

Why use it? 

There are many stats that back up why guest messaging is a need when it comes to the future of hospitality. From how often text messages are read and responded to even how many people prefer texting over phone calls. This all circles back to how guest messaging can increase your customer satisfaction. 

A notable fact about texting is that 95% of text messages are read and responded to within 3 minutes of being received. This gives an incentive to guest messaging and the power of text messaging can do in the hospitality industry if used correctly. People are answering text messages more now than phone calls and knowing the turnaround time is about 3 minutes can make a large difference for the way communication has been operating in hotels for many years. Almost half of people (47%) said they spend less than 30 seconds writing a text message, with only 10% claiming to take more than one minute, proving that people do in fact spend less time writing a text message. One out of three consumers will check a text within one minute of receiving it

Another fact about texting is that 90% of customers prefer text messages over phone calls. This is especially true for Millennials and Gen Z, which are tech-savvy generations that do prefer to text over taking a phone call. Continuing with this point, they are the upcoming generations that will become the majority of hotel bookings.

Does it make a difference?

We think it does, but take a look for yourself. 

Hospitality brands that launch Kipsu experience increased customer satisfaction, higher average review scores, and lower negative reviews on travel sites like Tripadvisor. Here’s some examples: 

• In 2023 alone, 3,618 Hilton properties using Kipsu facilitated over 10.5 million conversations with nearly 70 million messages, leading to 70% of guests who used messaging indicating that it improved the overall satisfaction of their stay experience. 
• CSAT data from 300+ hotels indicated that those who embrace messaging solutions saw an average 3-4 uplift in overall guest satisfaction scores. 
• Average guest satisfaction improvements increased by 10.5 % overall service by teams leveraging Kipsu. 

Using digital messaging for hotel guests also enhances guest survey scores across all service levels, and can increase overall bookings. But that’s enough bragging for now.

Sounds impersonal… 

While it may seem like the trend in digital messaging is headed towards conversing with robots, we’re focused on augmenting teams, not replacing them. Using Kipsu’s platform, hotels can keep humans at the center of service by addressing maintenance issues, answering common questions, and making sure their stay is as comfortable as possible, all in real time. 

Don’t believe us? Schedule a demo today to explore the platform with our incredible sales team, who will show you the ropes and add a bit of fun to your day.