Scheduled (automated) messaging glitch

[Stacey169]

Is anyone else having trouble with the new automated messaging feature? I have four listings and set up automated messaging for each of them weeks ago. Each listing has an automated check out instruction message that is set to send at 7pm the night before the guest's checkout. However, I started getting frustrated because a handful of recent guests were not following any of the checkout instructions I provide. When I went to look back at the messages sent to these guests, I find that the checkout message never sent! So I started doing a little digging and looked into the automated messages set to send to future guests over the next month. SOME of them have the checkout instructions message scheduled; others do not. There is no rhyme or reason to the omissions that I can find. I have had multiple calls with Airbnb but no one has been able to help me. In fact...the last representative I spoke with this morning said she is a host herself and this is happening as well to her! But she had no answers. She suggested that I delete all my automated messages and reenter them. I did that (took a LONG TIME) but the problem persists. Now Airbnb tells me just to post about it on the "Feedback" page. I did that...but I don't expect to hear anything back personally.

I was so excited when Airbnb finally added this feature for hosts. What a blessing! (And way overdue!) But if the messages are not reliable, then the service is more trouble than it's worth. Anyone have any suggestions? 

Stacey

[Paul1255]

@Stacey169  I hope you’re well.

This sounds very frustrating!

I’ve used automated messaging with a third party provider for the last 2 years and never had an issue- so even though I pay for this service, I’ll continue to use it rather than switch it over to Airbnb’s in-house automated messaging and end up with the possibility of their system glitching (which happens all over the platform as a matter of course!)

Sorry I don’t have any help to overcome your issue apart from suggesting using a different provider.

[Catalina285]

Hi @Paul1255,

What service do you pay for? I'm still having issues with automated messages and would like to look for alternatives.

Thanks!

Catalina

[Paul1255]

Hey @Catalina285  I use Host Tools (formerly Superhost Tools) for auto messaging and auto reviews, I have never had an issue in the time I have been with them, highly recommend.

Automated Messaging & Pricing For Short Term Rental Hosts (hosttools.com)

Paul 🙂

[Gina72]

@Stacey169

Hi - Did you ever figure this problem out? I'm having same problem! So annoying!!

Gina 

[Stacey169]

Gina, I have tried answering you three times, on three different devices. But every time I press send I receive an error message. Not sure what's going on!

[Sarah977]

@Stacey169  If you have composed a rather long message, or taken some time to write it, you will often get those error messages. It's best to copy the message before clicking on reply so if it disappears, you can just repaste it into a new message box and send.

And if you get those "detected an invalid..." error message, try just hitting Reply again. That usually works. It's all pretty wonky.

[Stacey169]

Well...Let's try this again!

Yes, I learned that this is a bit of a glitch in the Airbnb platform. It applies to bookings that you have that are one night only. (Which I have a lot of!) There are basically two options to remedy the issue.

1. You can elect to change your automated check out time to a much earlier hour on the guest's check in date.

2. You can elect to manually send check out instructions to your one night stay guests.

I chose option 2 because I didn't like the idea of my guests having a check out message send right after they had gotten into the space! lol

I hope this helps!
Stacey

[Scott]

Hi @Stacey169 thank you so much for posting this, and very sorry for your and everyone's frustration and my delayed reply 🙏.

As you point out in your most recent post above, in a nutshell this is due to messages not getting scheduled for last minute or short stays where the trigger time is greater or equal to the lead time. We give these two examples in our help center article:

• If a trigger is set for 2 days before checkout, but the stay is only 1 or 2 days long, the schedule will be skipped.
• If a trigger is set for 1 day before check-in, but the booking is made last minute the day before check-in, the schedule will be skipped.

We're keeping this in mind for future improvements. Thanks again for raising this topic.

[Brandon486]

Hey @Scott 
I just started having this issue and your reason with lead time is irrelevant. I just received a booking for August (this is July 4th) and took a peek, NO SCHEDULED MESSAGES! Not one. Double checked my scheduled messages, they are all in order and applied to the proper listings. Earlier today I received a booking and a few messages were scheduled but not all.This is unacceptable. As a host I can not have messages hit or miss. If y'all would look into this and figure out a fix would be amazing!
Thanks!

[Scott]

Hi @Brandon486 thanks for reporting this, we're very sorry this happened.

We've found an issue affecting you and some others and are working to resolve it now.  I'll provide a more detailed update ASAP.

[Scott]

Hi @Brandon486, I wanted to follow up and let you and others know we did find and fix an issue on July 6th that caused some scheduled messages to be skipped last week.

We're grateful to you for raising this and again send our apologies for the inconvenience 🙏

We'll closely monitor this thread should further questions arise as we understand how important this feature is to hosting communications. Thanks again.

[Louise347]

Hi, I'm having the same issue where scheduled messages are not being sent. Can you help? Thanks!

[Nena-And-Andrew0]

Hello Scott,

Just wanted to let you know that this issue still persists for guests booking 1 night stays.  Our automated checkout message that is supposed to send 1 day before checkout does not send on 1-night stays, even those booked far in advance.  I'd suggest getting rid of the excemption.  There is likely a rule stating, "send 1-night before checkout, unless checkout is the same day as checkin".  There is no need to have this rule.  

[Jara54]

Hi @Scott,

It's now March 2023 and this issue seems to persist, at least for me. 1 night stays are not being sent the scheduled check-out message that's set to go out the evening before check-out day, even when they're not booked same day.

Any updated info to share on this?

Thank you!