Messaging Channels

The unified inbox supports multiple messaging channels, allowing you to communicate with guests on whichever platform they prefer. A single conversation can span multiple channels — for example, a guest might reach out via Airbnb and you might follow up via SMS.

Available channels

Channel	Description
Email	Direct email messages to the guest.
SMS	Text messages sent to the guest’s phone number.
WhatsApp	Messages sent via WhatsApp.
Airbnb	Messages routed through the Airbnb platform.
Booking.com	Messages routed through Booking.com (via your connected PMS).
Vrbo	Messages routed through Vrbo (via your connected PMS).
Web	Messages sent through the SuiteOp guest portal or web interface.

Note

Some channels can arrive either natively or relayed through your property management system (PMS), which handles delivery and records the message in its own system as well. This routing is a behind-the-scenes detail — in the inbox, both arrive under the same channel (for example, all email lands under Email), so you never have to think about which transport carried a message.

Multi-channel conversations

A conversation tracks all channels that have been used within it. When you send a new message, you choose which channel to use for that specific message. The conversation’s channel list updates automatically.

Each conversation also tracks acceptable channels — the channels the guest has consented to or is reachable on. This helps your team choose the right channel when replying.

Filtering by channel

The inbox list can be filtered by channel so you can focus on, say, only your Airbnb threads or only WhatsApp. Channels are grouped by medium — Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and Web — each with its own icon, so a mixed-channel thread reads correctly at a glance. Select one or more channels to narrow the list; the channel filter combines with the other inbox filters. See Managing Conversations for the full set of filters.

Inbound messages

When a guest sends a message through any connected channel, SuiteOp automatically:

1. Matches the message to an existing conversation (using the external conversation ID from your PMS or integration).
2. Creates a new conversation if no match is found.
3. Sets the conversation status to Todo so your team knows it needs attention.
4. Deduplicates messages to prevent the same message from appearing twice (e.g., if a webhook fires more than once).

Caution

For inbound messages to flow into the Inbox, you must have the relevant PMS or messaging integration connected. See Integrations for setup instructions.

Guest portal messages and help requests

Guests can message you directly from their guest portal using the in-portal chat. These arrive in the Inbox on the Web channel — no PMS or messaging integration required.

Help requests a guest raises from the portal (for example through the Report an issue shortcut) are bridged into the Inbox as well, so the guest’s request and your team’s replies live in the same thread. Anything you send back from the Inbox appears in the guest’s portal chat in real time, keeping the whole conversation in one place for both sides.

Message delivery status

Outbound messages have a delivery status that tracks whether the message was successfully sent:

Status	Meaning
Pending	The message has been created and is being delivered through the PMS or integration.
Sent	The message was successfully handed off to the delivery channel.
Delivered	The message was confirmed as delivered to the recipient.
Failed	The message could not be delivered. Check the channel and recipient details.

Messages sent in conversations without a linked reservation are immediately marked as Sent since they are stored internally.