Messaging Guide
Argonautas consolidates all your guest and team communication into a single unified inbox. Whether a message arrives via WhatsApp, email, SMS, an OTA platform, or your website's live chat widget, it appears in one place where your team can respond, assign, and track every conversation.
Overview
The Inbox replaces the need to check multiple platforms for guest messages. It is a real-time, three-pane interface inspired by modern email clients:
- Left pane -- Conversation list with search, filters, and status tabs.
- Center pane -- The message thread for the selected conversation, with a reply composer at the bottom.
- Right pane -- A context panel showing guest details, booking information, and conversation metadata.
All panes update in real time via WebSocket -- new messages, status changes, and typing indicators appear instantly without refreshing the page.
Supported Channels
The inbox supports the following communication channels:
| Channel | Description |
|---|---|
| Two-way messaging via your connected WhatsApp Business number. Supports text, images, documents, audio, and video. | |
| Inbound and outbound email tied to your configured email addresses. | |
| SMS | Text messages via your connected SMS number or alphanumeric sender. |
| Airbnb | Guest messages from Airbnb reservations, synced through your channel provider. |
| Booking.com | Guest messages from Booking.com reservations, synced through your channel provider. |
| Live Chat | Messages from visitors using the chat widget embedded on your website. |
Each conversation displays a channel icon so you can immediately see how the guest is communicating.
Conversation Management
Status Folders
Conversations are organized by status. Use the filter tabs at the top of the conversation list to switch between them:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Needs Reply | A guest or contact sent a message and is waiting for your response. This is the default view when you open the inbox. |
| Waiting | You have replied and are waiting for the guest to respond. |
| Snoozed | The conversation is temporarily hidden and will reappear at a scheduled time. |
| Resolved | The conversation is closed. It moves out of active folders but remains searchable. |
The All tab shows every conversation regardless of status. Each tab displays a count badge.
Filtering and Search
Beyond status tabs, you can narrow the conversation list using:
- Search -- Full-text search across participant names, phone numbers, and message content.
- Conversation type -- Filter by guest, staff, owner, or inquiry conversations.
- Channel -- Show only conversations from a specific channel (WhatsApp, email, SMS, Airbnb, Booking.com, or live chat).
Filters combine with the active status tab. For example, you can view "Needs Reply" conversations from "WhatsApp" only.
Pre-Booking Inquiries
Sometimes a traveler messages you through an OTA (such as Airbnb) before making a reservation. These pre-booking threads are labelled Inquiry and carry a distinct teal badge in the conversation list, so they stand out from threads tied to a confirmed booking. Each inquiry also shows the property the traveler is asking about, even though no booking exists yet, so you have the context to reply. If the inquiry turns into a reservation, the thread automatically reclassifies from Inquiry to a regular guest conversation. Use the Conversation type → Inquiry filter to focus on travelers you haven't booked yet.
Assigning Conversations
You can assign a conversation to a specific team member so that responsibility is clear. From the message thread header, click the assign action and select a staff member. The assignee's name appears on the conversation in the sidebar list, and you can filter by assignment.
Snoozing Conversations
If a conversation does not need attention right now but will later (for example, a guest asking about a future booking), snooze it. The conversation disappears from your active folders and returns at the time you specify. Click the snooze action in the message thread header and choose a snooze duration.
Resolving and Reopening
When a conversation is complete, resolve it to move it out of active folders. If the guest sends a new message later, the conversation automatically reopens and moves back to "Needs Reply." You can also manually reopen a resolved conversation from the thread header.
Composing a New Message
To start a new conversation:
- Click the compose button (pen icon) in the conversation list header.
- The compose view opens in the center pane.
- Select the channel you want to use (WhatsApp, email, SMS).
- Enter the recipient (phone number or email address, depending on the channel).
- Write your message and click Send.
The new conversation appears in the sidebar immediately after sending.
[Screenshot: The compose view showing channel selection, recipient field, and message body.]
The Message Thread
When you select a conversation, the center pane shows the full message history:
- Inbound messages (from the guest) appear on the left.
- Outbound messages (from your team) appear on the right, with the sender's name displayed.
- Status indicators show delivery and read status:
- Single checkmark: Sent
- Double checkmark: Delivered
- Teal double checkmark: Read
- Attachments -- Images, documents, audio, and video files are displayed inline or as downloadable links.
- Typing indicator -- When a visitor (via live chat) is typing, a subtle animation appears below the last message.
Replying
The reply composer sits at the bottom of the thread. Type your message and press Enter (or click Send). The reply is sent via the same channel the conversation is on. If the conversation spans multiple channels, replies go through the primary channel.
The composer also sends a typing indicator to live chat visitors so they know you are actively responding.
Context Panel
The right pane shows contextual information about the conversation:
- Contact details -- Guest name, phone number, email.
- Linked booking -- If the conversation is associated with a booking, the booking details (property, dates, status) are displayed with a link to the full booking.
- Conversation metadata -- Channel, creation date, assignment, and status.
You can collapse the context panel by clicking the close button, and reopen it with the info icon on the right edge.
Inbox vs. Legacy Messages
Argonautas includes two messaging interfaces:
| Feature | Inbox (Recommended) | Messages (Legacy) |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time updates | Yes (WebSocket) | No (polling) |
| Multi-channel support | All channels | Limited |
| Conversation management | Assign, snooze, resolve, reopen | Basic read/reply |
| Compose new messages | Yes | Limited |
| Typing indicators | Yes | No |
| Read receipts | Yes | No |
| Context panel | Yes | No |
The Inbox is the primary messaging interface and the one your team should use day to day. The legacy Messages view remains available for reference but does not receive new features.
Notifications and Muting
The inbox supports browser and tab notifications for new messages:
- When a new message arrives in a conversation you are not viewing, the browser tab title updates to indicate unread messages.
- You can mute notifications temporarily using the bell icon in the inbox sidebar toolbar. Mute options include 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 4 hours. Click the bell again to unmute early.
Desktop notification support (push notifications) depends on your browser settings and notification permissions.
Message Templates
For common responses (check-in instructions, Wi-Fi details, checkout reminders), you can use message templates to save time. Templates are managed in Settings > Messaging and can include dynamic variables that auto-fill with booking data.
Lifecycle templates can also be configured to send automatically at specific points in the booking lifecycle (confirmation, pre-arrival, post-checkout). See the Message Templates documentation for details.
Attachments
The inbox supports sending and receiving file attachments:
- Images -- Displayed inline in the conversation thread.
- Documents (PDF, Word, etc.) -- Shown as downloadable links.
- Audio and video -- Playable inline where supported, or downloadable.
Attachments are stored securely with private access controls. Files are served via time-limited signed URLs that expire after one hour.
Key Concepts
- Conversation -- A thread of messages with a single contact, spanning one or more channels. A conversation has a status, an optional assignee, and an optional linked booking.
- Primary Channel -- The main channel a conversation uses (e.g., WhatsApp). Replies are sent through this channel.
- Participant -- The guest, owner, or staff member on the other end of the conversation.
- Needs Reply -- The default status when a new inbound message arrives. This is the most important folder to monitor.
- Resolve -- Closing a conversation. It can be automatically reopened by a new inbound message.
Common Questions
Can I reply to an Airbnb guest via WhatsApp? Only if you have the guest's phone number and they have opted in to WhatsApp communication. OTA conversations are tied to the OTA's messaging channel by default.
What happens if I resolve a conversation and the guest messages again? The conversation automatically reopens and moves back to "Needs Reply."
Can multiple team members reply to the same conversation? Yes. All replies appear in the same thread with the sender's name displayed. Use the assign feature to clarify who is responsible.
Do typing indicators work on all channels? Typing indicators are currently supported for live chat conversations. WhatsApp, email, and SMS do not support real-time typing status.
How do I connect a new messaging channel? Go to Settings > Messaging to connect WhatsApp numbers, SMS senders, and email addresses. OTA messaging is configured through your channel provider settings.
Related
- Booking Lifecycle -- Understanding bookings that may be linked to conversations.
- Message Templates -- Creating reusable message templates and lifecycle automations.
- Live Chat Widget -- Setting up the website chat widget that feeds into the inbox.
- Settings: Messaging -- Connecting WhatsApp, SMS, and email channels.