Trip Services
Trip service items are the individual experiences, transfers, and arrangements that make up a guest's stay. Each service item lives inside a trip portfolio and moves through a defined lifecycle from request to completion.
Overview
A trip service item represents a single service for a guest -- an airport transfer on arrival day, a sunset sailing tour on Tuesday, a private chef dinner on Thursday. The concierge team creates and manages these items, tracking them through internal statuses while presenting guests with a clean, simplified view.
Service items can originate in two ways:
- Concierge-created -- A team member adds a service based on a phone call, WhatsApp message, or email from the guest.
- Guest-requested -- The guest submits a request directly through the "Plan Your Stay" page in the guest portal.
Either way, the item enters the same workflow.
Service Categories
Every service item is assigned a category that determines how it appears in the portfolio and on the guest portal:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Activity | Zip-lining, horseback riding, snorkeling, volcano hike, fishing charter |
| Transfer | Airport pickup, airport drop-off, inter-property shuttle |
| Private Chef | In-villa dinner, breakfast service, meal prep for the week |
| Other | Grocery pre-stocking, babysitting, equipment rental, spa services |
Categories help the concierge team filter and organize services, and they help guests browse available options in the portal.
Creating a Service Item
To add a new service to a guest's portfolio:
- Navigate to Concierge > Portfolios and open the booking's portfolio.
- Click Add Service.
- Fill in the service details:
- Service name -- A clear description (e.g., "Airport Transfer -- Liberia to Villa Mariposa").
- Category -- Select from Activity, Transfer, Private Chef, or Other.
- Scheduled date and time -- When the service takes place.
- Provider -- Optionally assign a provider now, or leave blank to assign later.
- Gross price -- The total cost of the service.
- Currency -- USD or the local currency.
- Payment strategy -- How the guest pays (see below).
- Guest-visible notes -- Instructions or details the guest will see in their portal.
- Internal notes -- Notes visible only to the concierge team.
- Click Save.
[Screenshot: Add service form showing name, category, date, provider selection, and pricing fields]
The service item is created with an initial internal status of Requested and a guest-visible status of Pending.
Dual Status Tracking
The concierge module uses two parallel status tracks -- one for internal coordination and one for guest communication. This keeps operational details private while giving guests clear updates.
Internal Statuses
| Status | Meaning | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Requested | A new service request has come in. No provider assigned yet. | Assign a provider and reach out to confirm availability. |
| Awaiting Provider | A provider has been assigned and the concierge team is waiting for their confirmation. | Follow up with the provider if no response. |
| Confirmed | The provider has confirmed availability, date, time, and pricing. | The service is scheduled. Monitor for any changes. |
| Completed | The service was delivered. | A commission record is generated. Settle when ready. |
| Cancelled | The service was cancelled at any stage. | No further action required. |
What the Guest Sees
The guest portal maps internal statuses to three simple labels:
| Internal Status | Guest-Visible Status |
|---|---|
| Requested | Pending |
| Awaiting Provider | Pending |
| Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Completed | Confirmed |
| Cancelled | Cancelled |
Guests never see "Awaiting Provider" or know that the concierge is still coordinating behind the scenes. From their perspective, a service is either pending, confirmed, or cancelled.
Assigning a Provider
When a service item is in the Requested state, the next step is to assign a provider:
- Open the service item from the portfolio detail page.
- Click Assign Provider (or edit the provider field).
- Select a provider from the directory. The list shows provider name, contact info, and default commission rate.
- Save. The internal status moves to Awaiting Provider.
- Contact the provider via their preferred channel (WhatsApp, email, or phone) to confirm availability.
Once the provider confirms, update the service item to Confirmed.
Confirming a Service
To confirm a service item after the provider has agreed:
- Open the service item.
- Click Confirm.
- Verify the date, time, and pricing. Adjust if the provider provided updated details.
- Save.
The internal status changes to Confirmed, and the guest-visible status updates to Confirmed as well. If lifecycle notifications are configured, the guest may receive an automatic update.
A commission record is created at this point using the provider's default commission percentage applied to the gross price. For example, a $120 sunset tour with a 15% commission generates an $18 commission record.
Completing a Service
After the service has been delivered:
- Open the service item.
- Click Complete.
The internal status moves to Completed. The guest continues to see Confirmed -- there is no separate "completed" state from their perspective.
Cancelling a Service
To cancel a service item at any stage:
- Open the service item.
- Click Cancel.
- Confirm the cancellation.
The internal and guest-visible statuses both change to Cancelled. If a commission record existed (for confirmed services), it is reversed.
Booking-level cancellations automatically cascade -- when a booking is cancelled, the portfolio and all its service items are cancelled by the system without manual intervention.
Payment Strategies
Each service item specifies how payment is handled:
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Provider Collects Full | The guest pays the provider directly at the time of service. Common for tours and activities. |
| Platform Collects Full | Payment is collected through Argonautas, typically charged to the guest's card on file. |
| Platform Collects Deposit | A deposit is charged upfront; the balance is paid to the provider at the time of service. |
| Included in Stay | The service cost is bundled into the accommodation rate. No separate charge. |
The payment strategy affects how commissions are settled. When the platform collects payment, the commission can be deducted before remitting to the provider. When the provider collects, the provider pays the commission to you.
Guest Service Requests
When a guest submits a service request through the "Plan Your Stay" page in the guest portal:
- The request appears in the portfolio as a new service item with the status Requested.
- The concierge dashboard's "Pending Requests" section highlights it, showing the guest name, property, service description, and time since request.
- The concierge team assigns a provider, confirms details, and moves the item through the standard workflow.
Guests can request services by selecting a category, entering a description, choosing a preferred date, and adding any notes. They do not select a provider -- that is the concierge team's responsibility.
Service Timeline
The portfolio detail view displays all service items on a visual timeline organized by date. This gives the concierge team (and the guest, via the portal) a clear picture of the entire stay:
- Pre-arrival -- Airport transfer, grocery pre-stocking.
- During stay -- Tours, chef services, equipment rentals, arranged day by day.
- Departure -- Airport drop-off, late checkout arrangements.
Items are color-coded by status: pending items in amber, confirmed in green, cancelled in muted gray.
Two controls above the timeline let you reorganize it:
- Sort by -- Group and order the items by Date (the default, with collapsible day-by-day sections), Status, Service Type, or Provider. Any sort other than Date produces a single flat list.
- Filter -- Show All Statuses or narrow to a single status (Requested, Awaiting Provider, Confirmed, Completed, or Cancelled).
Requesting a Guest Review
From the portfolio detail page you can ask the guest to leave a review once their services are complete. Click Send Review Request to open a dialog pre-filled with a subject line and a full message, assembled from your company's review-request template using the guest's name, property, and language. Review or personalize both fields in the rich-text editor, then click Send Request to email the guest your edited version.
Key Concepts
- Trip Portfolio -- The container for all service items on a booking. One portfolio per booking, created automatically when the first service is added.
- Service Item -- A single service (tour, transfer, chef, etc.) with its own lifecycle, pricing, and provider assignment.
- Dual status -- Internal status for the concierge team and a simplified guest-visible status. Keeps coordination details private.
- Provider assignment -- Optional at creation. Guests request services without specifying a provider; the concierge team assigns one.
- Commission record -- Created when a service is confirmed, calculated from the provider's default rate and the service gross price.
Common Questions
Can I edit a service item after it is confirmed? Yes. You can update the date, time, pricing, and notes on a confirmed service item. If the change affects the commission amount, the commission record is updated accordingly.
What if a guest requests a service we do not offer? The request still appears in the portfolio as a Requested item. The concierge team can cancel it with a note explaining the service is unavailable, or find a provider who can fulfill it.
Can I add services to a locked portfolio? No. Once a portfolio is locked (past the modification deadline), no new services can be added by the guest. However, the concierge team can still make changes from the admin side.
How do I see all services across all bookings for a given week? The concierge dashboard's "Upcoming Services" table shows confirmed services for the next 7 days across all portfolios.
Is there a limit to how many services a portfolio can have? No. A portfolio can hold as many service items as needed for the guest's stay.
Related
- Concierge Overview -- The concierge module dashboard, portfolios, and how the pieces fit together.
- Service Providers -- Managing the vendors assigned to service items.
- Guest Portal -- How guests view and request services through "Plan Your Stay."
- Booking Lifecycle -- How booking events affect portfolios and service items.