Trigger Examples - Triggers - Messaging - Support

Trigger Examples

Triggers provide a powerful way to communicate automatically and streamline your vacation rental business processes by reducing errors and improving efficiency. You can respond to guests with personalized messages or notify third parties without lifting a finger!

To learn more about triggers, check out the Trigger overview and Triggers - Setup & Configuration support articles. If you haven't read those yet, go back and do that first.

But how do triggers look? What should your template say? When should your trigger fire? Knowing how to start and what settings to configure with such a powerful feature can be challenging.

To get you started, we've prepared a small library of examples that demonstrate how to use triggers for common scenarios. Feel free to copy these and make them your own! If you have your own example that you'd like to share with others, please send it to us so we can share it with others.

Immediate Triggers
Scheduled Triggers

Immediate Triggers

As soon as an inquiry is received

Inquiries are not all created equal! When an inquiry comes into your account, you may want to answer it in several different ways depending on the time of day, what the guest asked for, how close the stay dates are to now, and other factors. Our Inquiry Triggers give you that ability! You can create your own conditions and messages, but here are some common ways PMs and homeowners respond to inquiries in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS	Variations
Reply to inquiry about rule violation	A guest asks to do something you don't allow (ie. rule violation - pets not allowed, too large of a group, too long/short of a stay), and you want to say "we don't allow that" and give a reason	Yes	Yes	Yes	Time of day, Comments
Reply to inquiry about unavailable dates	A guest asks for dates that someone else has already booked, and you want to tell them "sorry, no"	Yes	Yes	Yes	Time of day, Comments
Reply to inquiry about missing info	A guest sends an inquiry that is unintelligible or doesn't have enough information to know what to say, and you want to ask them to clarify	Yes	Yes	Yes	Time of day, Comments
Reply to inquiry with a bookable quote	A guest asks for a stay that is available and bookable, and want to send them a quote as fast as possible so that they can immediately book	Yes	No	Yes	Time of day, Comments

As soon as a quote is sent

A potential guest begins the "Book Now" quote process on our personal website but fails to complete the reservation. It’s important to follow up with them to remind them to finalize their booking using email and SMS templates and a quote trigger.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Quote Follow-up to Guest Who Started a Book Now on Your Personal Website	A potential guest begins the "Book Now" quote process on our personal website but fails to complete the reservation. Follow up to their quote immediately to remind them to book	Yes	No	Yes

As soon as a booking occurs

Getting a new booking always feels great! You see that new booking alert come in, and it makes you happy every time. However, that typically means there's new work to do! Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc) or the size/type of the group, you need to reach out and ask for more information or welcome the guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Ask Channel guest without contact info, to provide contact info and sign renter agreement	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to ask the guest for contact info and get a signed renter agreement and security deposit.	No	Yes	No
Ask Channel guest with contact info to sign renter agreement	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to ask for a renter agreement and security deposit.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Thank your guest, who booked through your personal website, for booking directly	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to thank the guest for booking with a warm personal message.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell cleaning staff about new booking	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff whenever a new booking comes in, including certain fields like the stay dates, guest's contact info, and their group size.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell owner about new booking	You want to tell the owner of the property the happy news that a new booking came in! You may also want to include specific information like the stay dates, their group size, and the channel the guest booked through.		No

As soon as a booking is canceled

It's disappointing to get a booking cancellation, but life moves on. And dealing with the cancellation and possible refund means there's new work to do! Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc) to the guest who canceled and your team in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Send a Booking Cancellation Notice to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send a Booking Cancellation Notice.	No	Yes	No
Send a Booking Cancellation Notice to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send a Booking Cancellation Notice.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send a Booking Cancellation Notice to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to the guest to send a Booking Cancellation Notice.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell Cleaning Staff About the Cancellation	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff whenever a cancellation comes in so they can update their calendar.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell Owner About the Cancellation	You want to tell the owner of the property the sad news that a cancellation occurred. You may also want to include specific information like the stay dates, their group size, and the channel the guest booked through.	Yes	No	Yes

Scheduled Triggers

A few days after a quote is sent

A potential guest begins the "Book Now" quote process on our personal website but failed to complete the reservation. It’s important to send a scheduled follow up with them to remind them to finalize their booking using email and SMS templates and a quote trigger.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Scheduled Quote Follow-up to Guest Who Started a Book Now on Your Personal Website	A potential guest began the "Book Now" quote process on our personal website but failed to complete the reservation. Send a scheduled follow up to their quote to remind them to book	Yes	No	Yes

A few days after the booking initially occurred

It's a good idea to offer guests travel insurance and any available discounted gap nights while their travel plans are still fresh in their minds after creating the booking. Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc), you may want to communicate with your guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

These Travel Insurance Offer messages are already OwnerRez default email system messages, but you can optionally customize each email message and adapt the language for channel and SMS messages. Also, you can send personalized message templates offering discounted gap nights to guests a couple of days following their initial booking.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Reminder to Yourself That Renter Agreement Has Not Been Signed	Send yourself an email and/or an SMS message to remind yourself that a guest has not yet provided contact information or signed your renter agreement.	Yes	No	Yes
Offer Travel Insurance to Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to offer Travel Insurance.	No	Yes	No
Offer Travel Insurance to Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, or your guest has already provided contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to offer Travel Insurance.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Offer Travel Insurance to Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly on your personal website, but you want to reach out to the guest to offer Travel Insurance.	Yes	No	Yes
Send Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website an Invoice or Receipt	You already have the contact info because the guest booked directly on your personal website, but you want to send an updated invoice or a summary of booking charges after making changes to a booking or provide a receipt for business purposes.	Yes	No	Yes
Offer Discounted Gap Night to Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	No	Yes	No
Offer Discounted Gap Night to Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, or your guest has already provided contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Offer Discounted Gap Night to Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly on your personal website, but you want to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	Yes	No	Yes

Before the guest arrives

It's exciting to share your guests' anticipation of their arrival at your property, and it's important to send the right information at just the right time! Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc.), you may want to communicate with your guests and your team in different ways.

With personalized message templates, you can set up last-minute deals for your guests, offering deeply discounted gap nights a couple of days prior to their arrival. Your guests will definitely need the door code for entry along with other pertinent information about your property. And, of course, cleaners and owners need different preparation information. Our Booking Triggers give you these abilities! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners share information automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Offer Deeply Discounted Gap Night to Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	No	Yes	No
Offer Deeply Discounted Gap Night to Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, or your guest has already provided contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Offer Deeply Discounted Gap Night to Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly on your personal website, but you want to reach out to the guest to offer a discounted gap night.	Yes	No	Yes
Send Guest Arrival Information to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send Guest Arrival Information that includes door lock codes, the location of your property, and the check-in time.	No	Yes	No
Send Guest Arrival Information to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send Guest Arrival Information that includes door lock codes, the location of your property, and the check-in time..	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send Guest Arrival Information to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to send Guest Arrival Information that includes door lock codes, the location of your property, and the check-in time.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell Cleaning Staff About any Special Preparations Needed for the Booking	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff to remind them of any special preparations needed for the upcoming booking.	Yes	No	Yes
Tell Owner About any Special Preparations Needed for the Booking	You want to tell the owner of the property of any special preparations needed for the upcoming booking. You may also want to include specific information like the stay dates, their group size, and the channel the guest booked through.	Yes	No	Yes

On the morning of arrival

Travel days can be hectic and ensuring your guests receive the right information at the right time is key to creating a memorable arrival experience. Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc), you may want to communicate with your guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Send Morning of Arrival Information to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send Day of Arrival Information.	No	Yes	No
Send Morning of Arrival Information to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send Day of Arrival Information.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send Morning of Arrival Information to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to send Day of Arrival Information.	Yes	No	Yes
Remind Cleaning Staff to Document the State of the Property and/or About an Early Check-in	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff to remind them to document the state of the property after cleaning but prior to guest arrival and/or about an early check-in.	Yes	No	Yes

After the guest has arrived

Contacting your guests during their stay is a delicate balance between too much and too little communication. Ensuring they receive the right information at just the right time is imperative in creating a memorable travel experience. Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc), you may want to communicate with your guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Send a Message to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information to Ensure Everything is Alright	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to ensure they have everything they need.	No	Yes	No
Send a Message to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information to Ensure Everything is Alright	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to ensure they have everything they need.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send a Message to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website to Ensure Everything is Alright	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to the guest to ensure they have everything they need.	Yes	No	Yes
Remind Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information About a Day of Week Task	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to remind them about a day-of-the-week task, such as trash pickup.	No	Yes	No
Remind Your Channel Guest With Contact Information About a Day of Week Task	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to remind them about a day-of-the-week task, such as trash pickup.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Remind Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website About a Day of Week Task	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to the guest to remind them about a day-of-the-week task, such as trash pickup.	Yes	No	Yes
Send Departure Information to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	No	Yes	No
Send Departure Information to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send Departure Information to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to the guest to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	Yes	No	Yes
Remind Cleaning Staff About a Day of Week Task	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff to remind them about a day-of-the-week task, such as trash pickup.	Yes	No	Yes
Remind Cleaning Staff About the Next Cleaning Date	You want to send a customized message to the cleaning staff to remind them of the next cleaning date.	Yes	No	Yes

On the morning of departure

Travel days can be hectic and ensuring your guests receive the right information at the right time is key to creating a smooth departure experience. Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc), you may want to communicate with your guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Send Morning of Departure Information to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	No	Yes	No
Send Morning of Departure Information to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send Morning of Departure Information to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to send Departure Information and a link to review your property.	Yes	No	Yes
Remind Cleaning Staff About Guest Departure, Scheduled Cleaning, and Document the State of the Property	You want to send a quick customized message to the cleaning staff to remind them of today's guest departure and scheduled cleaning and to document the state of the property.	Yes	No	Yes

After the guest has departed

Sending a customized thank-you message to your guests after their departure can help create lasting vacation memories. Depending on where the booking came from (channel, etc), you may want to communicate with your guest in different ways. Our Booking Triggers give you that ability! Here are some common ways PMs and homeowners reach out automatically with trigger messages in OwnerRez.

Trigger	Scenario	Email	Channel	SMS
Send Thank you to Your Channel Guest Without Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Airbnb or Booking.com that does not provide contact information, so you need to reach out to the guest to send a thank note that includes a discount code to book again and a link to review your property.	No	Yes	No
Send Thank you to Your Channel Guest With Contact Information	A guest books on a channel like Vrbo that provides contact information, but you still need to reach out to the guest to send a thank note that includes a discount code to book again, a link to review your property, and a Facebook Like request.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send Thank you to Your Guest Who Booked Through Your Personal Website	You already have the contact info and renter agreement because the guest booked directly, but you want to reach out to send a thank note that includes a discount code to book again, a link to review your property, and a Facebook Like request.	Yes	No	Yes
Send Your Departed Guest a Discount Code to Book a Return Visit to Your Property	You already have the contact information from your departed guest, but you want to reach out to send a message that includes a discount code to book again with a link to your direct book website.	Yes	No	Yes