Automate your bookings and avoid errors with confirmations and reminders
Managing multiple bookings requires precision and efficiency. Automatic reminders and confirmations help reduce errors, avoid delays, decrease manual work, and at the same time, convey greater confidence to guests.
With Harmony, you can set up automations in the "Bookings" category, which are triggered based on the booking status and payment type.
Key Definitions
Harmony: platform that allows you to configure and automate email sends related to bookings.
Solution: automated rule created in Harmony to execute a process (example: sending instructions to a tourist).
Tags: labels that allow you to segment email sends to specific groups of customers, accommodations, owners, or portals.
What solutions does the "Bookings" category offer
Depending on your configuration, you have one or two solutions available:
Manage bookings pending payment.
Automatically confirm bookings with immediate payment from your web (only if you have an Avantio web or integration with immediate payment methods).
1. Manage bookings pending payment
When the system detects that a guest has a pending payment, you can schedule an automatic reminder and customize the message to indicate how to complete the transaction:
Notify that the charge will be made to the card on a specific date (if you have the card storage module active).
Send a generic payment link (available only for PayPal and Redsys Instant POS).
Include instructions for making a bank transfer.
Step by step
Access VRMS → Harmony and enter "Dashboard" or "Solutions".
Click on "Create new solution" and select the "Bookings" category.
Press "New configuration", create the solution, and assign it a descriptive name.
Select the execution time (for example, 30 days before check-in, at 3:00 PM). You can use positive or negative numbers to indicate if the action occurs after or before the scheduled date.
Set up the notifications: recipients, template, and possible copies.
Define whether it will apply to new bookings or also to existing ones.
Save the configuration.
Attention to details
The system interprets "month" as 30 calendar days.
The send time always corresponds to the local time of your VRMS account.
If the booking is created after the scheduled send date, the system automatically adjusts the send to the next check.
2. Automatically confirm bookings with immediate payment
If you have an Avantio web or integration with PayPal or POS (except Avantio Payments), you can automate the confirmation of bookings.
How it works
When the guest makes an immediate payment, the system:
Automatically changes the booking status from "Pre-booking" to "Confirmed".
Sends a confirmation email to the guest.
Step by step
Create the solution in Harmony and give it a clear name.
Select the payment methods that should trigger the automation.
Define the execution time if you want to delay the action (example: 2 days after the booking, at 3:00 PM).
Set up tags if you want to filter by owners, accommodations, or portals.
Customize the notifications and add more if you deem necessary.
Indicate whether it should apply only to new bookings or also to existing ones.
Save the solution.
Attention to details
The deposit is considered a pending payment in this type of solutions.
The payment percentage is calculated on the total booking amount, including extras and fees.
Automating confirmations and payment reminders in Harmony simplifies booking management and optimizes communication with guests. Implementing these solutions reduces errors, improves operational efficiency, and strengthens customer confidence in the booking process.
Useful tip
Use tags strategically: segment sends to avoid overwhelming with unnecessary emails.
Ensure templates are clear: explain in detail how to make the payment to reduce doubts.
Combine confirmation and gratitude: a confirmation email can also include useful information about the stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a booking is created after the scheduled date for an automatic send?
What happens if a booking is created after the scheduled date for an automatic send?
The system adjusts the send and executes it at the next available check.
What is the difference between using positive and negative days when scheduling the execution time?
What is the difference between using positive and negative days when scheduling the execution time?
A positive value schedules the send X days after the indicated date, while a negative value schedules it X days before.
Does the payment calculation include only the accommodation or also extras and fees?
Does the payment calculation include only the accommodation or also extras and fees?
The system always calculates based on the total amount of the reservation, including extras and fees.
Can I use these automations if my account has Avantio Payments?
Can I use these automations if my account has Avantio Payments?
No. In that case, Avantio Payments directly manages the status changes and confirmations.