Inlet offers both SMS and email options to keep your customers informed about their bookings. At various stages of the customer journey, we can notify users with different types of information, statuses, and actions. The sms/email time can be offset by using the firetime parameter, which you can use to send the communication at an interval before or after some trigger (such as -30 to send it 30 minutes before the start of the booking, or 10 to send 10 minutes after)
See also How to Configure SMS or Email for Notifications
Here are the various types of information, statuses, and actions we support, along with samples texts using Smart Fields:
- Booking Created: Sent at the time we receive a booking from the partner system.
Thank you for your booking at {{LOCATION}}! Your booking is scheduled for: {{CHECKIN}} to {{CHECKOUT}}. You will receive a code via sms 10-minutes before your booking starts. The code only works for the two hour period you have booked: not before and not after. By using the sauna you accept the house rules and that you must wash and clean yourself. Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking Check-In: Sent at the time a booking starts , or can be sent beforehand by using the "firetime" parameter, for example -30, to sent the sms 30 minutes before the booking starts.
The PIN code for your booking scheduled {{CHECKIN}} to {{CHECKOUT}} is: {{CODE}}. We are confident you will use common sense while enjoying the sauna. Please be sure to tidy and clean after yourself. Enjoy the view and relax! Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking Check-Out: Sent at the time a booking ends
We hope you enjoyed your time at the sauna. Please be sure to give us feedback on your experience. Enjoy the view and relax! Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking updated: Sent when there is a change in a booking received from the partner system
Your booking at {{LOCATION}} has been changed to: {{CHECKIN}} to {{CHECKOUT}}. You will receive a code via sms 10-minutes before your booking starts. If you have not requested this change please contact us at xxxx . Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking updated Check-In: Sent when there is a change in a booking check-in time received from the partner system
The check-In time for your booking at {{LOCATION}} has been changed to: {{CHECKIN}}. You will receive a code via sms 10-minutes before your booking starts. If you have not requested this change please contact us at xxxx . Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking updated Check-Out: Sent when there is a change in a booking checkout time received from the partner system
The checkout time for your booking at {{LOCATION}} has been changed to: {{CHECKOUT}}. You will receive a code via sms 10-minutes before your booking starts. If you have not requested this change please contact us at xxxx . Regards, Your Company Name
- Booking revoked: Sent when a booking cancellation is received from the partner system
Your booking at {{LOCATION}} scheduled for {{CHECKIN}} to {{CHECKOUT}} has been cancelled. If you have not requested this change please contact us at xxxx . Regards, Your Company Name
The above scenarios are also supported for the following:
- Pulse Open: The user receives a url via sms. When the user clicks the link, the door unlocks. The link will have a limited active time, and then will be dead. Sometimes the link is only valid for a single use, or very short period of time.
You have been granted access to room {{LOCK_DESCRIPTION}} from {{CHECKIN}}-{{CHECKOUT}}. Click {{PULSE_URL}} to open the door. The link is only valid for the times and dates listed.
- Mobile Key: (Coming soon)
We also support notifications when there is a problem, which can help you prevent issues early:
- Offline lock group: Sent when a group of locks or lock server goes offline, or losses communications with Inlet
Attention! The lock server at {{LOCATION}} has been offline for {{OFFLINE_MINUTES}}. The locks are probably also offline and inaccessible until it comes back online
- Offline single lock: Sent when a single goes offline, or losses communications with Inlet
Attention! {{LOCKS_OFFLINE}} at {{LOCATION}} has been offline for {{OFFLINE_MINUTES}}. The lock is probably inaccessible until it comes back online
- Failed operation:
Attention! Failed '{{OPERATION}}' operation for Lock ID '{{LOCK_ID}}' at {{LOCATION}}. Check that the lock is online, or for any other issue onsite, then contact support
Some things to consider when planning to use this communication channel from Inlet:
- SMS/Emails are configured per location. This means the text used is the same for each location, and all locks configured in that location.
- If different text is needed per lock, then different locations must be configured.
- We do support some lock specific information by adding Smart Fields into an SMS. Some use cases here might be a lock name (such as Locker 100, Locker 102...), or a specific lock location (such as behind the cabin). Each lock has some configurable fields which can be used such as:
{{LOCK}} - Inserts a single lock name
{{LOCKS}} - Inserts the lock name of up to 4 locks in the same lock group
{{LOCATION_DESCRIPTION}}- Inserts location description, taken from the description field in the location's general tab
Inlet can send both SMS and email notifications at the following times:
Code:
- When a code is created (we are notified of the access).
- X minutes before a code becomes active (before check-in).
- When a code starts to be active (at check-in).
- X minutes after a code has become active (after check-in).
- X minutes before a code becomes inactive (before check-out).
- When a code becomes inactive (at check-out).
- X minutes after a code becomes inactive (after check-out).
- When a code is updated.
- When a code is deleted.
Door Set in Unlocked State:
- When a door is set to an unlocked state (we are notified of the access).
- X minutes before a door is set to an unlocked state (before check-in).
- When a door is set to an unlocked state (at check-in).
- X minutes after a door is set to an unlocked state (after check-in).
- X minutes before a door ends its unlocked state (before check-out).
- When a door ends its unlocked state (at check-out).
- X minutes after a door ends its unlocked state (after check-out).
- When a door's unlocked state is updated.
- When a door's unlocked state is deleted.
Mobile Key:
- When a mobile key is created (we are notified of the access).
- X minutes before a mobile key becomes active (before check-in).
- When a mobile key starts to be active (at check-in).
- X minutes after a mobile key has become active (after check-in).
- X minutes before a mobile key becomes inactive (before check-out).
- When a mobile key becomes inactive (at check-out).
- X minutes after a mobile key becomes inactive (after check-out).
- When a mobile key is updated.
- When a mobile key is deleted.
Pulse Open:
- When a pulse access is created (we are notified of the access).
- X minutes before a pulse access becomes active (before check-in).
- When a pulse access starts to be active (at check-in).
- X minutes after a pulse access has started to be active (after check-in).
- X minutes before a pulse access becomes inactive (before check-out).
- When a pulse access becomes inactive (at check-out).
- X minutes after a pulse access becomes inactive (after check-out).
- When a pulse access is updated.
- When a pulse access is deleted.
These notifications ensure that you and your customers are always informed about all aspects of the bookings.
For details on how we handle communication data, please refer to our Communication Privacy Policy.
SMS:
We have a direct integration with Intellipush SMS.
Email:
To send emails through your server, we require the SMTP details for your email server.