Unified Messaging Inbox

Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and Viber to Vanio and manage all your guest, owner, and staff conversations in one place. Your team can respond from any channel, and Vanio automatically detects which messaging apps each person uses to route replies intelligently.

Getting Started

Step 1: Access Messaging Settings

1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Messaging
2. You'll see tiles for each messaging platform
3. Click Connect on the platform you want to add

[Screenshot: Messaging integrations dashboard showing WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, and Viber tiles]

Step 2: Choose Your Connection Purpose

For each platform, select what you'll use it for:

• Guest communications — Booking inquiries, check-in instructions, support
• Owner communications — Property updates, maintenance coordination
• Sales — Lead nurturing, booking conversions
• Operations — Team coordination, task management
• General — Mixed-use conversations

Step 3: Connect Your First Platform

WhatsApp (Two Options):

• Personal QR Code — Scan with your phone for instant setup
• Business Account — Enterprise-grade connection for higher volume

Telegram:

1. Create a bot by messaging @BotFather
2. Copy your bot token into Vanio
3. Your bot goes live immediately

Facebook Messenger & Instagram:

1. Click Connect Facebook
2. Log in and select your business pages
3. Grant permissions for messaging
4. Both Messenger and Instagram connect automatically if linked

Viber:

1. Create a public account or bot
2. Enter your account credentials
3. Vanio handles the rest

[Screenshot: Connection flow showing the different setup options for each platform]

How It Works

Automatic Presence Detection

Vanio learns which messaging apps each person uses by tracking their conversation history. When someone messages you on WhatsApp, Vanio remembers they're a WhatsApp user. If they later call your main number, Vanio knows to send follow-up messages via WhatsApp instead of SMS.

Smart Reply Routing

When you respond to any message, Vanio automatically sends your reply through the same channel the person used to contact you. No need to switch between apps or remember which platform someone prefers.

Unified Inbox Experience

All conversations flow into your main Vanio inbox, labeled by channel:

• 📱 WhatsApp messages show with the WhatsApp icon
• ✈️ Telegram messages show with the Telegram icon
• 💬 Messenger conversations are clearly marked
• 📷 Instagram DMs display with the Instagram badge
• 💜 Viber messages show the Viber indicator

Team Collaboration

Your entire team can access these conversations. When a team member responds, the reply goes out through the same messaging platform the guest used, maintaining a seamless experience.

[Screenshot: Unified inbox showing conversations from different platforms with their respective icons and labels]

Key Features

• Cross-platform messaging — One inbox for WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, and Viber • Automatic channel detection — Vanio learns each person's preferred messaging apps • Smart reply routing — Responses automatically use the right platform • Team access — Your whole team can respond from any connected account • Purpose-based organization — Separate accounts for guests, owners, sales, and operations • Real-time sync — Messages appear instantly across all team members • Message history — Full conversation threads with context from previous interactions • Multiple account support — Connect different WhatsApp numbers, Telegram bots, or Facebook pages for different purposes

Tips & Best Practices

Start with one platform and expand gradually. Most property managers find WhatsApp or Telegram easiest to begin with since guests worldwide use these platforms.

Use purpose-based accounts to keep conversations organized. Set up separate connections for guest support versus owner communications, so your team knows the context immediately.

Let your team know about the change before connecting messaging platforms. Brief them on how messages will now appear in Vanio instead of their personal phones.

Test the connection by sending yourself a message on each platform after setup. This ensures everything's working before guests start messaging.

Set up team permissions so the right people can access each type of conversation. You might want only senior staff handling owner communications while the whole team can respond to guest inquiries.

Common Questions

Can I use my existing WhatsApp Business account? Yes, if you're currently using WhatsApp Business, you can connect that same number to Vanio. Your existing conversations and contacts remain unchanged.

What happens to messages when I'm offline? All messages are stored in Vanio's inbox, so nothing gets lost. Your team can respond when they're back online, and guests see replies through their original messaging app.

Can I disconnect a platform if I change my mind? Absolutely. Go to Settings → Integrations → Messaging, find the connected account, and click Disconnect. This stops new messages from flowing to Vanio but doesn't delete your conversation history.