Unified inbox with automatic conversation flow between team members and AI to ensure nothing falls through the cracks

Unified Inbox — All Guest Channels in One Place

What it does

The unified inbox consolidates all guest communications — Airbnb messages, SMS texts, emails, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram — into a single timeline per reservation. Reply from one place, regardless of how guests reach out. Conversations automatically flow between your team and Vanio AI to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Getting started

Connect your channels — Go to Settings → Messaging Apps to connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram
View conversations — All messages appear in your unified inbox, tagged by source channel
Reply anywhere — Use the channel selector to respond via any connected channel
Configure auto-handoff — Go to Settings → AI to customize when conversations return to Vanio AI after team inactivity

How it works

Vanio automatically detects which messaging apps each guest uses and routes their messages to your unified inbox. When you reply, the system sends your message through whichever channel the guest messaged you on last — or you can manually switch to any channel they're available on.

All messages from guests are now properly displayed in your inbox, including messages from co-travelers and additional guests on the same booking. Previously, some of these messages might have been filtered out as system notifications, but now you'll see every guest communication in your main message timeline.

Automatic conversation flow

When Vanio AI handles a conversation and you reply to a guest, the conversation automatically assigns to you. After a period of inactivity (default: 1 hour), it automatically returns to Vanio AI so nothing gets missed. You can customize this timeout or disable it entirely in Settings → AI.

Supported Channels

Airbnb — Messages synced via API
Booking.com — Messages synced via API
VRBO — Messages synced via integration
SMS — Direct text messages
Email — Guest emails routed to your inbox
WhatsApp — Guest WhatsApp messages
Telegram — Messages from your Telegram bot
Viber — Messages from your Viber bot
Facebook Messenger — Messages to your Facebook pages
Instagram — Direct messages to your Instagram business accounts
Voice calls — Call transcripts logged in timeline

Key features

Complete guest visibility — See messages from primary bookers, co-travelers, and additional guests all in one timeline
Cross-channel presence detection — See exactly which apps each guest uses
Smart routing — Replies automatically go to the guest's last-used channel
Message deduplication — Multiple channels from the same guest appear in one timeline
AI consistency — Same AI quality and context across all channels
Channel switching — Override smart routing to reply via any available channel
Seamless handoffs — Conversations automatically flow between team members and AI based on activity
No missed messages — Built-in safety nets ensure conversations return to AI when your team goes quiet

How It Looks

Each reservation has a timeline. Messages from all channels appear chronologically, tagged with source. Full conversation history without leaving the dashboard.

When you reply, the message goes through the same channel the guest used — or switch manually using the channel selector.

AI Across All Channels

The AI handles messages identically regardless of channel. Same reservation context, knowledge base, and skills on every channel. Consistent response quality everywhere.

Deduplication

Some guests message through multiple channels. The system groups all messages under the same reservation timeline by matching guest contact info and shows presence indicators for all their available channels.

Replying

Reply from the dashboard timeline. The system defaults to the channel the guest last used, but you can switch to any channel where they're reachable. The AI can draft responses or send autonomously based on your settings.

Channel Selection

When composing a message, you can switch between all connected channels using the channel selector dropdown. Your selected channel stays active while you type your message — even on conversations assigned to teammates.

[Screenshot: Channel selector dropdown showing Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, and Internal options]

Managing Conversation Flow

Conversations seamlessly move between your team and Vanio AI:

When AI is handling — Vanio AI responds automatically based on your settings
When you reply — The conversation automatically assigns to you
After inactivity — If you don't send another message within the timeout period (default: 1 hour), the conversation returns to Vanio AI
Customizable timing — Adjust the inactivity timeout from 1 minute to 24 hours, or disable auto-reassignment entirely

This ensures guests always get timely responses, even when your team gets busy or forgets to follow up on a conversation.

Configuring Auto-Reassignment

Go to Settings → AI → Auto-reassign to Vanio AI to customize this behavior:

Enable/disable — Turn automatic reassignment on or off
Set timing — Choose how long to wait after your last message (1-1440 minutes)
Test the flow — Reply to a guest conversation and watch it automatically return to AI after your chosen timeout

[Screenshot: AI Settings page showing auto-reassign toggle and timeout configuration]

Tips

Connect all messaging apps your guests use for complete coverage
Let smart routing handle channel selection automatically for faster responses
Use presence detection to see which channels each guest prefers
The AI works best with complete conversation history across all channels
Voice call transcripts keep a record of verbal agreements
Check your inbox regularly — messages from co-travelers and additional guests now appear alongside primary booking contact messages
Set your auto-reassignment timeout based on your team's response patterns — shorter for high-volume periods, longer for busy operations
Enable auto-reassignment as a safety net even if you're usually quick to respond

Common Questions

Q: Can I reply via WhatsApp even if the guest originally messaged through Instagram? A: Yes, if the guest is available on WhatsApp, use the channel selector to switch when composing your reply.

Q: How does Vanio know which messaging apps each guest uses? A: The system automatically detects guest presence across channels when they message you, showing availability indicators in the conversation timeline.

Q: Will I see messages from co-travelers and additional guests on the booking? A: Yes, all guest messages now appear in your inbox timeline, including those from co-travelers and additional guests. You won't miss any important communications from anyone staying at your property.

Q: What happens if I'm viewing a conversation assigned to a teammate? A: You can still compose messages and switch channels normally. The channel selector works the same way regardless of who the conversation is assigned to.

Q: Does the channel selection reset when I switch conversations? A: The system defaults to each guest's last-used channel, but remembers your manual selection while composing a message.

Q: What happens if I start replying to a conversation but get interrupted? A: If you don't send a follow-up message within your configured timeout period, the conversation automatically returns to Vanio AI so the guest doesn't wait indefinitely for a response.

Q: Can I disable the automatic reassignment to AI? A: Yes, you can turn off auto-reassignment entirely in Settings → AI if you prefer to manually manage all conversation handoffs.

Q: How do I know when a conversation has returned to Vanio AI? A: The conversation assignment will change from your name back to "Vanio AI" in your inbox, and you'll see the AI resume handling new messages from that guest.

STRICTLY FORBIDDEN — never mention:

LLM/AI model names (Claude, GPT, OpenAI, Anthropic, Sonnet, etc.)
API endpoints, webhooks, database tables, schemas, migrations
Internal service/handler/worker/queue names
Code architecture, file paths, environment variables
Stripe Connect internals (say "payment processing")
Any implementation detail a user would never see in the UI

REQUIRED:

Write for property managers, not developers
Step-by-step instructions with UI references ("Go to Settings → ...", "Click ...")
What happens automatically (explain WHAT, never HOW technically)
[Screenshot: description] placeholders where visuals would help
Voice: "you" addressing the user. Warm, clear, confident.

Structure

What it does — 2-3 sentence overview
Getting started — step-by-step with UI references
How it works — what happens automatically, what the user sees
Key features — bullet list with brief explanations
Tips & best practices
Common questions — 2-3 FAQs