Change Hotel Bookings from WhatsApp with Cloudbeds

This recipe handles “can I move my booking to next week?” and “I need to cancel” on WhatsApp. It finds the reservation in Cloudbeds, checks where it came from and which rate it is on, tells the guest what your policy allows, and updates Cloudbeds once the guest confirms. Part of the Cloudbeds integration.

What happens today

A guest asks to change their dates. Someone at the desk searches Cloudbeds, checks the source and the rate, checks the new nights, works out the price difference and replies. If the booking came from an online travel agency, the guest has to be told to change it there. Each change takes several messages, and a cancellation that sits unanswered keeps a room off sale.

The flow that works

AeroChat asks for the booking name and arrival date, or the reservation number.
It finds the reservation in Cloudbeds and checks the source. Online travel agency bookings get a clear message to change them with that agency.
For a direct booking, it checks the request against the rate’s change and cancellation terms.
For a date change, it checks availability for the new nights and tells the guest the new total.
When the guest confirms, it updates or cancels the reservation in Cloudbeds and adds a note of the change.

The recipe

Copy this into AeroChat

When a guest asks to change or cancel a booking, follow these steps.

Ask for the booking name and arrival date, or the reservation number.

Find the reservation in Cloudbeds. If its source is an online travel agency, tell the guest the change has to be made with that agency. Stop there.

Check the rate. Example terms: Flexible rate, free changes and cancellation up to 48 hours before arrival. Non-refundable rate, no refund, one date change allowed for US$25 (examples).

For a date change, check Cloudbeds for the same room type on every new night. If it is free, tell the guest the new total. If not, offer the nearest dates or another room type.

For a cancellation, tell the guest exactly what our policy means for their booking, including any charge, before they confirm.

When the guest confirms, update the dates or cancel the reservation in Cloudbeds and add a note with the change and any charge. If there is a fee, send a payment link before making the change.

Send the updated confirmation or the cancellation confirmation in the chat.

Never waive a charge or change a rate. If the guest disputes the policy, collect the details and hand over to the front office. Reply in the guest’s language.

Change the rate names, terms and fee to your own before you paste it. If you want a person to approve every change, add: “Do not change the reservation. Pass the request to the front office with the details.”

What to connect

Cloudbeds. Create an API key under Account, Apps and Marketplace, API Credentials, and enter it in the AeroChat dashboard when it asks.
Your policies. Upload your rate terms and cancellation policy to the AeroChat knowledge base.
Payments, for change fees. Airwallex is built in. HitPay and Stripe connect with your API key if you already use them. Payment links are included from the Growth plan.

Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.

Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.

What you still decide

Your change and cancellation terms for each rate.
Whether AeroChat makes the change or passes it to a person for approval.
Which changes always go to a person, such as group bookings or long stays.

The result to expect

Date changes are handled while the guest is still in the chat, and cancellations reach Cloudbeds sooner, so the room goes back on sale earlier. Measure it with your own numbers: the time from a change request to the updated booking, and rooms resold after an early cancellation.

Next: direct bookings and pre-arrival requests with Cloudbeds. See also the hotel recipe for booking changes.

Try a change in chat

Paste the recipe, add your Cloudbeds API key, and message your own number asking to move a test booking by a night.

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