Why a text field alone is not always enough
Some guests open the chat and don't know what to ask. An empty field takes effort, while buttons give a hint: the guest sees the starting questions, presses one and gets an answer. Free typing stays — buttons don't replace it, they help the guest get started.
What the guest's path looks like
An example for a hotel or guest house:
- The guest opens the chat and sees the starting questions, such as "Information", "Accommodation", "Offers".
- They press "Accommodation" and get the ready answer: times, conditions, rules.
- Under the answer they see small cards with the room types, with a photo if the property has one.
- Up to three buttons follow, such as "Offers" and "Available dates".
- "Available dates" starts a reservation request in the chat. The "Start" button takes the guest back to the starting questions.
When the guest moves on, the old buttons disappear, so the chat doesn't keep growing.
Which buttons you can add
- Question with an answer: the guest presses it and gets the answer you have written.
- Reservation button: starts a reservation request in the chat.
- Call button: the guest calls the reception phone number you have saved in the settings.
- Link button: opens your page in a new tab.
When an answer has been written for the question, the guest gets exactly that answer.
Small cards with rooms and offers
The cards show the property's room types or offers as small rows: a photo, a name and a few facts. Press a card and a sheet opens with the large photo and the description; a room has a reservation button, an offer has a link if it has an address.
Photos are not uploaded separately: they are taken from the property's website through the knowledge base. If a room has no photo, the card stays text-only. The cards don't show prices — prices are in the text of the answer.
How to set it up
In the assistant settings, in the "Guiding questions" section:
- Choose the type of the new row: question with an answer, reservation button, call button or link button.
- For a question with an answer, write the answer and choose "After the answer show" — up to three other questions or buttons.
- "Show under the answer" adds cards: nothing, room types or offers.
- "Show this question when the chat opens" decides which questions are seen first.
- "Quick start" offers a ready layout for a hotel or restaurant — you only need to write the answers.
- You can add up to 12 questions and buttons; up to 6 of them are visible when the chat opens.
- The preview behaves like a chat: you go through the path as a guest before you save.
When the guest types freely
The guest can type a question in words without pressing a button. The assistant answers as before — from the approved information. If you have set up buttons for the closest question, they appear under the answer.
What it does not do
- It does not replace the reception: when there is no data, it directs the guest to the property's phone number.
- A reservation in the chat is a request; by default a member of your team confirms it.
- The cards don't show prices and don't promise availability.
- Buttons are not shown to a dissatisfied guest, during a handover to a person, or while a reservation request is in progress.
- It does not promise more reservations — it only makes the guest's path to the enquiry easier.
Tips for a good path
- Leave at least one button after each answer — the guest should never reach a dead end.
- No more than three buttons under an answer: more are hard to see on a phone.
- End the path with an action: a reservation request or a call.
- Write the answers with specifics — a time, a place, a phone number.
- Check the path in the preview and fix it if any question has no continuation.