Messages & communication

The Bookinda communication system offers 4 distinct surfaces, each with a different purpose.

The 4 surfaces

1. Messages

Transactional sent-message log. Every confirmation email, SMS reminder, with delivery status.

Path: /manager/messages
What you see: all outgoing email and SMS with status and content

2. Inbox

Incoming emails and AI-prepared drafts. If you connected the salon email account, customer messages live here.

Path: /manager/inbox
What you see: incoming emails, AI intent (Booking Request, Question, Complaint), AI drafts for approval

3. Customer Conversations

Two-way chat with customers, usually triggered from a booking email. AI auto-replies, you can escalate to human reply.

Path: /manager/inbox → Conversations tab
Token-based, conversation lives 30 days

4. Team Chat

Internal staff communication. Direct message, group channel, broadcast to whole team.

Path: /manager/chat
DIRECT (1-1), GROUP (multiple), BROADCAST (Owner/Manager only)

Which one when

Problem	Surface
"Did the booking confirmation arrive?"	Messages
"Customer wrote, how to reply?"	Inbox
"Customer asked about their booking"	Customer Conversations
"Quick note to a colleague"	Team Chat
"Notify whole team about tomorrow's opening"	Team Chat (broadcast)

The other notification surface

Adjacent to communication is the Notifications module. Notifications is about rules (when to send email or SMS). Messages is the log of what already went out.

→ Notifications overview

When to use it

Scenario 1, customer says "no confirmation received" Messages → search by name → Sent / Delivered? If yes, check spam. If no, email address may be wrong.

Scenario 2, email from unknown sender Inbox → AI detects intent (Booking Request? Question?). If AI drafted, Drafts tab to approve, edit, or rewrite.

Scenario 3, customer replies to booking email with a question Customer Conversations tab. AI tries to answer. If correct, OK. If not, escalate to human.

Scenario 4, "we're closed tomorrow" notice Team Chat → Broadcast channel → write, everyone sees. Mobile push too.

Scenario 5, private message to colleague Anna Team Chat → Direct → Anna. Only she sees.

Mobile app integration

All 4 surfaces have push support via Manager / Staff app:

Messages: push on delivery error (e.g., SMS failed)
Inbox: push on incoming email
Customer Conversations: push on customer message
Team Chat: push on teammate message

Tips

Use Messages for troubleshooting, not general search. Customer profile is closer.
Inbox AI drafts are the best feature, you just read the client question and Approve. Massive time saving.
Customer Conversations auto-AI is for booking questions: complex (complaint, dispute) → escalate to human immediately.
Team Chat isn't the place for customer disputes, that needs Customer Conversations or email.
Use broadcast rarely, only when truly everyone needs it. Else: noise.
The 4 surfaces have separate access control: Reception doesn't see staff DMs but sees their own.

Messages & communication overview