If you have integrated your smart lock with Hospitable, our Guest Experience suite offers a solution to automatically communicate the unique smart lock code to a guest.
The %smartlock_code% shortcode is compatible with reservations from platforms like VRBO and Booking.com, ensuring seamless integration across multiple booking sources.
You would just need to add the short code %smartlock_code% in the template of your messaging rule. This will populate the PIN that is generated specifically for the guest it is being sent to.
Note that even if %smartlock_code% short code is not included in your messages, code generation will still occur, but the code will not be automatically communicated to guests. If code communication is enabled, that will send the code to your guest if you haven't added the short code.
We don't recommend using wording like "The code will be based on your phone number", followed by the %smartlock_code% shortcode!
This is because we will not always be able to use the guest's phone number to create the code, for example, if we don't get their phone number from the booking platform.
Other issues could come up, like with certain locks, like Nuki, may encounter issues if the guest's phone number contains unsupported characters, such as zeros. In such cases, switching to random code generation is recommended.
It is highly recommended to send the guest their pin code close to their check-in time and not too far in advance - this gives the system more time to ensure your code is accepted on the lock or change the door code to a backup code if needed.
The %smartlock_code% shortcode cannot be used in "New reservation" messages to prevent premature code communication. It is best utilized in check-in or pre-arrival messages.
Users who have opted to use the last digits of a guest's phone number as the smart lock code in their settings should refrain from using %guest_phone_last4% as there may be instances where the original combination couldn't be provisioned. In such cases, we resort to creating a different combination for the guest. This new code will then be correctly communicated by the %smartlock_code% shortcode!
To ensure proper code generation, verify that the smart lock is matched to the correct property in the Devices section. Additionally, ensure the lock is online, has sufficient battery, and is not overloaded with codes (remove unnecessary codes). Avoid connecting the lock to multiple platforms, such as Airbnb, to prevent integration conflicts.