📧 Automated Guest Communications

Email Template Architecture

Kaptio email templates are configured at the Channel level and linked to specific booking stages. This ensures customers in different channels receive appropriately branded and formatted communications.

Template Hierarchy

Channel (e.g., Direct Sales)
└── Stage (e.g., Booking Confirmed)
    └── Email Template
        ├── Subject Line (with merge fields)
        ├── Body Content (HTML/Text)
        ├── Merge Fields (dynamic data)
        └── Attachments (optional)

Key Template Types

Template	Trigger Event	Key Content
Quote/Proposal	Quote created	Itinerary summary, pricing, CTA
Booking Confirmation	Payment received	Full details, payment confirmation
Payment Receipt	Transaction complete	Amount, method, balance
Pre-Departure	X days before travel	Documents, instructions, contacts
Amendment Notice	Itinerary modified	Changes summary, new pricing
Supplier Notification	Line confirmed	Service details, passengers

Merge Field Reference

Templates support dynamic content using merge fields that pull data from Salesforce records:

Common Merge Fields

Field	Description	Example
{!Contact.FirstName}	Customer first name	”Sarah”
{!Itinerary.Name}	Booking reference	”BT-2025-1234”
{!Itinerary.TravelStartDate}	Departure date	”March 15, 2025”
{!Itinerary.TotalPrice}	Booking total	”$4,500.00”
{!Package.Name}	Tour name	”Japan Discovery”
{!Passenger.FullName}	Traveler name	”Sarah Johnson”

Conditional Content

Show or hide content based on booking attributes:

{!IF(Itinerary.Channel = 'Agent', 
  'Your travel agent will provide further details.',
  'Please contact us directly with questions.'
)}

Trigger Configuration

Event-Based Triggers

Configure automatic dispatch based on Salesforce events:

Event	Trigger Point	Template
Status Change	Booking Confirmed	Confirmation Email
Payment Made	Transaction Created	Payment Receipt
Date Relative	30 days before travel	Pre-Departure
Record Update	Amendment saved	Amendment Notice

Stage-Linked Actions

Each booking stage can have associated email actions:

Quote Stage
├── Available Actions: Send Quote, Decline Quote
├── Email Template: Quote Proposal
└── Next Stage: Booking Confirmed

Booking Confirmed Stage
├── Available Actions: Send Confirmation, Request Documents
├── Email Template: Booking Confirmation
└── Auto-Send: On stage entry

Supplier Communication

Booking Confirmation to Suppliers

Automatically notify suppliers when bookings are confirmed:

• Service details and dates
• Passenger names and requirements
• Special requests (dietary, accessibility)
• Confirmation request with response options

Amendment Notifications

When bookings change, suppliers receive:

• Change summary (added/removed/modified services)
• Updated passenger list
• New dates if applicable
• Reconfirmation request

Delivery Tracking

Activity Records

Every sent email creates an Activity record linked to:

• Contact (recipient)
• Itinerary (booking)
• Template used
• Timestamp
• Delivery status

Monitoring Bounces

Configure bounce handling workflows:

1. Email bounces → Activity marked “Failed”
2. Flow triggers → Task created for ops team
3. Team reviews → Updates contact email
4. Resend → Manual or automatic retry

Best Practices

Template Design

• ✅ Use responsive HTML for mobile compatibility
• ✅ Include plain text fallback for email clients
• ✅ Test merge fields with missing data scenarios
• ✅ Keep subject lines under 50 characters

Automation Rules

• ✅ Set prerequisites (e.g., payment before confirmation)
• ✅ Use sandbox testing before production activation
• ✅ Document trigger logic for team reference
• ✅ Monitor delivery rates after go-live

Compliance

• ✅ Include unsubscribe option for marketing emails
• ✅ Store consent records on Contact
• ✅ Respect communication preferences by channel
• ✅ Comply with regional email regulations (GDPR, CAN-SPAM)

Bunnik Implementation Example

Bunnik Tours consolidated their communication workflow:Before: Outlook templates, manual sends, no tracking After: Automated triggers, branded templates, full audit trail### Key Templates Implemented1. 7-Day Quote Option - Full itinerary for sales conversion 2. Booking Confirmation - Post-deposit confirmation with payment summary 3. Supplier Confirmation - Service details for vendor coordination 4. Receipt for Direct Bookings - Transaction confirmation 5. Sales Invoice - Tax invoice for finance requirements### Automation Results- 80% reduction in manual email sends

• Zero missed confirmations
• Complete communication history on every booking