Hello Softinn BE Users!

Scenario: You want to offer your guests booking flexibility by allowing them to secure a room layout immediately while giving them a window of time to complete their online payment later, all without risking manual inventory blockages.

How the Automated Workflow Works

When this option is active, the system manages the tentative hold and follow-ups entirely on autopilot:

• Step 1 (Guest Selection): During checkout on the booking engine, guests will see a “Reserve Now, Pay Later” button at the bottom of the payment page.

• Step 2 (Inventory Hold): Once selected, the system instantly holds the room inventory so it cannot be double-booked by anyone else.

• Step 3 (Immediate Alert): The guest is sent an immediate email titled “[Action Required] Your booking is not confirmed” which contains a secure, direct “Pay Online” link.

• Step 4 (Automated Reminders): If the balance remains unpaid, the system automatically fires off reminder emails to the guest when they have 12 hours and 4 hours left before their payment deadline.

• Step 5 (Auto-Cancellation): If the deadline passes without a successful payment, the booking engine automatically cancels the hold, releases the room back into your live inventory, and sends you a “Your booking is cancelled” notification email.

Key Built-In Guardrails

To protect your property’s revenue and inventory, the system includes two strict conditions:

• Payment Mode Requirement: This feature is automatically enabled exclusively for hotels utilizing the “Collected by Softinn” payment gateway model.

• Last-Minute Protection: To protect your inventory from uncommitted holds, this option is automatically hidden for same-day or last-minute bookings. For example, if a guest attempts to book a stay for check-in today, they must pay immediately at checkout to secure the room.

Notes: Because the system handles the countdown, reminders, and cancellations completely on its own, your team does not need to manually police unpaid holds or worry about rooms getting stuck in limbo.

This feature gives your guests the flexibility they want while keeping your inventory management completely effortless!