How to add your welcome video to SmartHost

Give a warm welcome to your guests – and promote your brand – with a welcome video on SmartHost.

A welcome video on your SmartHost Show device is a great way to reinforce your brand and give your guests a taste of your hospitality. Showing "the human element" of your brand makes the technology feel more friendly – and improves guest experience.

This guide will give you tips on creating a guest welcome video, uploading it to SmartHost, and making sure your welcome card explains how guests can view the welcome video. 

1. Tips for making a stand out video

Making a great welcome video doesn't have to be difficult! Here are a few tips for how to make the most of your welcome video:

• Introduce yourself and your company.
• Let guests know they can ask questions about both their rental property and the area in general. Include specific examples of questions like “Alexa, what is the WiFi password?” and “Alexa, how do I operate the hot tub?”
• Let guests know they can check out via the device.
• Let guests know they can contact their host via the device, if they have questions or issues.
• Tell guests that they have the option to mute the device if they don’t want to use it..

Unsure about what to say? Check out this awesome example from Mountain Laurel Chalets:

 

2. Format your video for SmartHost

To make sure that your video functions properly and looks the absolute best on your SmartHost Show devices, here are some formatting suggestions:

• Video format: .mp4
• Max Video Resolution: 1920x1080
• Video size: less than 100MB

You can upload the video in Calendar > Integrations > Welcome Message

3. Upload your welcome video to your Xplorie SmartHost system.

Step 1: Log in to Xplorie SmartHost.

Upload the video in Calendar > Calendar Features > Host Welcome Message

When enabled this will automatically play the welcome message after the first interaction the guest has with the device. Guests can also play on demand by saying, "Alexa, play welcome message." 

Adding Welcome Video to a Content Item

If you would like the video to play on demand regardless of reservation, you can also add it to a Content Item. Here are steps to create a Welcome Message Content Item.

Step 1: In the Groups dropdown menu, navigate to Containers.

You will see a list of containers which typically include Xplorie Activity Programs and container(s) for your property information. The property information container is typically named "[Your Company Name] Information" or you may see a container named "[Your Company Name] - About the Host"

Step 2: Locate existing or create new "Welcome Message" Content Item.

Within the appropriate container, browse the list of Content Items on the screen to determine if their is a pre-existing Content Item tagged "Host Welcome Message". If there is an existing Content Item, go to Step 3. If there isn't a "Welcome Message" Content Item, go to Step 4.

Step 3: 

Select the pencil icon or click anywhere within the white box to open the Content Item.

Delete all the text within the Content window. Go to Step 6.

Step 4: To add "Welcome Message" Content Item.

Select the first button, Add Item, from the list of buttons. 

Title your Content Item Welcome Message.

 

Step 5: Upload your video.

Within the screen for your "Welcome Message" item, Select the blue text "Show More Options" (see graphic above) to show the dialog box where you can upload your video. 

Browse to the Upload Video File (mp4)

Click save to exit and congratulations: Your video is uploaded!

4. Create or edit your Welcome Card

Welcome Cards are great branding opportunity and way to prompt guests on how to use SmartHost. For example, you can add a default example question to the card that encourages guest to say, "Alexa, play welcome message."

To create or edit your welcome card, view our Knowledge Base article here: Creating a Welcome Card.

Here is our example content for your welcome card: 

The Default Secondary Message and Default Example Question can be edited to anything you like within the character limitations.

Congratulations! You have added a welcome message video to SmartHost.

Now, when your guests ask to see the welcome message on their check-in day, your video will demonstrate a personable, friendly, helpful host message.