Bussiness Ideas
Revolutionising Hotel Bookings through WhatsApp Automation
Overview:
StayChat is a hospitality-focused startup that automates and enhances hotel bookings using WhatsApp as the primary interface. With over 2000 bookings annually managed manually through WhatsApp in my own hotel chain, we’ve validated the power of this channel. StayChat is now being built as a scalable SaaS product to systemize this process for thousands of small and mid-sized hotels across India and beyond.
???? Problem
Most independent hotels rely heavily on WhatsApp for bookings but lack automation, customer follow-ups, or centralized systems. This leads to:
• Missed leads and inconsistent follow-ups.
• Manual errors in bookings.
• No structured customer database.
• Zero intelligence or learning from past interactions.
???? Solution
StayChat turns a hotel's WhatsApp into a smart booking assistant. Features include:
• Auto-response & conversation flows.
• Room availability synced with a simple PMS.
• Real-time lead capture & follow-ups.
• AI-based rerouting: if one hotel is full, the lead is redirected to nearby StayChat-enabled hotels — ensuring bookings are never lost.
???? Traction
• 2,000+ bookings/year manually validated in my own hotels using WhatsApp.
• 60% of total revenue comes through WhatsApp-driven bookings.
• Built two properties (Hotel Sahu & Sanidhyam) to test and evolve this model.
???? Market
• 1.8M+ independent hotels and guest houses across India.
• 70% rely on WhatsApp but lack automation.
• Huge potential across tier 2 and 3 cities.
???? Business Model
• Monthly SaaS subscription per property.
• Commission for cross-property bookings.
• Freemium model for early adoption.
???? MVP in Progress
• MVP in development and will go live in our own hotels first.
• Integrations planned with WhatsApp Business API, CRM, and basic PMS.
???? Future Vision
• A connected network of smart hotels sharing leads and demand.
• An alternate OTA powered by AI + WhatsApp.
• A loyalty + referral ecosystem within the network.
???? Ask
• Looking for pre-seed funding to build core tech, onboard pilot hotels, and grow the team.
• Amount: 90 to 95 Lakhs for 10-12 months runway.
???? Closing Note
StayChat is born from the real trenches of hotel management. With ground-tested insights, a validated problem, and a clear execution path, we’re ready to turn WhatsApp into India’s most powerful hotel booking engine.
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