What are the steps to set up Chatref for our serviced apartment business?

Go to app.chatref.ai and sign up. You’ll receive $50 in free credit with no credit card required - so you can set everything up and test with zero cost. During onboarding, name your first agent (e.g. “Bayside Serviced Apartments Guest Assistant”) and pick your brand colour. The guided flow takes about two minutes and gets you straight into adding your business content.

The core of Chatref is that it answers from your own documents, not the internet. Upload the information your guests keep asking for: PDFs of house rules and apartment guides, your website’s FAQ page URL, check-in/check-out instructions, local area tips, and property management contacts. You can upload PDFs, provide URLs, submit a sitemap, or paste plain text. The AI agent learns all of this, so when a guest asks “What time is check-out?” or “Is there a hairdryer in the apartment?”, Chatref pulls the exact answer from your material - no guesses, no hallucinations.

Use Chatref’s custom actions to go beyond FAQs and collect details that your property management team needs. Set up an action like “Request early check-in” that asks the guest for their booking reference, preferred arrival time, and any special notes, then triggers an email notification to your front desk. Similarly, create actions for maintenance requests, extra bedding, or airport transfer questions. That way, routine service tasks are captured and routed automatically without a phone call, saving your staff time while guests get immediate acknowledgment.

Once your agent is trained, head to the widget section in your Chatref dashboard. Copy the JavaScript snippet and paste it into your website’s HTML, just before the closing </body> tag. Configure the allowed domains (e.g. yoursite.com) for security, then publish. The chat bubble appears on every page - guests get instant help right where they’re browsing. Because the widget is origin-allowlisted, it will only load on your approved domains, keeping your branded experience secure.

Before promoting the widget, use the built-in conversation inbox to review a few test chats. Check that the AI is pulling correct answers and that custom actions fire the right notifications. You can tweak responses by adding or updating your source content. As you go live, the shared inbox lets your team monitor guest chats in real time and step in if a human touch is ever needed - perfect for handling sensitive cases like last-minute cancellations or complaints.

How to configure Chatref for our properties?

Create a dedicated agent for each property or brand, then upload that location’s specific documents: apartment floor plans, amenities lists, parking info, and local guides. Set the brand colour and welcome message to match the property’s look. Use custom actions to tailor the chat flow for common property-specific requests (e.g. pool hours or pet policy). No per-bot fees - your account includes unlimited agents.

What information is needed for setup?

Gather the following before you begin: your serviced apartment address, standard check-in/check-out times, a list of in-room and building amenities, house rules, a PDF or page with directions and Wi-Fi details, and any frequently asked guest questions. You’ll also need your website’s domain to whitelist the widget. The more complete your source material, the better the AI can assist guests without handoffs.

Can we customize the guest chat interface?

Yes. From the agent settings you can set the chat bubble’s primary colour, choose the agent name that displays in the header, and write a custom welcome message. You can also configure the widget position, launcher text, and tone so the entire experience feels like a natural extension of your apartment brand.

How to connect Chatref to our website?

Go to your agent’s “Widget” tab, select “Installation”, and copy the auto-generated JavaScript snippet. Paste it into your site’s HTML, ideally right before the closing </body> tag. Add your domain(s) to the allowed list in the widget security settings. The snippet is lightweight and won’t slow down your site. No coding beyond that one copy-paste is needed.