House manual

[Edo0]

Hello everyone,

I have a problem when people come to my apartment because they don't read the house manual attached with their reservation and they often ask about things included there. Are you using anything offline(printed) in your place because it is taking a lot of my time and nerves to answer the same questions?

Thank you in advance

[Greystone0]

Hi Edo - yes, it's a true dilemma to get information to guests. We have the same issue. Despite being asked repeat questions it is a good way to provide service to guests though.

Here's what we use:

- printed manual: we have  an 'old' fashioned printed manual with pages inside a three ring notebook with plastic page protectors. We regularly update our manual so when that happens I remove an old page and insert the new one.  This sits on the kitchen counter for each guest arrival.

- we have this same manual via PDF. I email the PDF to the main guest on the reservation two weeks prior to the check in date. We suggest that they share with any additional guests in their group.

- I also have individual pages that I attach as a .png within the AIRBNB message board when appropriate.

- in your case, you could make a FAQ (frequently asked questions) and provide that as an attachment to one of your guest correspondences.  Some guests/most guests aren't regular users of AIRBNB and so knowing where to look for information might not be obvious.  So giving them something that is viewable from the message board would probably be welcome.

Wishing you much success,

Greystone Lodge

[Juan63 · Accepted solution]

Hi, I have both a printed sheet and a more extensive online version. When it's near check-in they are kind of inclined to click on the link in order to have access to the hot tub and check-in instructions. You could force them to acknowledge it by withholding the door code until they accessed the online portal. It doesn't seem coerced but allows them to understand your rules. It's quick and not invasive.

Once they click accept, they get to a main menu where many of their questions are answered.

I included some images of my web "app" as well as my printed sheet.

[Angela4003]

I love this link. Was it simple to set up? I have only a basic airbnb but would love to expand my services and offerings especially if it means I can learn to create a nifty link like this. Very professional (makes me feel a bit of a dag in comparison)

[Juan63]

Hi @Angela4003 

I worked with WordPress to make this web "app". It requires no programming knowledge but you do need experience in WordPress, the basics of building a website, and design skills. There is a company that I got this basic idea from but they charge $99 a year and I don't think you can customize it like mine but way less of a learning curve. If I find the name of the site, I will post it.

Juan

[Juan63]

The website Touchstay.com can help you create something similar to mine.

[Juan63]

Try this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1640177411/digital-airbnb-welcome-book-airbnb?external=1&rec_type=ad&re...

[Mary1523]

Great little app! was it based upon a platform template or google forms etc?

[Juan63]

@Mary1523 I used the frame work of a wordpress theme but the look, function, and design is my work.

Juan

[Edo0]

This looks good 

How did you make this web app?

[Juan63]

I built this using wordpress @Edo0 

Juan

[Mary1523]

Greystone Lodge had excellent answers.

I do something similar, in the airbnb app, as well as emailed pdf to the guests a week before their arrival and I ask them to read it before they leave home. I do have a large property so it's not 1 person just staying, but another 11 so its important that they circulate it around their guests, which is why I email it as well and ask them to circulate in the guise of 'so that you have the best experience'! 

If you do have common or frequently asked questions, as I advised another guest recently, frame the rules as 'Top 10 questions that come up' - its a lot less threatening for a guest to read that, then 'house rules'....In all your communications with rules, be positive, not threatening and take it as learnings.

My 'things to note' section is also full of 'Questions that come up'. It's long but I don't get any questions anymore!

Labels help around the house if its issues with finding things that don't seem obvious! I've also got a visitor guide with some more detailed info around the internet and power.

Hope this helps

Regs

Mary

[Paula]

Hello @Edo0😊

There are many great suggestions from our Hosts in this thread ✌️. If you find any of their answers particularly useful, please don't hesitate to mark it as the best answer. You can do this by clicking the button below the comment as shown in the following image:

This will help future Hosts with similar questions easily find this conversation.

All the best.

[Juan63]

I found this. I would be easier to implement than my solution:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1640177411/digital-airbnb-welcome-book-airbnb?external=1&rec_type=ad&re...