Make the most of Airbnb’s pre-booking message feature

[Airbnb]

What brings you to the area? Who are you coming with? When do you think you’ll arrive? Airbnb hosts have a number of questions swirling through their minds when they receive a booking. And many hosts take the opportunity to get to know their potential guests by asking these questions before guests book instantly. It’s not required, of course; but, adding questions to a pre-booking message can help drum up more information about potential guests, simplify the booking process, and ensure a great relationship with guests from the start.

Next month, Airbnb is launching an improved feature: pre-booking message. It’s a better way for hosts to add a greeting and ask all of the questions you want before guests book instantly. (You’ll have plenty of room, too, because we’ve increased the character count. And if you currently use welcome message, there’s no need to change anything.) Your potential guests will read your message while they’re booking, and be able to respond to your questions before confirming their reservation.

Here are some ways to make the most of Airbnb’s pre-booking message feature.

5 pre-booking message tips from fellow hosts

1. Start by thanking your potential guest

“I think it's a good way to build trust and a way to encourage a good stay,” said host Juan, of Colombia.

• I always thank them for their booking request and ask them to ensure they have read the listing details and house rules carefully for suitability.—Kath, Albany, Australia
• Warm greetings! I welcome you to this space that I take care of with affection. It’s a place of well-being and for those of you who like to connect with nature.
  • What brings you to this area?
  • Who are you traveling with?
  • What time do you think you will arrive?
  • Why do you want to stay in the cottage?"—Juan, Medellín, Colombia
• We're excited for your stay and we’d like to know:
  • What's bringing you to Durham?
  • What time can we commit with you for check in?
  • Who is traveling with you?
  • If you plan on taking breakfast with us, do you have any dietary considerations we need to be aware?
• Do you have any questions about the House Rules? We look forward to hearing from you!—Alice + Jeff, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.

2. Ask about what’s most important

Think about the one thing that would make a great (or not-so-great) stay for you and your guests, and ask them about it in your pre-booking message, like these hosts do:

• The most important question for me is: What brings you to the area? This helps me better prepare for their visit. If they are coming to visit a destination two hours away from my town, I want to help them understand the distance and the drive time. If they are coming to celebrate an anniversary or something special, I want to congratulate them and leave them something small. If they are coming for a local event, I might give them a tip or recommend a good place for dinner afterwards.—Emilia, Orono, Maine, U.S.A.
• I ask them what time they are arriving (super important) and reiterate my earliest check-in time, adding that every Airbnb is different and not like a hotel.—Ange, New York, New York, U.S.A.

3. Invite guests to re-read the listing and House Rules

When writing your pre-booking message, take the opportunity to remind guests of any crucial listing details they may have missed. “I put myself in the guest’s shoes,” French host Marie Line said. “Sometimes we are so happy to have found the apartment of our dreams that we hurry to reserve it—I once booked an apartment without realizing sheets weren’t provided! So, I think if the hosts had invited me to read their listing again, I wouldn't have made that kind of mistake." Other hosts offer these suggestions:

• I remind them about the three floors with no elevator, which some people have discovered when they arrive!—Beatrice, Annecy, France
• I warn them about the potential lack of water at night due to limited service in the area and offer to collect water if they need it.—Juan, Medellín, Colombia
• I ask them if they understood that I live in an inner city area that can be scruffy in parts.—Helen, Bristol, England
• I ask them if they understand the apartment setting and clear the view with them, as we have both lake- and garden-view apartments.—Ana, Ohrid, Macedonia
• I also remind them of the house rules regarding no smoking, no pets, no parties and no more than six people allowed to stay at the property. I explain that this information will help me determine if our listing is a good fit for their group.—Linda + Richard, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.

4. Get to know your guests

To customize your hospitality and let guests know you care, hosts recommend asking questions like these:

• I ask if they are coffee drinkers—medium or dark roast—and if they are, I pick up some freshly-roasted coffee prior to their arrival. If there is any construction happening in the neighborhood, I disclose it prior to accepting the booking. If guests are bringing a car, I discourage it because of parking restrictions, cost, and traffic. Finally, I mention our No. 1 tourist attraction and tell my guests to buy a ticket at least 2 months in advance. This way, they realize I'm thinking of their needs even prior to their arrival.—Donna, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
• Every time I book, I ask the guests the same questions and about children: What time will you arrive? How many beds do you want? Do you need a cot or high chair?—Jean-Pierre, Monès, France
• We live in a small farming and tourist town, so I always ask guests if they have been to our town before. If not, I will offer some info on restaurants and hours of operation as well as local amenities. I always help guests plan their activities if needed.—Daphne, Montagu, South Africa

5. Showcase your hosting style

Some hosts ask a lot of pre-booking questions while others ask none. Hosts recommend reflecting your hosting style—whether it be laid back or strict—when you’re asking questions in your pre-booking message. This will also help guests determine if it’s the right fit:

• I ask no questions at all. I would feel very inconsiderate if I asked the purpose of the trip. Since the guests do not live with me in an apartment, it is none of my business.—Ilona, Torremolinos, Spain.
• Most of my guests are pretty informative in their booking request, but if their initial message is brief, I'll ask these mandatory questions:
  • Have you thoroughly read through the entire listing description, scrolling through to the bottom to read House Rules?
  • Are you prepared to abide by the house rules and be respectful of the accommodation?
  • Have you asked any questions you may have before committing to a booking?
  • Do you understand the importance of communicating your ETA and if you for some reason can't arrive at that time, will you please let us know in a timely manner?
  • Will you thoroughly read your itinerary after your booking is confirmed, making sure dates and number of guests are correct and noting door codes and other arrival information?—Sarah, Sayulita, Mexico

• I don't like to bombard a guest with questions in my first communication, although I totally understand hosts who may want more info. The only thing I request is the full names of all guests (including doggy guests!). It's been my experience not to be necessarily concerned or worried about guests who don't volunteer more info—different people have different communication styles.—Suzanne, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Once you’ve saved your pre-booking message, potential guests will automatically receive it when they use book instantly. Creating a pre-booking message once will help simplify the booking process, give you more peace of mind, and let guests know they have a wonderful stay ahead.

[Vivienne48]

I would like to be able to ask questions and get to know the guests  before I approve their accommodation.  Recently this seems to have been removed.

[Rod57]

I would be put off by being asked too many questions about why I am there so we don't do that. 

After thanking them for their reservation we do however confirm the number of separate beds they have booked and mention when there is a flight of stairs.  Both of these can cause a drama on arrival if not made clear.

We also confirm that parking for ONE car is included-we had a reservation where three people turned up in separate cars and all expected to park free-we don't have the space!

Apart from that the only real question we ask is approximate time of arrival and we mention that  we are not there all the time and will be making sure we are there to greet them. Otherwise we have found people say they will be there at 2 for example and then turn up at 5 casually saying they went shopping first-we are not a hotel and have waited for hours !

Sometimes it is difficult to strike the right balance between being friendly and too casual!

[Susan1188]

I agree, I definitely don't need to know why they are there!  Or who they are coming with as long a they booked the right number of people! 

But I have a full apartment for rent not a room.  If I were renting a room in my house I would want to know how the person will be using it, hanging around in my house all day, going to the beach, or going to work all day!

Basically, each property has specific things guests should be aware of BEFORE clicking that instant book button.

I think almost every host would agree communication around the arrival time and check in process is one of the biggest and most difficult issues.  I wish Airbnb would help educate guests that host's waiting up all hours of the night is not normal part of the package.  It's a bonus for the properties that agree to do this but it should not be considered a "given".

So yes a longer message (but not too long) is a good idea;

I think they  should add TICK BOXES that they have to tick to make sure their attention is drawn to the 1, 2, 3 or 5 most important issues about the property they are booking;

AND guests should be required to read the house rules, even if they are long!

Finally it would be nice to be able to attach a PDF welcome pack AND rental contract like you can do on Homeaway.

[David-And-Sharon0]

Susan 1188 makes some very good points and I agree, having more characters is important. Airbnb representing hosts perspective to guests on important details would be most welcome. Sometimes guests don’t stop to consider what type of property they are booking.

[Diane681]

I wish they would add NO VAPING along with No Smoking.  I also list NO CANDLES in the house guidelines.

[Elrena0]

I don't ask those questions either!  Just want to be sure they are good people!

[David1313]

Rod, I seem to have managed to avoid the casually showing up late problem by asking two days before arrival for the guest's estimated time for check-in. I indicate that we need to know to ensure we are there during that period so they don't have to wait outside if they arrive earlier or later than planned without notifying us. The thought of having to wait for us to come home to check them in seems to be enough motivation. Guests who are running late notify us as soon as they can (most often because of flight delays or a slow Amtrak train).

We had one guest fail to provide an ETA and was not at our place by the end of our offered check-in period. So, I called Airbnb and reported him as a no show. They said they would contact the guest by phone. I got a call back in 15 minutes they only managed to get his voice mail and said we were not expected to wait up for him since he had not communicated any arrival plans. So, we went to bed.  Actually, I would have gone to bed anyway since I was not going to wait up for him in any event!

At 2:00 am, the doorbell rang (repeatedly). I found a very irritated guest at the door complaining he had been texting us for twenty minutes to make sure we could let him in. I said I find it very hard to answer texts when I am sound asleep. I also pointed out that he had arrived five hours beyond the end of our check-in time. I noted he had provided no notification to us of any arrival plan and pointed out that this was a room in our home, not a hotel with a 24-hour desk staff. He raised his voice to proclaim he had prepaid and he was not happy at having to wait for us to answer the door (presumably I should have curled up on the floor by the door to be there should he decide to grace us with his presence at any hour of the night). Because he was so angry, I had not yet invited him indoors as I was not sure he was safe to let inside. I held up my right hand to stop him and said if he did not immediately dial it back, I would close the door and simply call Airbnb and have them cancel his reservation because I felt unsafe with him in our home. That seemed to alarm him as he would suddenly have no place to stay. So, he instantly calmed way down and actually apologized.

I escorted him to his room, showed him the various amenities and told him I was going back to bed to try to go back to sleep. I added that if he needed anything, we would be up at 7 and could help him then but would not be able to answer questions before then. He apologized a second time and then was quiet as a mouse. He got up at 8 and found me in the kitchen. He said he realized he was out of bounds when I confronted him and he apologized again. I told him the lateness was only part of the issue. His complete fallure to respond to multiple requests for an ETA before his visit and his failure to call Airbnb back, plus his angry demeanor at 2 am were things he should look at if he ever wanted to stay at another Airbnb, especially a room in a host's home. I figured I was dooming myself to a bad review but needed to draw some lines.

This guest stayed with us three nights and was always home in his room by 10 pm and made no sounds. On the morning of check-out, he said he would write us a great review but asked if I would consider not reviewing him. He noted he knew he deserved a bad review but felt he had learned his lesson. I was reluctant, wondering if I was being played, but agreed. I figured I could publicly respond to anything untrue in his review. Instead, he wrote a short glowing review about the comfortable bed, surprising amenities, and hospitality of the hosts. Out of curiosity, I looked at his profile several months later. He had three positive reviews. All reported he was a great communicator, answering questions and providing updates on his arrival. So, apparently, he did learn his lesson. 

[Matt352]

Nice, way to go. 

[Alastair0]

This is a good step forward but I do agree with others that guests need to complete the questions before a book now goes through. It would also be useful to know if a guest receives our messages. Much like WhatsApp or phone messages were we can see a tick mark that it’s been delivered and a double tick mark when they have read/ opened it. 

This is useful when we ask their time of arrival and remind them of the latest they can arrive. We often sit around from 1pm till midnight because they haven’t responded or opened their Airbnb message  

[Susan1188]

Yes yes yes!  Need to see when the last time guest checked into his airbnb account and if he got your message.

Absolutely, thanks for that.

Unfortunately for many guests and especially newbies, I already know the answer.  They click and book, then log off to go out to dinner, don't install the app on their phone, put airbnb emails to spam and don't look back on their account until 2 days before arrival.

[Monyharch0]

I am do agree and really enjoyed with the airbnb so much , Before one year ago i was a good jobs with Airbnb have many guest book to stay at my place but i don't know for this year very quietly so much.. I hopefully another host strongly experience with Airbnb and company of Airbnb give me any experience for update make gust more book and good to work again.

Thanks !

Monyharch,

[Jeannie8]

Hi Monyharch

have you agreed to do” instant book” with air b&b. ?  If not this may affect your position on their website. 

John

[Helen427]

It's polite and common courtesy to offer the reason why a person may be booking a hosts home & the purpose of one's stay, it was always a standard process..

I include a small piece about that in my actual listing, most people are very good at mentioning a little about themselves to.

All the very best

Central To All Home & Location, Auckland, New Zealand

[Alberto777]

It is good to know that airbnb is doing everything to further improve the quality of service relative to hosting. I would like to be able to acquire knowledge and wisdom from airbnb support team and from the successful hosts around the world and the willingness to adapt their suggestions and recommendations right and appropriate for a novice host like me.

[Jeffray0]

thanks for the tips. much appreciated and looking forward to any other future updates.