we travel on Airbnb often I think we had like 40 rentals thi...
we travel on Airbnb often I think we had like 40 rentals this year. We have nothing but positive reviews and yet we are unabl...
Hosting can be as exciting as an auction sometimes with the fast paced moves of everything, especially other people that you donโt know anything about. With the uncertainty of the outcomes, unknown expectations, how others will react and Iโm pretty convinced all of it depends on the Host's attitude that will help determine the altitude and outcomes with our guests.
As a community leader in Florida I am honored to read the feedback, questions, concerns, also words from hosts with struggles and also words of connections and great joys.
I am fairly certain most guests want the same thing - they want to feel secure/safe, welcomed in a place that is really clean. (If you immediately thought, what about the scammers? Then, I am certainly talking to you about attitudes. Because I believe how we react and respond to our guests is critical in hosting.
And it happens to the best of us, hahaha! So with an awesome record and on a happy trip of my over 200 + 5* successes hereโs what I encountered with my last guests just this past weekend.
Stuff happens: Hereโs a perfect example for this idea about attitude. We have a cottage in our side backyard, totally private and fenced and also separate from our home.
Guests arrive at 6pm and I meet them - all are well and good, lovely people - they check in - coming from the extreme heat of Texas to extreme heat of Florida. Everything was terrific and THEN 2 ยฝ hrs later I received a message from my guest with a photo of a palmetto bug - itโs a flying roach-like bug - from the picture it looks alive on the floor near the window next to the bed in the cottage. Mother and daughter came here to move the daughter in for her first ever college life very far from home.
I am writing exactly what transpired.
The guest sends a photo and writes: my daughterโs biggest fear is having a roach crawl in her ear. We just killed this one and I flushed it but sheโs freaking out now!
OK - First as her host, what do you think?? What do you do? Because the next 10-20 mins are critical and will certainly impact the outcome of everything. Did you first think of a scam when dealing with a photo and a bug? Be honest with yourself here.
NO NO, it's no scam, so be careful as that attitude could cost you dearly.
Hereโs what I thought and what I did:
I was immediately shook, upset and could imagine a lot of things. First I was the HOST thinking, dang howโd that happen? ...the luggage carried /rolled inside and how those bugs love to get into the cool, they jump on pant legs, luggage, bags. I personally clean my cottage out back, so I know how sparkling clean it is, I am always on the lookout for bugs and check baseboards and everything. BUT I also know that 2 weeks ago after a new roof was put on I did have some superbug pest control done and there were dead little critters after the treatment. But no live bugs. So I thought long and hard before writing a response - Was this going to be a big stressful dealโฆ? WHATโS my goal here I thought. Iโve never in over 6 yrs had such a thing happen - I labored almost 10 mins typingโฆdeletingโฆtyping and and then thought as a GUEST - they are clearly upset, I would be also, and a young teenager with fears is what is critical and her Mother trying to take care of her- thatโs whatโs most important. So hereโs how I responded.
I wrote:
Oh noโฆa palmetto bug. They will sneak in when they can but itโs so rare. There was pest control treatment last week. I have some spray but it is very strong. If you want I will come with that spray. What can I do to assure her? This hasnโt happened before.
Seriously exactly ONE minute later
Guests writes:
She just was frazzled and worried but sheโs settled now. No worries!
I wrote:
Iโm so glad to hear that. I too hate bugs and feel for her. Thanks for letting me know. So sorryโฆhot humid Florida
I am convinced this could have turned out very differently - if my attitude had been defensive and doubtful and not thinking carefully about the guests and willing to do whatever I needed to do for my guests' comfort and peace. No matter what, I took responsibility and learned from this experience also.
Checking our attitudes with our guests, with our cleaning people, with our vetting of guests, our responses and interactions and also noticing what is our starting / vantage point will determine our altitude. I mean to say: do we allow a situation to take us to low, stressful places and create worry, fretting and stealing our joy? Or do we begin with an attitude thatโs open, flexible and even vulnerable sometimes in order to move through our hosting journeys with more ease and gracefulness?
I believe hosting is a service and that means SERVE. We must put others first when we serve. That can be huge and a challenging task. However, when we serve with a caring heart we will be rewarded in many small ways, often not apparent or instantly recognized. Hosting continually teaches me about myself, and how best to treat people fairly.
Surely many of you have moments and some treasured stories to share right here where you also learned or noticed about your attitude and how it impacted a hosting outcome. We can all learn from other stories, ideas and cool hacks. I hope you will share!
Happy Hosting and High flying, Clara in Florida
Superhost and Community leader/moderator โ Pensacola & Destin area Airbnb Community
