Mediocre Guest -- What would you do?

[Kelly149]

Anyone want to offer their thoughts:

Guest IBs my place:

    ~ hasn't read my house rules

    ~doesn't have a complete profile

    ~didn't answer the "pre-booking questions"

    ~has one prior stay: Review is 3*cleanliness, 5* communication, 3* house rules

             (the host who wrote that review no longer has an active listing so I can't ask them what happened and the text review is "nice person who communicated well")

I've already left a phone message and an ABB msg with the guest.

While I wait to hear back from this guest, what would you do in my shoes??

[Sarah977]

I wouldn't take this booking. Sounds like a problem guest. 

[Kelly149]

@Sarah977 deviated from my normal routine and went straight to a phone call....

told her that I knew she hadn't read my full listing and I'd like her to do that.

also, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but her last host had rated her badly for house rules and cleanliness and that I'd have high expectations.

now we wait to see what she does

[Lawrene0]

@Kelly149 , I guess I might try, "If I don't get a response from you by XX:00, I am afraid I will have to cancel your reservation." 

I haven't actually done that, though. Just the other day I had an IB from someone with 1* communication, 1* house rules, and 5* cleanliness. The written review said the guest was clean but had trouble following rules. Just as I was about to write to the guest to chat a bit pointedly about this, she wrote to ask me how to get to my place in Canada from an American city a few hours away -- without a car because she is unable to book a rental. 

"You'd walk," was my answer, paraphrased. She cancelled, with a promise to rebook someday. Oh goody. 

Anyway, let us know what happens. 

[Sarah977]

@Lawrene0  Maybe she was hoping you'd offer to come pick her up 🙂

[Lawrene0]

You know what, @Sarah977 , I think so. Her message included a small sob story, and I think I was supposed to go all soft and agree to two five-hour round trips including international border so she could cross "treehouse" off her bucket list. 

That's not in my amenities list. 😉

[Kelly149]

@Lawrene0 oh dear, why can't we have emoji - this is a crying laugh face if ever there was one!!!

she was receptive to the phone call, so we'll see what happens. of course she had excuses for why the bad review - traveling with other people and we did discuss the fact that even the "just a 2YO" kiddo will have to be added to the res and paid for.....

I'm not optomistic that this res will stick, but if she deals with CS for the cancellation instead of me then that will be a small win.

[Lawrene0]

Fingers crossed!

[Kelly149]

Ugh. Now she’s realized that’s she’s too late for a free cancellation.... drama 

[Kelly149]

Abb was so kind as to offer to let me refund her fully. 

I offered to take $50 for my trouble. 

not great, but better than nothing & better than having to host her. 

I’d still be curious to hear what other hosts would have thought about getting to host, (or not) such a guest. Is there a better way to handle these mismatches??

[Helen3]

I would have contacted airbnb and ask them to cancel as i didn't feel comfortable with the guest because of her previous poor reviews and lack of communication. @Kelly149 

[Colleen253]

@Kelly149 I would have asked ABB to cancel based on the fact the guest didn't fulfill the noted requirements. I'm thankful when a guest comes in with red freak flags flying, so I can run the other way. The cost is often greater than the payout!

[Linda108]

This is such a timely posting for me.  Recently, I have had more poor communicators/newbies than usual.  As my listing is a private room, I now have a practice of immediately asking the guest, who booked on IB, to confirm they understand the listing type.  I get a bit nervous if there is no response in a day.  

I don't want to waste my time or the guest's expectations if there isn't a match.  Right now I am awaiting a response from a gentleman who has a scanty profile but I gather had a technical review since he was part of a group.  My next step is to call to see if I can establish a rapport.  Wish me luck!

[Kelly149]

yes, @Linda108 good luck with that! I feel much more held hostage to the guest mis-understandings on ABB bc: I don't have a real security deposit, host cancellations are handled so severely and the review system is so nonsensical.

In my dream ABB world, IB reservations would come with a button for Hosts to confirm that this guest does meet their parameters (or Not!!).

Now that this guest has been allowed to choose a new ABB space it will be interesting to wait 3 weeks and see if the new host who got her enjoys her visit.....

[Kelly149]

oh! and! @Linda108 wouldn't it be nice if ABB helped guests realize that they should respond to host messages?!?