Update to terms and conditions- refunds for issues with stay

[Inna22]

I may have posted about this guest already. However I just got an update from CS that maybe important to everyone.

Guest stayed for two weeks in April. Three days before departure washer leaked through the ceiling on top of kitchen counter. I came over, wiped the counter, emptied the washer and immediately provided the guest access to an apartment next-door with another washer and dryer. Her original one was a stackable in a tiny corner inside a bathroom. The new one was a side-by-side with a table for folding clothes a couch and a TV in a big living room. She had full unlimited access to that space for the duration of her stay and I know she utilized all of it. We could tell when we came to clean after she moved out. I also offered her a free daily laundry service. The repair man came out in about an hour and it was determined that I need a new machine. I immediately purchased one but the guest asked that it were delivered after she moved out. I totally understand how this could be a disruption plus she probably didn’t want other people in the house with the Covid raging at the time. Having said that, she had full access to washer and dryer in an upgraded space plus an option for free daily laundry service. Long story short, about a month after she moved out I received an email from support asking to give her a partial or full refund due to this inconvenience. I think the inconvenience was minuscule, particularly since it was such a long stay. She was accommodated above and beyond. Her stay was $60 per night in a three bedroom 2.5 bath with yard and parking downtown Chicago. How much cheaper can it get? (those were desperate times). I refused it. I pointed out that the water was cleaned up immediately, there was no disruption in her ability to use a washer dryer. After two months of back-and-forth they told me that while that was true, there was also smell. There was no smell after she moved out and there was nothing to smell. It was clean water that was drained and cleaned up immediately, Very little of it, no mold. I had no smell complaints from anyone after her nor smelled anything myself. I pointed out to customer service that the guest has to bring the issue up to me first and give me an opportunity to remedy. Yesterday I got an email from CS that the light of Covid, they’re waiving a requirement for the guest to bring up the issue to the host first. That waiver is not in the terms and conditions. I feel like customer service now just makes stuff up as they go to support whatever outcome they desire for the guest. 

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  Exactly. I have tons of respect for anyone who makes the effort to try to learn and communicate in another language, and would never fault them for their errors, in fact, they often express themselves in a way a native speaker never would, but is quite charming, funny (as in really haha, not laughing at them) and unique. 

But to hire someone for a customer service job which entails communicating with customers in English, or French, or whatever, when they can't put a coherent sentence together in the language, is the height of incompetence and disrespect for users.

I'm all for equal opportunity hiring, but don't task someone whose accent can barely be understood with answering the phonelines, or get them to answer messages when they don't know how to write in that language - give them a deskjob where they don't have to communicate with the public.

[Sammy35]

yup

alwsys always proactively submit ticket before guest as a host and begore host as a guest

take photos share all exchanges on app only make new agreements get promises by playing the game w encouraging reassurance take screen shots say you wish to keep cs in loop and prefer to work offline w host will follow up as nec

cya cya cya

[Inna22]

I thought maybe the rep wrote this in her native language and put it through google translate. For fun, I just translated it using google to French, that result to German and then German to English. I came back with same exact text! So she actually came up with that gibberish (and the insult)

[Colleen253]

@Inna22 "I feel like customer service now just makes stuff up as they go to support whatever outcome they desire for the guest."

This is exactly what's going on. CS are untrained and have no idea about anything. They have zero clues how to solve any problem or sort anything out, period. It's like an army of 5 year olds have been put in charge running the show with no one to oversee them. This is outrageous. The guests stay was not compromised in the least. There was NO issue that hindered her ability to complete her stay! 

"the light of CoVid". Good gourd.

[Sarah977]

@Inna22 @Colleen253  The guest should be charged for making herself at home in the unit she was only supposed to use for doing her laundry. How much do you charge per night for that one, Inna? Seems like she got 2 units for the price of one. Have you brought that up with her or Airbnb?

[Colleen253]

@Sarah977  Yes, in 'the light of coVid', that whole unit would need a thorough clean and sanitizing, since she availed herself of the entire unit. That's a whole other cleaning fee right there, at least. @Inna22 

[Inna22]

@Sarah977 I thought to myself what an ungrateful (insert a word here). Sometimes it is just never enough. @Anonymous is right, I should have just asked them to leave, it would have been cheaper. I cleaned the other unit, they had heat on 84 degrees at all times and she did the laundry self admittedly 3-4 times a day. Utilities were probably more than what she paid for the night. I am also convinced she caused the machine to break by overusing it but I could not prove it

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  What on earth was she washing 3-4 times a day? Was she taking in laundry as a business? 

It's a tricky thing to figure out at what point to cut your losses. I've had upholstery clients who I could tell from square one, just that feeling, you know, were going to be a pain in the butt and they turned out to be exactly that.

Changing their minds 3 times about what they wanted done, which entails doing yet another estimate, giving me a deadline they absolutely need it by because they have guests arriving, then when I bust my ass to get it done on time, and call to say it's ready, they tell me that's great, but they're out of town because the guests cancelled, so they took a little vacation.

I should have just told them from square one, when I could sense they'd be difficult, that I was slammed busy and really didn't have time to take on another job.

[Sammy35]

i watch utility usage of norms i quote gas and electric   my listing states outliers will be charged.  it has helped to curb waste 

[Kelly149]

I really think we all do need to remember the step of confirming (in writing in the message thread) with the guest that yes, that was inconvenient, but this is the fix I'm offering you and you're happy with it now, right? Or would you like to leave now?

bc without that, who knows what ABB CS will give them... actually, even with that, who knows what cs will give them, but that might at least be a start.

Dear CS, please note the section of the message thread where the guest said that we had solved their problem and they were happy....

[Colleen253]

@Kelly149  Yes, you're dead right, and even addressing an issue like this in house rules as well. Being able to just direct CS to the  house rules,  then the message thread with the guest and letting them put two and two together themselves, rather than trying to explain, argue, etc. would at least be preferable, no matter what the outcome. 

[Debra300]

Thanks for the suggestion @Colleen253.  I am going to update my house rules right now to state that guests will follow ABB T&C regarding issue/incident resolution to first notify me, and allow me to address it before escalating to ABB.  I am also going to include in my conversation summary messages that unless the guest responds otherwise, the solution provided fixed the matter, and the guest agrees.  This is when I really wish that Airbnb provided confirmation of message sent, and we had the ability to see if messages have been read, like on other OTAs, because a guest can always claim that they didn't receive or see a message.

[Inna22]

@Debra300 I think it is assumed guests have read and received. I would rather not have the “read” feature because that would allow a guest to prove that they did not. And what are we to do if they don’t?

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

There is nothing that we can do if the guest doesn't read the message, but having the confirmation that it was sent can be very helpful if there ever is a dispute regarding what information was discussed or shared.  Failure to read something doesn't excuse a person from having to accept what was written.

[Sammy35]

for guests that insist to text i tell them i can only do that w read receipts turned on or i am able to respond only on platform and that such is implicit  exchanges will be read and followed no excuses idk ids