Guest sent a phone number for info

Sammy-L-0
Level 10
Whitesburg, KY

Guest sent a phone number for info

We just opened our BnB, and the second guest sent a message to our inbox with a phone number for us to send info. AirBnB says to contact through the app. I sent the check-in information via inbox. Was that the right way to do that?

 

Sam
The Historic Mountain View
8 Replies 8
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Sammy-L-0  Yes. You should try to keep all guest communication on the Airbnb messaging. That way if there's a dispute about anything, Airbnb can see the exchanges documented, otherwise it can be your word against the guest's. 

 

Like the guest changes his plans at the last minute, deciding not to come, but demands a full refund, claiming you never sent him the door code.

 

That said, some guests fail to turn on their notifications, so may not even realize that they have a message waiting. So tell your guests when they book to make sure to activate their notifications. 

 

You can play it by ear- there's some instances where a phone call or text msg. is fine- maybe a guest is running late and just wants to let you know they're stuck in traffic and will be an hour late. I've communicated with guests by phone, text msg., Whatsapp, it depends on what is being communicated and whether you can tell this is someone who isn't going to pull any monkey business.

 

If a guest phones or texts you about something that has the potential to be contentious, move it to the Airbnb messaging. "Hi XX, re your text msg. this morning, did I understand correctly that you are wanting to leave 2 days early and are promising a good review if I fully refund you?"

 

( Extortion is against Airbnb policy, and savvy scammer guests know this, so they will try to do such things off-platform)

 

And if there's a legitimate issue, like the hot water tank goes on the blink, you want an Airbnb record that you responded promptly and addressed the issue, so a guest can't claim otherwise.

Thanks. I did give my number to our first guest in case there were any problems like Internet failure. It's probably a good thing because the IP did go out early this morning and I had to reset the modem. It's about 8 miles from my home.

Sam
The Historic Mountain View

@Sammy-L-0  The guests actually receive your phone number from Airbnb after their booking is confirmed, just as you see theirs. 

 

Phone numbers are also useful if a guest isn't answering your messages- you can phone or text them to say you've sent them an Airbnb message and could they please reply. 

 

It's also a really good idea to make a note, off-platform, of guests' phone numbers and/or email addresses if they've shared that with you, as soon as a booking as confirmed. Airbnb tech can be glitchy and things can disappear off the site or your inbox. And guests' phone numbers don't show anymore once their booking is over. So if you ever wanted to get in touch with them again in the future for some reason, you wouldn't have that info. I have a little book I use to keep that info, some hosts save it somewhere on their computer.

 

Hosts have even had Airbnb suspend their listings for some perceived issue and cancel all the pending reservations, and hosts have had no way to communicate with their upcoming guests because they never made a note of the phone number.

I got this message after asking the guest to contact me via AirBnB if the need anything.

 

Screenshot_20211128-212959~2.png

Sam
The Historic Mountain View
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Sammy-L-0  Ask him why he isn't using the app or website. I'm wondering why he is being like this. He doesn't want communications documented? Hmm.

 

And "Will arrive tomorrow"? Well, of course, it's  his check-in day, right?  He needs to give you an ETA.

There's a 4 p.m. check-in time and it's self-check-in, so that'part isn't a problem.

Sam
The Historic Mountain View
Basha0
Level 10
Penngrove, CA

All forms of communication have their place. I’ve received texts and can respond right away when guests have forgotten passwords to internet, what key code is etc. I’ve even asked for emails to send them places to go, things to do, links that I can’t seem to do on the platform and no one has ever had an issue. I’ve been a host since 2009 and maybe I’m just lucky that there really have been no serious problems that needed to be documented on platform communication. Reading issues hosts have had with Airbnb it doesn’t seem to matter if communication is strictly with the platform. I’ll continue to do communication however seems to work 

It turns out that she just isn't tech savvy. Her daughter made the reservation and set it all up. She didn't even care about the wifi password because she doesn't plan on using the Internet.

I went in person to show her how to use the electronic lock.a

 

Sam
The Historic Mountain View