Just Annoyed

[Nicole563]

Received this gem last night.

Message #1: Hello, I am coming through town tonight and my budget is $45. Is there any way you could accommodate that?

It was 7:30pm when I received that, felt immediately annoyed. I did not want to entertain and waste my energy. I didn't reply. Half an hour later...

Message #2 :Hello, I am coming through town tonight and my budget is $50. Is there any way you could accommodate that?

I was getting more annoyed, I didn't reply.

Message #3: Or either way can I check in after 9.

Message #4: I'm coming from Nashville and am over an hour away

Message# 5:Your place looks safe and nice. I'd like to stay if possible

To that point, I was so tired of phone beeping. 

My reply: Sorry, we are not able to host tonight.

End of the story.

[Sarah977]

@Nicole563  I don't really understand why you didn't bother to respond to the first message. If you were annoyed by the discount request, a short message: "I'm sorry, but our listing is fairly priced and we don't offer discounts" was all that was needed. If you didn't want to host on such short notice, " I'm sorry, but we have plans for tonight and can't accommodate a reservation on such short notice".

Just because we find a message annoying doesn't mean we should simply ignore it. And if you fail to answer an Inquiry, you'll take a hit on your Response rate.

[Nicole563]

@Sarah977 @I just got so annoyed by the discount request, and I didn’t want to reply it right away. I usually reply as soon as I receive the message, but this particular one just got into my nerves, I had never had anybody asking for a discount for one-night  stay. That’s the discounted service I could provide for people asking for discounted rate. 

[Sarah977]

@Nicole563  Well, guests can send all sorts of annoying messages, I'm sure all hosts receive them. I agree that asking for a discount, especially for a one night stay, is presumptuous and insulting- guests' financial situations aren't our business or concern. But as hosts, I think we can't just choose which messages we are going to answer and which not, answering them is part of our job. And if you'd just answered the first message, you hopefully wouldn't have gotten even more of them from this guy. I think its best to answer annoying, inappropriate messages ASAP, so those types of guests will move on and stop bothering us.

[Nicole563]

@Sarah977 @ I do reply 100%, but I would like to wait till the last minute for certain people. 

[Sarah977]

@Nicole563  I got it. And I can also see sometimes just not being in the mood to deal with a stupid inquiry at the moment. There are times when we have more patience than other times. I guess I'd just want to repsond to one ASAP so they'd go away instead of continuing to send even more annoying messages 🙂

[Sean433]

@Nicole563

@Sarah977 

The winter seasons brings on a lot of last minute discount hunters. I get them all the time. You grow a thicker skin to it. I used to write something what Sarah suggested about how our listing is fairly priced, etc etc. Now I just say "no, sorry" and that's it. Short and sweet. I don't want to waste time writing more then 2 words to such people.

Trying to explain value to others is pointless. In my experience, writing a full long sentence about how your home is fairly priced won't educate them and magically convince them to book with you. Actually, when someone asks for an unreasonable price, I would not accept them even if later on they agree to pay my price because they will likely be a petty sulk and leave a bad rating on value.

Just say no and that's all. I wouldn't waste more then 2 words but do reply because it hurts your response rate.

[Nicole563]

@Sean433 @If I am not super annoyed, I usually use 3 words “ sorry, but no”. I totally agree with you about those bargain hunters. I don’t want them in my house, period. I know I am very fair for what I am providing, and I don’t want those people to take advantage of me. 

[Sean433]

@Nicole563 

By the way, you are the first host I have seen with that many reviews and perfect 5.0 rating. Wow, good for you! How do you do it? Even with amazing service, you still get hard to please people once in a while. Amazing!

I know this is sort of off topic but since we are on the subject of discount hunters and value, I think you have a lot of room to increase your prices. Your cleaning fee is so low. And your prices for Christmas is the same for November. I doubled and some cases tripled my prices from December 20-Jan 1 and I placed a minimum 10 day booking requirement during that time frame so that I can maximize that holiday. Wouldn't want someone to only book dec 24 - 26 when there are plenty of families or just couples who come in town for 1-2 weeks during this holiday.

If I were you, I would double your price during that time. If I was a guest, I would pay it.

[Nicole563]

@Sean433 @I am in a small town, there is not much going on here, I cannot charge too high even though I really want to, LOL! My place is simply, some people would say artistically done. Let’s say that it’s just so different than the majority of places here. And I don’t use cheap stuff, and people can feel it too. I provide good essential stuff with a very reasonable price. 

[Sarah977]

@Sean433  I 've only had 40 guests, 36 have left reviews, and all were 5*s. I hope I can maintain that when I get as as many guests as Nicola has. I can honestly say I've never had a hard-to-please guest- they have all been easy-going and appreciative. This may have something to do with the type of guests who book a home-share as opposed to an Entire House listing, and most of my guests have been experienced travelers and many veteran Airbnbers.

I'm not sure why you'd urge Nicola to increase her prices- that isn't always advantageous. She's obviously attracting the kind of clientele who are appreciative and leave 5* reviews- why mess with something that's working well.? My price is the same every day of the year, and while I'm sure I could command more at certain times of the year, I get the type of guests I want and I'm not just in it for the money. Home-share hosts and Entire House hosts have somewhat of a different business attitude, I think. One of our main concerns is in getting guests who we are compatible with and who are a good fit for our lifestyle, rather than making as much money as we possibly can.

[Sean433]

@Sarah977 

@Nicole563 

It is hard to say what her motives are for her pricing strategy, that is why it was just a suggestion since she can easily command it.

If I were a guest and it was more expensive, I would still leave a 5 star review because even at a 20% increase, it is still very good value. I have listings that are very cheap, very and I have had poorer reviews there then in the homes that are expensive. So there isn't always any rhyme or reason to it.

I will let you in on  a secret, most of the listings except 2 are not mine. I manage them for a client and his motivation is ROE. Therefore, if he is happy, I am happy because I get a percentage. If I was charging say $100 a night for christmas when I can easily command $300 a night and where competitors are charging that, I would do it. Why wouldn't I? If the guest is willing to pay it, there is a reason for it.

1 of my listings titled 5% luxury boutique is one that I live with my wife on the upper floor. This listing is the one I have the highest rating on. I don't think it is because of home sharing but rather how nice it is. I offer spa quality toiletries and lots of high end amenities. And my #1 concern is a good guest and my #2 concern is price. I will always pick a good guest over price. but I think the reviews reflect the space and not just because I live in the other unit of the home.

We have a weekend in August here in Toronto where I charged $1200 a night on 1 of my listings (our average price is $250 per day) and I still received a 5 star review because believe it or not, everyone else was charging more. No regrets and will do it again in August 2020 🙂

I still say up the price for christmas because if you are currently 20% less then what you can charge, that means for christmas, you will be 120% or more less then what you can charge. Demand and supply.

[Nicole563]

@Sean433  judging from last year, there is not going to be a demand here anytime of the year. I get what I get, and I am happy with me. 

[Nicole563]

@Sarah977  about half of my guests were first AirB&B users, and a few were experienced travelers. I like about 98% of my guests, once in awhile I get one that I just don’t care for, I just suck it up and keep smiling. 

[Sean433]

@Sarah977 

Hopefully, when I retire I will not worry so much about money and buy a house in costa rica where I can garden and relax and airbnb a nearby home out of hobby but for now, I kind of have to hustle and rather enjoy it.