Potential Guest with 100 questions

Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

Potential Guest with 100 questions

I have a potential guest, she hasn`t booked yet.  But has sent many Emails with many questions.  It seems she has not read anything about our area nor my guest house,  Do I have to keep answering questions that are easily answered if she simply does a google search about the area?  Do I have to keep answering questions that are answered on my listing?

 

She has one verification and no photo.  This seems like another red flag to me.  But I am very new to hosting.

 

If I ignore her, will it affect my response rate?

 

Please don`t misunderstand me.  I am a very helpful person.  But probably some of you can relate, there are limits.

 

I have three bookings now, and they all went lickety split.  But this one has become a bit of a nightmare.

 

Any advice appreciated. 

12 Replies 12
David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I had one like that yesterday, ended up suggesting somewhere else that might be more suitable and better fit their needs, did not come back.

David
Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

David I did that too, but she won`t stop sending me Emails! LOL

Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Kevin-s0

Just ignore, they are probably not suited to airbnb. It will not affect your response rate.  

Dave-and-Deb0
Level 10
Edmonton, Canada

Hi @Kevin-s0,

 

Does this guest have a "reservation inquiry" or is it a "reservation request".  If it is a reservation inquiry, follow @Marit-Anne0's advice but not if it is a request.  If it is a request, you have to decline or approve within the 24 hour time period or it will affect your response rating.  With inquiries, all you have to do is respond and archive.

 

David

Superhost Ambassador ~ Host Club Community Leader ~ Community Expert ~ Experienced Co-Host

I am a total newby.  I think it is called a reservation inquiry.  Because she hasn`t reserved the room yet.  So it is not reserved.  But I actually tried to  block off the dates, because I had given pre-approval, as she didn`t seem so strange at first.  

 

If she does try to reserve, I will decline it and come up with some excuse.

 

I finally reported her to Airbnb, as it is possible she/he is misrepresenting themselves.   I wonder if it is a travel agent in Hong Kong, just trying to gain easy information about the area, instead of doing the research himself.  

 

Or they could not be suitable for airbnb.

 

The other inquiries have been great.  I answered a few questions and I didn`t mind at all.  But there have been about 5 seperate Emails with quite a few questions each time.  

 

Thank you for the responses, I don`t feel so alone.    How do you cancel pre-approval?  I searched for it, and airbnb says there is a button, that you click on that you will see in the message thread.  I have searched many times, but cannot find that button.  Anyone know how to do this?

 

@Kevin-s0 Airbnb has modified the Pre-Approval process.  During the first 24 hours of issuing a pre-approval a guest can accept it and the reservation is automatically confirmed.  I'm not 100% sure , but I believe you can only cancel a pre-approval during this time period.  After 24 hours, the pre-approval still exists, but if a guest accepts the reservation,  it is confirmed only with your acceptance.  It is not automatic any more.  Here's Airbnb's link explaining in more detail: 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/838/what-is-a-pre-approval

 

Hope this helps with your chatty guest!

 

 

Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

Thanks Clare,

 

Yes I read that link a couple of times.  The button they say is there for you to cancel with is not there (maybe after the 24 hour period) as you seem to suggest.  Airbnb really should clarify that, as newbies like myself will wonder where the heck it is, and keep looking for it. 

 

I think she is a lonely soul.  Having thought about this and seen the comments of others, I think it was a reach out of sorts.  She finally did book but I declined, thinking she would drive me crazy with more and more questions.

Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

She may have actually booked after updating her profile.  Oh well.  I think she has learned not to ask too many questions.  She must really want to stay at my place. LOL

I am sorry for you, Kevin. Maybe she didn't know the area at all and was not very familiar with search engines. In any case, I have been a host for about 3 years, and recently a traveller. I am also asking a lot of questions that are not very obvious in Google maps or others. Think about going to the other end of the world, you might want to know a lot, and don't think about everything in the 1st email.

I already contacted Airbnb about a guest who didn't have enough verification, they suggested to him to verify better which they did. They were great guests, claimed they loved my place, wanted to come back... and didn't leave any review, although I reminded them to do so, even called Airbnb to ASK them to do it. Sometimes you are very disappointed, but other times you make good relationship. It is hard to tell.

Is it too late to change your mind about her? Airbnb are really (sometimes >>>) helpful, tell them about your doubts.

Fiona2
Level 7
Pasadena, CA

Somebody who is a nightmare before they arrive likely will be a nightmare on site too. If it is merely an inquiry then you can just stop responding and don't pre-approve them.

Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

Unfortunately I made a rookie mistake and pre-approved them after the first Email.  Only to find that, that was the first of many Emails.

 

We also got caught up in a long chain of requests for information and eventually price negotiation with a guest from China.  In the end I came to the conclusions she was a lonely soul

who had found away to interact with someone.

We have had a few similar requests which I now dismiss as soon possible and really I'm very 

friendly and helpful and enjoy assisting genuine guests to find out as much about the area before they arrive and while they are here.

Cheers

Michelle