communication

[Susan1434]

i would like to know the easiest way to communicate with guests (send photos etc.)...email or phone?

[Miloud0]

Salute @Susan1434, 

i think, if it is possible, you could communicate with your guest through your Airbnb account ( messages) and also by phone if you want, after reservation. 

Thanks, 

Miloud

[John1080]

@Susan1434, it's wise to keep all communication through the Airbnb messaging app. In case something goes wrong, you want proof to show Airbnb.  I would limit all email communication and only rely on texting if you are not hearing back from a particular guest on the Airbnb messaging app.  Once in a while a guest does not receive or know they have received messages, so you can text them and ask them to please check their messages on Airbnb, and then continue chatting there. 

[Sandra856]

@Susan1434 Always, always communicate within the airbnb communication system. If guests contact me through whats app or text messages I always tell them to only communicate through airbnb messages. I once had a situation were I needed airbnb to help me. The guest did actually ask me when he first booked if we could use whats app when communicating. I was really glad I insisted on using the airbnb message board when I needed help from airbnb. 

[Sarah977]

@Sandra856 You're quite right, but Susan was taking about sending photos or other attachments to guests. You can't do that through the messaging. I always have to send my guests a hand-drawn map to my place, as it's in the countryside. It's not findable with GPS or street maps, my guests would get really confused without my map. So I have to email that to them. And they text or phone me to give me a heads-up when they're getting on the bus in Puerto Vallarta, which is an hour from here.

But anything else, I agree, should stay on the Airbnb messaging, in case anything proves to be contentious.

[Sandra856]

@Sarah977 You are absolute right! Haha..hopefully we have now covered what is worth to know about communication 🙂

[Lilly28]

@Sandra856@Sarah977

I have a problem - how can I add one more guest for 2 nights only out of 7 days stay?

I went into the booking of the person in question, and tried to send a request for money for another person, but the answer was that the stay already started and I cannot alter the number of guests. And what is more - if I alter the number of guests it will be for the whole stay, but the third guest wants to stay just 2 nights in the middle of the booking for 7 days. Besides, I was told that she might lately decide to stay a night or two more. The guest who booked is willing to pay for her relative for these 2 days. Thanks - if you can help me!

[Sandra856]

Hi @Lilly28 🙂

You can't alter the number of guests for just a couple of days. But if you calculate and find out how much money it costs you can send a request for the money. Go to the reservation and then request money 🙂 I hope I explained it in a good way 🙂

[Lilly28]

@Sandra856

Thanks! I just had to file that money is due for other things - not for change of dates or guests number and not special services, and send the guest request to pay the amount due with message why the money is requested!

Thank you, Sandra - it is an important experience as I have not charged for such guests before, I had several times the same situation! Thank you again, Sandra!

[Sandra856]

Glad I could help, @Lilly28 🙂

[John1080]

@Sarah977, you can add photos on the app for phones, but yes not on the computer version, something I would like to see changed. 

[Sarah977]

@Susan1434  You can send attachments, such as photos or maps, using the coded email address Airbnb assigns to the guests after the booking is confirmed. You can see that right under their profile photo to the left of your message stream with them. 

But I have found that those emails don't always work, especially if guests are accessing their email from their phone. I often have to ask guests to please send me their actual email address after they let me know that the attachment I sent, (and even sometimes the entire email) wasn't received.

[Susan1434]

thank you so much Sarah

I actually ended up using the airbnb app on my phone to send map and it worked well

I appreciate your help