new to hosting , question about booking

Brigid0
Level 1
Boston, MA

new to hosting , question about booking

Hi!

I've been a guest on Air bnb but this is my first time hosting. I have only had my posting up for 36 hours and I already have a question! The first day I posted my apartment a woman contacted me and asked for a 2 day reservation.  I wrote her back and said she could have the dates, but she has not made a reservation. Meanwhile, a second woman has written looking to book for the same dates. I've written the first person to ask if she is still interested and I have not heard back from her. What is protocol? How long do I give the first person to respond before I move on?

Thanks!

4 Replies 4
Jude7
Level 10
Rhinebeck, NY

As a fairly new host myself, I quickly learned that inquiries were far from being bookings, and that many folks send out inquiries for various reasons, and that many are simply shopping around.

 

I encountered a similar situation to yours, having engaged in a bit of conversation with a prospective guest, when another inquiry came in for the same days.  In that case, I contacted guest 2, let them know I had someone seriously interested based on the extensive communication we had shared, wrote guest 1 telling them about guest 2, and giving guest 1 two hours to respond by making an actual booking - which they did!

 

What I learned from the experience is that in the future, when responding to an inquiry, I would make it very clear that although my property might be currently available, it is not considered reserved until there is an actual booking.  I felt that in my first experience, I was not clear, and that our communication went on longer than was needed without an actual booking, simply because I had not created any sense of urgency.  I will be more firm in my communication from now on.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Jude

Gerry-And-Rashid0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Enquiries are just that - no guarantee of a booking. So, pre-approve all requests that come your way, even if they overlap. But do let guests know that there are other people interested in the same dates.

Rosemary18
Level 5
Madison, VA

I would pre-approve a reservation and encourage them to book before waiting for an inquiry if both messages are relayed to me at the same time. 

Barbara172
Level 1
Atlanta, GA

I have a reqest for booking, and I must press a button to accept or decline.  When I press that button, it takes me to my site but does not allow me to accept.  Where do I do that?