A welcome message for your guests?

[Quincy]

Hello everybody!

Today, I thought we could exchange tips and tricks with each other about your welcome message. I believe that a welcome message is essential when a guest books your home as it makes you feel more welcome with your future host and you can get to know each other a bit better. When using Airbnb for travelling, I've received a welcome message via the Airbnb messaging system with some handy information about the house, check-in times, and they asked me why I was visiting the city. 

Having received a welcome message made me wonder if you use a template? Or do you perhaps personalize your message? I think it will be really interesting to share ideas with each other on how one could potentially improve their welcome message.

I would love to see your answers :-). 

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Quincy - since we use IB, the "welcome message" provided to us by Airbnb is really brief and formulatic.  It's not very welcoming at all, actually.  On the upside, we can almost immediately tell when someone responds (or not) to our canned, Airbnb-generated message if they've read anything at all about our listing and how much work it's going to be to get details about their trip. So after this first contact and response from the guest, we follow up with a more interactive message.  Assuming they've actually provided us with the details asked, it is templated like this: 

"Thank you for choosing us.  We'd be happy to host your for your [event] starting on [date].  We're a great choice for [x, y, z reasons that fit the event purpose].   

We've got you down for a [time] check in. If you are [flying, driving, walking, taking the bus.... we provide a few details about that activity that supports a good stay with us like the best transportation options, where to park, how far we are from the bus station].  

Thank you for letting us know in advance your dietary needs.  We can provide [something that seems suitable].  Will that work? 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Alice & Jeff "

Each message, while generally similar, is highly customized to the particular guest and their upcoming trip.  We do use the Saved Messages option for a few things that frequently come up and work those into the message contextually.   

[Ted26]

I'm a host, but I cant see where on my Listings, Profile or anywhere on my account where to set any Welcome Message or other Saved Messages. I'm on hold with Airbnb "customer service" waiting on them to tell me, but they're discussing it, and nobody yet can find the answer to this question.

I've also been searching online, and in Airbnb's Help section, and so far, all I've found is this thread discussing these items.

Can one of you please tell me where Hosts can access/create/modify/save Welcome Message and Saved Messages?

Thanks much!!

Ted

[Rebecca206]

You got no reply to this? I am calling on the same question and also have the customer service on hold trying to figure it out!! What on earth??

[Rebecca206]

Okay, finally was able to figure this out with customer service. It is under "Location" on your listing, and when you edit it you have a window for "Directions," which surprisingly enough, is a Welcome Message. Who knew. Not customer service, apparently. But why isn't it just called Welcome Message?

[Kevin-and-Tamara0]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!  I've learned recently that a large majority of their customer representatives are not kept up to date on the host interface and functionality.  I spent 25 minutes on the phone yesterday trying to explain that I should be able to see all of the reservations for all of my 6 listings on the main calendar page and the fact that the dates were all blanks wasn't normal before the rep just got frustrated a made a tech support ticket for me out of pure exasperation.  

[Kevin-and-Tamara0]

Correction: the "WELCOME MESSAGE" is now in booking details under guest requirements - at least for all new listings.  I have 3 different interfaces between my 6 listings based on when they were created.  The oldest listings still have the "guest trip information" option.  The newest listings have a "welcome message" field instead.  Last week, they announced they were getting rid of the guest trip information and consolidating it with the welcome message.  I'm hoping and assuming that once this transition is complete, the welcome message field will appear under guest requirements but that remains to be seen.

[Janet401]

I have the same problem, I think. I have created saved messages to send to guests, but cannot find or access them now. There's a button which says 'send saved message' but it won't activate. What is going on??

[Fiona243]

Hi @Ted26,

if you are using IB, then you can set the text of the automated greeting as follows:

• Select your listing for editing
• Go to: "Booking settings"
• Select “How guests can book”
• Select “Guest Requirements” (on RHS of page “How guests can book”)
• Scroll down to “Guest trip information”, and Edit the greeting there

Not very intuitive, which I guess is why people are asking how to set it.

[@ mention updated]

[Lizzie]

Hello @Fiona243,

I've just @ mentioned in Ted, so he get's notified about your reply. Thanks for sharing the process you follow to add an automated greeting. 🙂

[Ted26]

Thanks, Fiona!

[Joan383]

Thank you very much for this information, which I have been trying to find for a long time.

[David3267]

Hi Fiona, isn't this just  an auto one BEFORE booking rather than detailed instructions or welcome?;

Your welcome message before booking, Guests will see your message before they confirm their reservation.

[Regina360]

The welcome message is under Booking Settings and select "Guest Requirements".  Select Edit and scroll down and the you'll see your welcome message before booking.  Guest will see your message before they confirm their reservation.  I'm new to this and it's my first time hosting my house.  Hope this helps!  Regina

[Edwin57]

I have instant booking, my welcomeing message is all individual as I meet them with welcomeing wine and fruit all this is in person, now throug the message board I say thank you  so much for choosing us through Airbnb and have a beautiful trip to NYC, some time they ask question and I replay to there question and again I said thank you,but the most beautiful experience is in person .