First time users. Lots' and lot's and lot's of first time user's on Airbnb.

[Brett3]

Hey all,

I am getting A LOT of first time user's and pretty much all of them have no idea. Is 'Government ID' really something that only exist's in Australia? Is doing an online search to find out how to add more ID to an Airbnb account so unheard of? Is finding the property address on the booking itinerary, not done anywhere else or with any other booking platform? Don't all the booking platforms use a huge tile with the words 'BOOK NOW' to make a booking?

I am truely starting to wonder if thinking now falls into the 'too diificult' basket. Should I add instructions on blinking and breathing as well?

[Sarah977]

@Brett3  The only upside to this cluelessness is when I envision the end of the world as we know it- no more oil, no more internet, no more supermarkets full of food imported from all over the world, just humans trying to find or grow enough food to survive, water to drink, and have some shelter from the elements. I know who will be the survivors and who will almost instantly perish. It's a comforting thought.

As Jessica & Henry said, it's not just guests, it seems to be a general growing problem in society. 

There are posts on the Help forum here all the time from frustrated hosts saying there is no way to contact Airbnb-no phone numbers, no email. Yet there's a huge pinned post on the first page of the Help Forum-"Contact Airbnb" which gives all that info and to post a question on the forum, they have to go to that page! And a simple Google search also comes up with pages of info on phone numbers and other ways to contact Airbnb. I don't get it.

Maybe guests should not only have to have good reviews to book, they should also have to submit to an IQ test and the results visible on their profile 🙂

[Robin4]

@Sarah977  @Brett3 

This afternoon I almost....god it was close...struck a pedestrian!

I was driving on a busy road here in our town and he just walked straight across a 4 lane road texting on his phone, not once looking up to assess whether it was safe.

We have bred a generation of morons who's rite it is to be spoon-fed through life without taking any responsibility for their actions. 

I blame our education system here. At school sports day there are no winners anymore, just by participating, you are a winner....cannot possibly offend the sensitivities of the under-achievers.

Brett, I learned in business that a company rolls along at the pace of it's weakest link. You can have a wonderful product, a first class managerial staff,  great 'front of house' personnel......You just need some marginally employable individual out in the warehouse and the whole company rolls along at the pace of that individual.......True!!

This was one of the reasons I gave away work, left my business and retired 20 years ago! To cut a long story short, I airconditioned a very expensive house for people I knew. I took two of our employees around there and walked them through the last part of the job. At one point one of these employees came out of one of the rooms and, with his ladder, hit and broke an incredibly expensive light fitting. I went around and knocked on the door, Sue answered it and I could see she had been crying! 

I said...."Sue, what can I say"!

She thumped me in the chest and said..."I trusted you"!!

I personally  never broke or damaged a thing in my working life.....but I belong to a different generation!

Hopefully Brett we will be able to see out life without being 'dumbed-down' too much.

Cheers.....Rob

[Elizabeth164]

What in heaven's name does this have to do with running an Airbnb business. Is there a moderator out there who can screen personal blogs that have nothing to do with running the Airbnb business? 

[Ben551]

Hey @Brett3  have you seen the movie Idocracy?  If not, I highly recommend giving it a watch. It's not so much the movie but the 'concept' of it that sometimes I find a little too close to home... 🙂

[Brett3]

@Ben551 ,

it's on Netflix too! Sounds like a pretty good movie.

[Scott-and-Mary-Ellen0]

@Brett0 @Ben0 I used to think "Idiocracy" was a funny satire but as a citizen of U.S., I no longer find it funny. Hits too close to home these days. <sigh>

[Elizabeth164]

Dear Host: If you have a lot of first time users, as I do, then you have to treat them with "good" hands. Be articulate, explain what you expect of them, be generous but clear. I'm a 7 year host, but most all of my guests are first time guests, even if they are not first time "users" of Airbnb. They are still first-time guests in my home. Remember to make time for yourself, be articulate about when guests can and cannot arrive, what your home rules are. I am as articulate as I can be, and there are times when I'll say "nope, this is a no-go." Guests do want to know what to expect, and that does make them feel more comfortable. I hope this helps. Best, EMB

[Brett3]

Hey @Elizabeth164 ,

I like your term "good hands". I pride myself on being personable, friendly and informative for my guests, but find they often don't want to think for themselves or don't care. 

I shouldn't have to remind a guest to flush the toilet after doing a poo or that water from a boiled kettle will be hot. 

[Brett3]

Hey @Elizabeth164 ,

almost on queue I had a first timer user check out today after their 1 night stay.

During check in the guest told me they had not read the House Rules. I suggested it was a good idea to read the rules so they know what is expected. The guest looked at me and said they didn't need to read the House Rules.

The guest left me a 1 star review!! The guest advised cleaning up was not their responsibility. That I should "hire a cleaner or something". (they were dirty pigs and left poo and urine in and all over the toilet, rubbish all over the apartment and lots of sand everywhere)

[Elizabeth164]

Dear @Brett3 : Since I actually live on the same floor, if across the hallway, from where my guest bedrooms are, my presence is palpable. And I keep an extremely clean house, so when guests walk in, there is already a tone set about how I live, at least. The other thing is that for the three bedrooms in my home that are available for guests, there is only one bathroom, so guests know before arriving they are sharing the bathroom with other Airbnb guests. I think that fact also sets a tone, in a way---"You are sharing this space with other guests, so clean up after yourself." I do, however, clean that bathroom every single day... the minute after check-out time at 10 a.m., so guests who are staying more than one night still experience a cleaned bathroom. I don't expect my other guests to clean the bathroom. That I consider my job, as well as cleaning their breakfast dishes, if they have cereal, coffee, tea, since I don't allow my guests into my personal kitchen. I don't know how your Airbnb is set up, but I think "tone" is probably a big part of things: Set a tone, be generous, not invasive, trust your guests, don't hover (as I did initially when I was a newer host), and things tend to go fine. They have for me, at least. Best, Elizabeth

[Elizabeth164]

Dear Brett3: Ah, one other thing: Since guests from 3 bedrooms share one bathroom, I say when they arrive, "The way I've discovered this works best is --you may use anything you find in the bathroom, so don't leave your own stuff here. Otherwise other guests may think they're mine." That really really helps--people clean up their stuff as they leave the bathroom. It also helps them to remember to keep track of their own stuff, and guests leave socks, etc, behind all the time. Cheers, E