Unresponsive guests after removing instant book

Erin160
Level 2
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Unresponsive guests after removing instant book

I am very new to hosting, and after testing it out for two weeks last month, and getting booking from two great guests who were a delight to host, I decided to unblock more dates in my calendar.

As I was still figuring out the whole process of booking, I had instant book on and ended up having to cancel on a guest as the demand was too high and check in times that i had already agreed overlapped. I have then decided to turn instant book off, as I feel a lot happier knowing i can accept bookings around my avaliabilities, and also feel a bit safer being able to have a look at the people trying to book.

 

Since turning instant book off, all the inquiries i have had either dont reply, even when I have pre approved their booking, meaning it expires. Or they have already booked somewhere else in the time it takes me to reply (usually only an hour or so if i am at work). Is this usual? It seems weird that I can have so much luck with instant book on, but totally unresponsive guests that dont follow through with the booking with it off! I feel much safer with instant book off, having also had a request that made me feel uncomfortable, but also glad I didnt have instant book on! But if i dont get any bookings then whats the point?

4 Replies 4
Marzena4
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Erin160 From my experience with IB on: I turned it on in May when Airbnb offered no penalty for cancellations. I noticed an increase in bookings, though I had been booked even without IB - using another big website. IB makes some guests more decisive, it also attracts such. There will always be queries from those who "don't know yet" or "have asked other hosts," but their number has significantly decreased with IB on. 

Don't make check-ins and check-outs overlap. Offer only luggage drop-in/leaving. It's the most practical solution. Those asking for late check-outs or early check-ins are the type of guests to avoid (always generated other problems for me).

 

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Sue-and-Andrew0
Level 4
Johannesburg, South Africa

Hey @Erin160

Sorry - not picking up on your main topic, I wanted to quickly (partially) agree with @Marzena4 on check-in/check-out processes... personally we tried to accommodate requests for early/late check-ins/check-outs in the early days of our AirBNB - but then ended up having to turn away bookings because the check-in/check-out times we'd already agreed with booked guests didn't work for new guests wanting to book.  So if your goal is to run as busy as possible then you risk turning bookings away and/or getting in a tangle.

 

However don't agree with @Marzena4 that guests asking for different check-in/out times are more challenging.  We have many international guests, and the flight arrival and departure times mostly don't tie up with our check-in policy.  So we say we'll only guarantee a deviation from normal rules 2 days in advance (when additional bookings are unlikely), or suggest they book an additional night.  Never had a problem from guests that ask for concessions

@Sue-and-Andrew0 What I meant is: Statistically, those who insist on early full (occupying the room) checkin and late checkout at no cost/informing late about that fact are those who later cause other problems. It is the same type of guests who do not respect a host. 

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Erin160

I have not turned IB off, but after activating IB, I have not had one single bargain hunter and only one single inquiry asking to bring an infant which I declined because I do not accept infants/small children.  

I suppose those shopping around are clever enough not to pick from the top of the list where getting a special offer is minimal.

My experience has been that back-to-back reservations are hard to wiggle no matter what, so I have set a preparation day between bookings in order to be more flexible with check-in/check-out.  I have been experimenting with back-to-back reservations, but found it led to less favourable reviews, something I could not afford in a high competetive area.

Entering into the lower season, you may also find that guests are more budget concious and that the selection of non-booked offers are higher, allowing them to shop around.

I think you also need to learn about the implications of host cancellations

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...