What do you put in the message before booking is confirmed? How to ensure more reliable guests?

[Jennifer1351]

Hi,  I've been lucky to have some really nice and lovely guests this summer. Easy and respectful guests.  But recently have gotten a couple less respectful. Was going to post some details, but do you ever worry guests might POSSIBLY read this? ( sounds a little paranoid...) I'm going to have to get more proactive with screening and being selective, and not just hope to be lucky with getting good people.

First, what do you put in that little message that they receive before they book. Is this helpful, do you think people read this and get it? It looks like there are more character spaces now to expand this.

Also how do you inquire more fully about people without it being awkward (and then affecting a possible review - I was thinking).

Also, how do you deal with it if they are not following house rules. (Maybe this should be another thread)  It's great to have more detailed rules, but what if they never read them or just blow them off??

Do you worry about reviews when issues come up? 

Thanks!

PS - It looks like some of the hosts who used to post and respond to questions frequently aren't around much . Where is Robin, Ben, Ann? Don't see them on top contributor list now.

[Linda108]

@Jennifer1351   I like to establish a rapport with a guest by responding to either the inquiry or reservation (I have IB) by establishing they understand the type of listing (private room) and that I have a dog.  Then I ask what brings them to the area.  I also ask for them the full names of all guests.  Depending on how close the check in is, I do get into making suggestions if asked and also determining the check in appt since I introduce guests to my dog.

While information is important to get, for me it is equally important how the guest responds.  Do they answer in full?  Do they respond promptly? Do they seem willing to engage in the shared home community?  Most do.  

[Jennifer1351]

Thank you @Linda108 , I appreciate the information. Do you use that little welcome message with any of your questions, or do you just communicate with them after they inquire or book?  Do they typically agree to cancel if it doesn't seem to be a good fit? It sounds like this has worked for you even with having IB?

[Linda108]

I do not have a high volume listing, which is my preference.  I respond to both inquiries and reservations individually.  I don't rely on any system message.  The few times guests have misunderstood my listing have usually been inquiries and they do not continue with the booking or I do not pre-approve.  Only once was there a misunderstanding about the listing and I was not aware because the guest stopped communicating 2 weeks prior to arrival.  Ended up being one of my worst stays.

I have used IB since it was offered because I always have  felt I could cancel an inappropriate guest.  I do not have the type of market that many hosts must deal with.  My guests are not local and are usually here for specific events.

[Emilia42]

@Jennifer1351, I find that the little message during the booking process doesn't do much. I ask guests to tell me why are coming to the area and who they are coming with. Maybe half of my guests acknowledge these questions. Do you think the change of seasons could have brought a different type of guest? I usually find that is the case. Did you happen to lower your price after the summer crowd?

[Jennifer1351]

Thanks @Emilia42 . Not sure about the change of seasons, this is my first year hosting and I'm still getting a feel for things like that. I didn't lower my price, have been raising it a bit and it should have been higher for certain fall weekends ( I live in a college football (small) city). And having the football crowd may have brought a different crowd. I have been just allowing people to stay without a lot of inquiry, but I have to change that. Do you find people work out when they don't answer your questions? Isn't that stressful when they don't respond?  I have been assuming people are reading my house rules and listing. Does anyone actually send people house rules to make sure they read them?

[Jennifer1351]

Thanks @Emilia42 . I'm not sure about the change of seasons. This is my first year hosting and I'm still getting a feel for things like that. I haven't lowered my price, have been raising it a bit and it should have been higher for certain weekends (I live in a college football (small) city). I should have done more inquiry with the football bookings. I have been assuming they are reading the house rules and the listing.  I have just been allowing guests without much inquiry and the ones I've been concerned about have been okay, but have just gotten a couple loud groups and people doing weird things (playing a musical instrument late at night and they were running the bathub for like 45 minutes, which now I'm thinking they may have fallen asleep since it was midnight when they were filling the tub).

Do you find the guests work out even when they don't answer your questions? When do you find you have to not accept a guest?

--Sorry if you got a second reply from me, I had answered this and did an edit, and then it disappeared.

[Emilia42]

Hi @Jennifer1351, your listing is very similar to my Historic Cape listing which is across the street from my family's home. I also live in a University town (1 mile from campus) although sport aren't super big here and the town is very tiny. I actually get more people traveling for the touristy spots that are 1 hour away than I do for the University. I do worry about this particular listing because it is larger and can sleep more people (I have two other listings that only sleep a couple so I have basically have no problems there.) I have always used instant booking so I have never once not accepted a reservation. I like instant booking because guests like what they see in the pictures and agree with the price, so they book no questions asked. That gives me confidence and trust in them. It is when they inquire and ask me questions, basically because they want me to bend my rules/price, that I feel uneasy. In all of my reservations I've had, guests have still worked out even if they didn't answer my questions. I actually look at it as their loss if they don't communicate well. One couple mentioned to me on their way out that they were on an anniversary trip. So they missed a nice bottle of wine and chocolates from me 🙂 I don't really have any rules other than no smoking, no pets, and no extra people. If I had a lot of rules, I would only be annoyed and angry when they are broken. For instance, I could have a no shoes in the house rule and get mad everytime I walked in to find dirt on the floor. Or I could cover my entire entryway in mats and raise my cleaning fee a little for more frequent mopping. Obviously, I am not going to put up with loud noise or inappropriate behavior but outside of those situations I try not to judge or guess or assume what and why guests do what they do. That will make you crazy.

[Jennifer1351]

Thanks again, @Emilia42, I appreciate you sharing all of that! It's helpful to get thoughts and feedback. Good and interesting points...about it being their loss for not communicating much (hadn't thought about like that),  how you look at IB. And about having too many rules. But maybe it's different when you live on the property. Having the lights left on or a bathroom fan gets frustrating. I put it in the rules, but they still do it. 

[Emilia42]

@Jennifer1351 

Two of my units are across the street so I have eyes on them most of the time but one is an inlaw apartment attached to my home (private studio listing.) I'll share another example. Years agos, before this was a newly renovated Airbnb, we rented it out for $500 a month. We have a big, very old house and it costs a fortune every winter to heat it. We don't turn our heat on until around Thanksgiving and turn it completely off at the beginning of April (at both times there is snow on the ground.) My parents would get so annoyed when the renter in the inlaw apartment would crank the heat to 70 degrees in September. While we're sitting on the other side of the wall, freezing, and listing to the furnace run and run. He was only paying about $16 a day and would burn through all of our fuel. Now that it is an Airbnb and we are making more than quadruple the money I don't mind if people turn the heat on to be comfortable and I don't have any rules around it. That tiny little apartment/Airbnb business is paying for our heat in the winter, among many other things. So it really doesn't bother us anymore. I have learned from experience and from reading many posts on this forum that stress-free hosting has a lot of do with your mindset. 

[Jennifer1351]

Yes, @Emilia42 , mindset is so important. Thanks for the reminder to keep that in mind with Airbnb too. 

[Pete69]

Think about what things bother you most about guests. Word your description to scare them off. I used to try to walk on egg shells and be as welcoming as possible in my listing description. But since I'm not trying to be booked any more than about 50% of the time and because it's an absolute feeding frenzy on weekends around where I'm at, I'm a bit on the defensive now. "This is a home -- Not a hotel". I mention repeatedly that mine is a non-smoking stay. You can also say that your stay is in a "very quiet" neighborhood. That will tend to attract more respectful guests.

I also have a long disclaimer about all of the negatives about my stay (ants, dogs next door, ceiling not insulated, AC is loud, water heater makes rumbling noise, raccoons, etc). Anything to discourage the FUSSY people from booking in the first place.

[Jennifer1351]

Thanks @Pete69, really good points to think about! Ants are part of your disclaimer, and raccoons. Too funny.

[Pete69]

All true! I don't want people to slip and fall or scream if they see a raccoon. We have an Argentine ant invasion along coastal Southern California. I don't want someone to use a trail of ants as cause to demand a refund or write a bad review.

A little caveat emptor goes a long way.

[Laura-And-Mike0]

I try and set clear expectations by having the longest listing description with lots of disclaimers.  Also when people arrive I get a feel for them and give them further warnings, especially if they have small noisy children I remind them because of the open screened areas, sounds travels and our neighbors don't appreciate noise after 8:00 pm.  

I set clear expectations in the listing to avoid any issues when they arrive.