House Manual - Airbnb vs Manual app

[Kimberly735]

Hi. New to hosting and wondering if anyone uses any other apps for house manuals. Especially Touchstay, if so, how do you get your clients to read it?

Thanks,

Kim in Dandridge

[Lorna170]

@Kimberly735  Most of my guests rely on the printed, binder style house manual left on the credenza in the living room.  I realize that this is "old school", but still a valuable tool.  Some guests have even removed pages to take with them on their jaunts, or stated their appreciation for amenity directions.

[Kimberly735]

@Lorna170 I have hard copy as well. BTW...It's nice to see a local. I am from Haywood county. Thank you for your guidance.

Kim

[Laura2592]

@Lorna170 us too. We have a cute book we update yearly with new projects we have completed/fun facts we have discovered and updated recommendations in the area as well as all the pertinent rules/info and where are...lists.  

After dealing with guests who are phobic of our very basic keypad doorlock and who ask for a DVD player because they don't know how to access Netflix, we are sticking with a paper copy. Everyone theoretically still understands how to read a book and if they want to take the recommendations with them they can take a photo of the page. This is the one item no one has complained about yet 🙂

[Sarah977]

@Kimberly735  While many people are into tech solutions these days, I would not be pleased to have to download an app to read the house manual if I were a guest. It also assumes that everyone uses a smart phone, which isn't true.

If you are going to have an app-based house manual, I would suggest you also provide a hard copy in the unit.

[Kimberly735]

@Sarah977 I do have one in the house as well. Being new, I wanted to be able to have more structure to it as well with guidance to build.I think there are tweaks there as well that after a few visits. 

I didn't find that ease with airbnb site. 

Thank you,

Kim

[Colleen253]

@Kimberly735 I don't use an app. Airbnb makes it difficult to share things like that with guests. As long as you've provided the house manual text in the 'info for guests' section of your listing, guests can access your house manual, along with other info they need, through their trips dashboard.