And so it begins, Why are they messaging me so much?

[Kelly149]

I turned the Barn listing back on late last night after being closed since 6/1/2021. I shortened every section of text (no one reads anyway), deleted some pictures, and added a note about how the nearby highway is under construction. The only "rules" are No additional guests and tell me the full names of everyone in the reservation and what brings you to town.

Request only listing, so I wake up this morning to my first Request: 2 Guests, 1 night, "my husband, 4 kids and baby are looking forward to coming to Austin for Valentine's Day". I've now sent her the house rules and have received no less than 4 messages from ABB telling me to HURRY AND ACCEPT THIS REQUEST.

grrrr... this may be a short-lived experiment

[Kelly149]

@Colleen253 some hosts will take all comers and just not care, but that isn't the case for soo soo many places. And how many CS issues would never even exist if this stuff was dealt with on the front side?!?

My rules aren't even long anymore. So so simple. Show the dang rules!

[Kendra114]

Same exact frustrations. 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Kelly149 

I had no idea that house rules and such were so hard to access. The clue for me was recently from another Host's request.  She explained all about her dog. She said she could not find where it said "no pets" in my listing Settings, or in the House Rules. I declined politely, and went immediately to my listing. All the settings were intact as were the Rules. Until your mention here, I had no clue about this. 

[Sarah977]

@Kitty-and-Creek0  Another host didn't know where the house rules are listed? That's pretty lame.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Sarah977  I know. Definitely so! I referred her to a convenient, clean and well maintained motel in town that has one room with dogs welcome. 

[Kendra114]

I’m in Galveston, TX and almost all of my recent guests have been a nightmare. What is going on?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Ah @Kelly149 😄 😄 😄 just don't lose your humor

[Kelly149]

are y'all bored of my running commentary yet??

guest 6 now: we picked your space bc you're so close to xxx and yyy.

me: hmmmm, no one has ever said we're close to yyy before

guest: really? how far are you from pdq that is in yyy?

me: well I found a pdq that is in town mmm, not yyy, but either way that is 30 miles from us and about 35-45 minutes, nevermind traffic.

guest: oh. thanks. I guess we'll talk about that

gahhh... the Map ABB, we can't show guests the map??? or has it been so long since people have left their homes that they don't know what to do anymore???

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Kelly149 

Distances can be deceiving on a map, especially in an unfamiliar place. These folks may be dependent on their navigator telling them what to do, and it is likely, as you said that many of us may have lost our touch with being grounded for so long.  

[Gillian166]

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@Kelly149 wrote:

gahhh... the Map ABB, we can't show guests the map??? or has it been so long since people have left their homes that they don't know what to do anymore???

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dying, laughing at these! pure gold. 

[Sarah977]

@Kelly149  Read a map? Gee, you're such a fossil. Now it's a GPS computer-generated voice telling you where to turn.

Other things people can't do anymore- read an analog clock or do simple easy math in their head. They reach for the calculator to subtract 25 from 100.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Sarah977 @Kelly149 

Absolutely no kidding! Our cars are so old they do not have those voices. Thank goodness. Folks who rely on them around here will definitely be lost, and down a canyon where there is no signal. Our directions tell guests to ignore the navigator, which does not know which roads were closed and locked decades ago, which are old logging roads, which were intended but not built, and which had landslides years ago and are unrestored to this day.  Anyone following that insistent persistent voice will end up at our neighbor's chicken house instead of our front door. 

Totally about analog clocks, making change and doing simple arithmetic in one's  head. I won't even get into "spellcheck" which is making so many intelligent people seem less so. 

Shall we include those things in the book?

[Kelly149]

Requests 7 & 8 came today:

7: read listing, communicated well, asked a reasonable question, introduced whole group.

I responded to question, added a few of my own, clarified biggie rule points.

They answered quickly, agreed to all important terms, asked politely to stay.

They are approved for a week stay in March.

Guest 8: 

I need to check in before 2 p.m. or this won’t work for my family. Please do not approve or charge me anything if the earlier check in cannot be accommodated. Thank you.

Me: 

No

You should really enter an inquiry if you’re asking to change terms. A request means that you agree to everything and want to book.

And you have zero profile info. Starting out with a demand for extra without even so much as a hello, what a nice place you have is probably not your most effective tactic

Her: I apologize for offending you. I am not as familiar with Airbnb as perhaps others are. I am at work and was trying to book a place. I’m quite frazzled today and stressed out about the trip.
To what does your “no” response refer to specifically? The booking as a whole, not charging me, the early check in, something else?

She will be staying somewhere that isn't here for that trip.

It's just really not that hard. Bless her poor heart and all that.

[Sarah977]

@Kelly149  And since when is not being "as familiar with Airbnb as some" and being frazzled an acceptable excuse for poor manners?

I wonder if her employer knows she is booking personal trips on company time? 🙂

[Kelly149]

@Sarah977 right... " I didn't know I needed to act like you were a person and use manners"

Again, kind of seems like ABB might do well to educate guests. But then again, ABB doesn't believe in Asking Hosts anything... They're the OG on, just Tell Hosts what is happening