Call the host or pay for parking?

[Inna22]

A guest that arrived last night could not find my garage. It is behind the house so you could see it with your eyes, I provide arial map and turn by turn directions. This is a fairly frequent problem. I guess many people are not used to the Chicago lay out with alleys in back. That was not the problem.

The problem was that it was midnight and the guest decided to wake me up to get help with the directions. Of course my poor husband who had to be up at 5 was woken up as well. I am thinking the guest should have just parked anywhere, even if he had to pay a few dollars to do so. There is paid parking a quarter of a block away and often free street parking. I do not think this justified a midnight call.

Thoughts?

[Suzanne302]

@Inna22 

I can see how it would be frustrating (maddening!!) but if I had a guest in a strange city at midnight, I'd have a bit of empathy for them.

We do our best to prevent these things, but guests can still be clueless. It also might help to understand that the directions may seem so perfectly clear and obvious to you, but some guests might think differently. The added stress of arriving at midnight in a strange city might also mean they're not thinking as clearly as they normally would.

No, we are not hotels that are staffed 24/7, but part of hosting is dealing with the occasional unpleasantness of calls like this. My guests pay me for a service and while it doesn't mean they can run all over me and demand what they want, if they need a little help finding my place at midnight, I'm going to make sure I help them. I'm usually aware of when my guests are planning to check-in so I try to make sure I'm available should any issues come up.

If I were in the guest's shoes, I'd be so grateful to the host for helping me out.

[Huma0]

@Suzanne302 

This is the reason I do not offer self check in and only agree to late check ins up to a time that I can reasonably be available for guests. Then again, I am a homestay host, so I can do that, whereas it's much harder for remote hosts.

For me, the answer is that if I don't want guests contacting me at midnight, I will not agree to them arriving at midnight.

The most recent example was a guest who wanted to check in around 2am. I simply said no, I'm sorry, that won't be possible. There are other guests staying and they could be disturbed by your arrival. She agreed to book a hotel for the first night and check in the next day.

[Suzanne302]

@Huma0 

I totally get that. I think the key is setting expectations. I also think there's a difference between setting boundaries (as you seem to do) and becoming so frustrated with bad guest behavior that you lose sight we're all human and make mistakes/do stupid things sometimes.

And I know guest behavior can be bad and frustrating!

I really think something changed in me earlier this year when I was freaked out because an upcoming guest had given another host a ridiculous review and was very curt in her initial communication. I don't know if you remember, but I got REALLY worked up and anxious over it and expressed that here in the CC. In the end, the guest was very kind and left me a 5 star review. Something flipped in me and I decided nothing and no one is worth getting upset over and I decided protecting my peace was very important to me.

Oh I'll 100% still vent! But I won't let people frustrate me internally like that ever again!

[Huma0]

@Suzanne302 

I am glad the guest worked out well. I try not to let guest behaviour frustrate me too much. Often, it's the fear of a bad review/ratings. The guest fails to follow instructions or listen to anything you tell them or read the listing and then you are the one who gets marked down on it. 

I have definitely learnt to let go a bit when it comes to reviews and ratings though. A few months ago, I would have been so upset about losing Superhost status but when I did lose it at the last assessment, I was almost complacent about it. I'm not saying I was happy, but I was resigned to it and thought to myself, "Does it really matter?"

Of course, I'm more than happy to come here and vent about it though!

[Inna22]

@Suzanne302 I could understand if someone’s flight was landing at midnight on there was some reasons why they could not arrive earlier. These guests were originally planning on arriving at five. Then knew very well that they would be in a new city at midnight. They planned poorly and then chose to make it my problem. I am downtown Chicago, this is not a rural area. There are very well lit obviously visible parking structures ion my block. I think a reasonable action would’ve been to message me through the Airbnb system saying “ if you happen to be up, we would love you help” and then pay a few dollars to park if they don’t hear back instead of ringing my phone off the hook until I answered. I could also understand if they were lost and couldn’t find a way to my house. Of course an emergency is worthy of a phone call as well

[Huma0]

@Inna22 

The problem is, how does one define an emergency? Not being able to figure out the parking is obviously not an emergency to you or me, but to these guests, perhaps they felt it was!

I've never been keen on self check in partly because I know how clueless guests can be when in unfamiliar surroundings and how often they fail to follow simple instructions.

[Inna22]

@Huma0 I offer in person check in to my guests and most decline. If you want to arrive unscheduled  but have someone standing by to meet you or have assistance with minor questions at any time, it’s called a hotel

As for emergencies, I posted about a guest a few days ago who did not think it was important to tell me about water gushing out of electrical panel. So yes, definition of emergency has a very wide range in peoples minds. 

[Huma0]

@Inna22 

I certainly would not offer in person check ins at unscheduled times. My guests do not get the choice. They get to choose an arrival time within the check in window, but must let me know in advance. Likewise, if they want a late check in, they have to request this and I will accommodate, but only up to a certain point, and certainly not after midnight. Normally 11pm would be the latest I would agree to + they pay a fee for anything after 9pm.

So, I do not expect guests to be contacting me about any check in related issues late at night, unless they requested a late check in and then their flight is delayed. That is not to say that guests don't message me about non-emergencies late at night.

I posted elsewhere on the CC about a former guest (had checked into another Airbnb a few days before) messaging me at 11.30pm asking to come round to talk about what turned out to be 'boy troubles' and not the serious kind. Another guest messaged me at 2.30am asking if his date come come over. 

I had one particularly awful guest who repeatedly messaged me in the early hours of the morning, I mean as late as 3am, about non urgent things while I was on a work trip. She was told to leave.

Luckily, most guests aren't that clueless. You just get one every now and again.

[Gillian166]

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@Suzanne302 wrote:

@Inna22 

The added stress of arriving at midnight in a strange city might also mean they're not thinking as clearly as they normally would.

---

There's actually science to back this up. People who are stressed can't think to the same level of their usual intelligence.  Add in a completely foreign situation, and it's no wonder people make dumb mistakes. happens with us too, people often get lost trying to find our farm, even though we have a street number right outside and signs on the gate. 

[Clara116]

@Huma0 @Inna22 @Kitty-and-Creek0 @Richard531  I'm of the school of thought and pretty sure I was taught that the brain does NOT hear or read Not. So it locks in on the info (excluding not) and see what you get. A mass of confusion....going to the backdoor, next door, etc. whatever, they are NOT suppose to do, they do.....think about it. 

I'm convinced if there's a problem with finding where something is, then the directions, description is not given clearly enough for those people. We have to change the method of delivery. 

Using what " Not to do" is counter intuitive I believe. When I was dancing for my living and always taking classes, of course, I hated when teachers would Show what NOT to do - they'd show and do what not to do---- I always thought how silly, show me WHAT I am to do please. Because they just had me the visual, learns best by doing person go through the WRONG stuff now  the right stuff.....WHY. Made no sense. Never.

Tell them what you want them to do- LOOK for and find the PINK Door - nothing else. Maybe the street number - nothing else.  They will not have any other stuff in their minds to confuse them. Pink Door - not green house, not at the neighbors, etc. Just Pink Door. I would not offer anything up except - PINK DOOR.  Huma try it and I just bet it works.

I know you all might not want to hear this: if its a challenge for many folks you have to change the way you are giving the info or how you are giving it. Think as simple, short as possible. 

Common sense is no longer something that is being passed down and its a sad state out there. So expecting folks to have it, common sense, like we were brought up with, nurtured with and taught - its obsolete - sadly.

I'll be curious to hear how things change. Huma - with the PINK DOOR 

And why tell about the back door, or basement where they are NOT to go.....just tell them where they are to go.....remember they do not see or read or get it when you say do not.

keep us posted! 

Happy Hosting 🙂

[Huma0]

@Clara116 

Okay. I will give it a go. I am sure you are right about people NOT registering the words DO NOT. I will need to give them the house number though as it's a long road and I can't expect them to go up and down checking the colour of each door! 

I messaged my next guest with directions this morning already, but took the advice to include the photo of the exterior in the message, rather than just say you can find photos on the listing (which they probably don't bother to look at again) so hopefully this should help.

The parking, unfortunately, is more complicated. The reason being that I do not have a driveway, you cannot stop outside on the street anymore and so when people see that driveway next door to me, it's like they can't help themselves. I have the same problem with tradespeople and deliveries etc. I really have to stress to everyone NOT to park there. I had a not so pleasant relationship with my former neighbour which I believe was sparked by this issue and I would like to keep the good relationship I have with the new neighbours. I intend to be living here a while!

[Clara116]

@Huma0 I'll be so curious to see if it helps with PINK DOOR and the street name and NUMBER.....we are having to dumb down so much these days in an effort to reach people where they are.!! WHERE is that??? I surely don't know.

Hope it works and helps with the finding hassle.

Oh the driveway thing is for sure difficult - and you know people - they take the easy road/ driveway Out every time if they can. That is indeed a real challenge with your neighbor and I hope you can maintain a good relationship. Have you asked them (the neighbor) about it and what do they think you can do to help with it. Maybe they have some ideas?? A sign?? or some suggestions - maybe just to tell you how it makes them feel when it happens can ease any tensions. 

How about a LOUD HORN that gets sounded off in the driveway - with a MEGAPHONE yelling "NOT THERE people ----OVER HERE, YES OVER HERE - 'Wrong driveway - PINK DOOR ---......."brainless folks"....muttered softly....oops

[Huma0]

@Clara116 

The current neighbours are really lovely and fairly chilled people, so they never complain (unlike the previous two neighbours who would sometimes go ballistic), but I don't want to be that pain in the backside neighbour. My parents neighbours were exactly that so I know how annoying and frustrating it can be.

However, it's not just annoying when someone parks on their drive. It can be a real problem because you cannot stop outside on the street and there is a camera right there, so you'll get a large fine if you do. So, if my neighbour, or one of the people who has paid for use of their driveway arrives to find it blocked by another car, they can't stop to get out and investigate. They would have to drive around the corner, find a parking space, pay for a ticket, then come back and try to find out whose car it is and get them to move it. It's a royal pain in the backside and I would personally be furious if that kept happening to me or my customers.

Of course, I do not go into all these details with a guest. As you have already mentioned, it's best not to complicate things. Perhaps the megaphone is a better idea! 

Things have improved a lot though as I host long term guests and there are therefore less people coming and going. I guess it's a bit front of mind at the moment because of the recent guest who ignored all my instructions and even left me waiting for her at the spot she was supposed to be getting off at and then did exactly what I had told her NOT to do, i.e. go to the neighbour's drive. The megaphone would not have helped in that instance...

[Inna22]

@Huma0 Why not go into those details briefly “parking or stopping in my neighbors driveway is NOT permitted.  Any expenses incurred by my neighbors such as off site parking fee will be your responsibility 

[Huma0]

@Inna22 

That might work. Do you find that financial deterrents work in general? I mean, it needs to really deter them because enforcing it could be difficult.

I clearly state that guests will be responsible for paying for any damages, but most of the people who damage stuff don't seem to think that applies to them. I had a similar thing with the late check in fee, which one guest agreed to but then completely ignored the payment request. Airbnb said there was nothing to be done as they could not force the guest to pay. And then there are the retaliatory reviews...

Anyway, I may well try it if guests continue with this behaviour. As I mentioned, it has become less of an issue now I don't have short term guests coming and going all the time and the long term ones generally seem better about this sort of thing. I'm hoping the recent one was a blip. To be honest, she seems to have a problem with communication and with absorbing information in general.