Contact After A Booking....

[Eileen462]

Hello Everyone I hope this finds you well and prosperous.  My question today,  Do you happen to stay in contact with your clients after they have left your AIRBNB hoping for future return business?  Thanks for your replys and likes!  Eileen

[Robin4]

@Eileen462 

I do retain some of my guests personal details.....that is the ones we got on well with and do keep in touch with some of them, mainly on Facebook.

I have made up some cards in which I write a bit of a newsy message and send via the mail service to my international guests on the anniversary of their stay here with us......

 

It's just a small thing but they do appreciate it!

Cheers.........Rob

[Eileen462]

@Robin4  Rob that is so nice!  I am sure you have repeat clients just from taking a little time to keep in touch.  Eileen

[Heather289]

No, I don't. 

The vast majority of them come from the USA or other parts of the world, and visiting London is often a once in a lifetime trip for them.   

If I kept their details, I would also need to worry about protecting their Data for GDPR, so it's best if I don't keep anything, and just let Airbnb do it. 

[Bob297]

@Eileen462 
I write them a "thank you" email or WhatsApp the day they leave.
Once, maybe twice, a year, I send a message to previous guests, inviting them to book again.
I also send this message to guests who have timely canceled before their arrival.
I do this only for my villas, where guests stay for a week or more.

[Eileen462]

@Bob297   Hello Bob from California USA.  Thats so nice that you remain in touch!

[Debra300]

@Eileen462,

Yes, we stay in regular contact with some of our guests, because we enjoyed their company.  In fact, a couple of days ago I heard from a guest whom I've kept in touch with for the past five years.  Usually, repeat guests book with us directly regardless of which platform they originally came through.

[Eileen462]

@Debra300  Hi Debra!  A 5 year guest is something to be proud of!  Im sure your home feels like a second home to them!  Cheers!  Eileen

[Bhumika]

This is such an interesting question @Eileen462 !! I love how many of our Host members @Debra300 @Bob297 @Robin4 mention staying in touch with previous guests and their strategies to keep them engaged. I am pretty sure these kinds of thoughtful gestures are always appreciated by the guests and create a solid guest base and loyalty.

Do you think about implementing similar strategies to engage with guests @Eileen462? Out of all the amazing ideas, which idea you are more likely to go with?

[Eileen462]

@Bhumika 

Greetings Bhumika and thank you for joining this conversation!  I love all of the answers the hosts replied .. I think I will be staying in touch with my guests via internet, sending a thank you card offering something like a free gift card for dinner when they return. I am wondering if I can offer discounts on rates to specific guests when they do return?

Thank you again,

Eileen

[Robin4]

@Eileen462 

Eileen, you used to be able to send return guests a discount rate via a 'special offer' when they sent an enquiry, but for some reason Airbnb stopped that a few years ago. You can only send a special offer for an initial guest enquiry now.

I do not offer up-front discounts of any description. Up-front discounts are open to abuse. A guest books a 21 night stay for a 20% discount and pays. Five nights into the stay the guest cancels and gets a pro-rate refund less 1 night.

The host gets stiffed into providing a 6 night stay (5 nights +1) at a 21 night discount, and little chance of re-letting some of the remaining nights.

Up-front discounts are designed to secure bookings, not make hosts money!

The easiest way to handle a discount for return guests is to have them book and then via the 'Change Reservation Details' tab amend your payout total for that particular reservation to reflect the discount rate you want to offer. Airbnb will then send that amended total to the guest as a 'change reservation request', the guest accepts and Airbnb will then amend the reservation charge and the hosts payout. 

It was so much better when we could just send a special offer to all guests, new or returning but, at least it works Eileen!

Cheers.......Rob

[Eileen462]

@Robin4  Thank you for this info Rob!  Good to see you!  Eileen