Do guests think a booking request is a confirmed booking?

[Kath9]

I think I just need to vent. Has anyone else noticed the increase in booking requests with zero information except, if you're lucky, time of arrival? More and more, people seem to assume that a booking request is a confirmed booking. It never used to be like this - when I started hosting two and half years ago, people communicated with me as if I was an actual person being kind enough to allow them, complete strangers, to stay in my home at a budget price - they would tell me a bit about themselves, the purpose of their visit, how much they liked the look of my home and how much they would love to stay. I don't expect a thesis, but a brief introduction would be nice. Now, nearly all my requests just come with a 'we'll be there at 5.30' or 'see you on the 5th' like their booking is confirmed and I'm some kind of desk clerk or bot. Why is this? Is there something in the booking process that makes them think that a booking request is a confirmed booking? And where is the common courtesy? I would never do that in a million years.

Anyway, I got one this morning from someone with no reviews, no profile information, possibly a profile photo but I wouldn't know, first time user (joined May 2019) and a booking request with the message 'We'll be there at 5.30' and nothing else - no information whatsoever about who they are or why they're coming. Immediately after sending them my saved 'Assumed booking' message (yes, I actually have one of these now), I decided to decline them (and I never decline guests). Maybe that was a bit over the top, I don't know, but I'm just so tired of it. I really wish Airbnb would do more to educate guests or prompt them to provide information, but I doubt that will happen. Maybe we hosts need to start setting a few more boundaries with guests instead of always bending over backwards for them. The guest did get back to me with some information but it was too late. Hopefully, they have now learnt to communicate properly with hosts instead of treating them like servants. Okay, rant over.

[Helen427]

@Joanne63 

That's dependent on if a Host has there exact address option ticked or not on the Map that comes up on there listing.

[Joanne63]

Thats true I prefer to give a general location rather than specific until the day of checkin. This avoids the chance of them showing up early.

[Sarah977]

@Joanne63  I understand the concern about not giving out the location info too early, but hosts need to consider that giving the info day-of wouldn't work for some guests at all. I've never stayed as a guest, but I'm the kind of person who feels very stressed with last minute stuff and like to have things all clear and set-up well ahead of time. And I do not use a smart phone, therefore I wouldn't be able to access that info when I was on my way to the place.

[Joanne63]

Well with the recent bookings, I have changed it to give the location and checkin instructions as soon as someone books.  At first I was unaware that the app did not give the information out and then I figured out how to add it.

[Susan151]

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@Joanne63 wrote:

Well with the recent bookings, I have changed it to give the location and checkin instructions as soon as someone books.  At first I was unaware that the app did not give the information out and then I figured out how to add it.

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I am in the middle. Guests get my exact address but only AFTER the 48 hour cancelation grace period. This feels like the right balance between the guests being able to use the address for planning purposes and my own personal security.

[Joanne63]

Well I have already done that as a guest where I showed up 1 day earlier than scheduled and the host had to turn me away.  Stupid me, it was an honest mistake, but once they have your info, they can show up anytime.  I like to plan ahead, but I don't think it is unreasonable to give it to them at the last minute, like you said, within the last 48 hours.

[David-Erik0]

@Kath9 

Same here. I'm a private host and I do it more to meet people than for money, but this year has been a hell really. Situation like this one described by you are happening more often: 

"[...]I got one this morning from someone with no reviews, no profile information, possibly a profile photo but I wouldn't know, first time user (joined May 2019) and a booking request with the message 'We'll be there at 5.30' and nothing else - no information whatsoever about who they are or why they're coming. Immediately after sending them my saved 'Assumed booking' message (yes, I actually have one of these now), I decided to decline them (and I never decline guests). Maybe that was a bit over the top, I don't know, but I'm just so tired of it."

Currently my basic requirements for acceptance dropped until 88% the minimum and not will decrease more. 
12% missing is due to booking requests from guests that clearly didn't read the rules of the house and since the booking is telling the guest that by booking you confirm that you have read this and this, I find that there's nothing else than more disrespectful than lie.

Usually I answer back asking to read the rules of the house, because from their message or information are missing, or is clear that they didn't read it, at that point some of them, after 1-2 minutes reply back "I did read the rules" which is impossible in 1-2 minutes, so I decline. 

I think that I'm here since 2 years, and turn a blind eye has paid off just in the 5% of times. 

Those that do not read, will always be a problem, if not when their are in your house, they will with some unbojective rating that then AirBnB will put in the kpi funnel and this is also one of the reasons because I decline, AirBnB does not back you up in that area, indeed after the guesting blast arrive Airbnb blast. 

However since at some point I was thinking that perhaps airbnb is lacking of information, I've started to look for the screenshot of the UI and found this one: 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Updated-screenshots-from-guest-UI/m-p/1041812#M257082

[Josetta0]

Totally agree! Never been like this before.

[Sarah977]

@Kath9  and Others:

This is somewhat off-topic, but has to do with communication style. 

I asked a recent guest, a lovely and articulate young woman, in the course of friendly conversation, why those of her generation are in the habit of sending 3 or 5 word text messages, one right after the other, 10 in a row (which she had been doing), rather than organizing what they wanted to say and sending it all in one message. I told her it drives those of my generation crazy to have the text alert going off every 20 seconds 10 times in a row. 

She considered for a moment, then explained that she and her peers view texting as an alternate form of talking, rather than an alternate form of writing. So "Hi." followed by a response of "Hi", followed by "What's up?", followed by "Nothing much, you?" makes sense when viewed like that.

I found it quite enlightening- I'd never considered that the underlying assumption of what texting or messaging is for could be quite different than how I think of it.

So maybe, when we get these requests like "Hi. Arriving at noon",  it's not so much that they're being inconsiderate and unmannerly, but that they actually expect a reply like "Great, will be happy to accept you but need more info." Then they expect to reply "What info ?" And then you reply "Well, what brings you to the area, for one thing." And then they reply, "The music festival." And so on.

Seems like a terrible time waster to me, but then younger folks who've grown up with the technology can text and type with the speed of lightening, whereas it takes me a lot longer to compose a message.

[Kath9]

@Sarah977, yes, it's an interesting point. Communication styles are so very different these days, so it could all just be a huge misunderstanding. Anyway, I still think it's a good idea to educate people on basic communication etiquette. Interestingly, ever since I've put on my listing for people to give me some info about themselves, they've been doing so! It's early days, but something might have shifted!

[Dennis264]

The most annoying thing about the back and forth short texts is that it takes about 10 times as long as a phone conversation saying exactly the same.  My nephew won't answer the phone, so the last few times I've been in the area where he lives has has missed several free meals because he wouldn't respond to voice mail invitations, because I'm simply not going to engage in back and forth texting.

[Kath9]

@Dennis264, phone calls are considered old school. Young people don't like phone calls, they much prefer to communicate via sms. But agreed that multiple short back and forth texts are somewhat annoying. Maybe try texting your nephew with 'are you free for dinner Tuesday night?' You might get a response that way!

[Sarah977]

@Dennis264  I hear you. My youngest daughter won't answer her phone either, unless we've arranged beforehand a time I'm going to call her. I don't mind texting for something short like "Running late, be there in 10" but when you're trying to make arrangements with someone, it takes a so much shorter time to just call.

I read a study they did, that I found really sad and shocking. 80% of teenagers said they prefer to text with their friends, rather than talk face-to-face. 

Not surprising that some of these non-socialized kids go postal and shoot up their classmates.

[Michelle1648]

I would like to vent as well.  I am new to this and I think this is ridiculous then if you try to have more control of your booking the system says it basically won't promote you.  It sounds to me like Air BnB cares more about their profits than the quality of guests.  I had my first guests last week and they lied about how many people, they trashed the place, no damage but they partied hard and it was filthy afterwards, I just scraped icing off the ceiling yesterday five days after they left (didn't notice after 5 hours of my cleaning WITH my cleaning lady).  I just cancelled a future booking for lying about how many people and having a DOG! right in the pre-booking rules it says no pets!  I have a severe allergic family member to dogs.  I messaged every guest to ask them the questions, how many people, do you smoke and are you travelling with pets.  All pretty much had different numbers than they booked, some smoke and I made it clear not in my property and only the one had a dog.   Then I wonder how many lied again.  I am reconsidering Air B&B ... I bought this property fully booked and thought, ok why not... but my first experience was negative.  I think we should be given more controls and protections, these properties are HUGE investments.