Really don't know what to think about this guest

[Wendy684]

So I was going to post on here for advice about this upcoming guest when I got a message from them.

Basically they booked 2 weeks ago. Technically they sent a booking request with a message saying they were 2 friends one in a wheelchair but accustomed to being independent and doing transfers and the other an OT qualified to assist his friend with this. Asking if I was ok hosting etc.

Now my home and the room is not listed as accessible. It is not level access. I do not have walk in shower.  I initially messaged back pointing this out and checking they understood and were ok managing this getting in and out. The request was going to expire so I approved and messaged again to tell them. But was more than happy to refund if it wasn't suitable.

I never had any response to my messages asking about the accessibility. That was two weeks ago. Their stay is booked from this Wed 5th. So I chased up again today. 

I finally received a message. Saying they wish to cancel because the event they were coming here for has been cancelled 'due to circumstances beyond the speakers control'. 

I've messaged back they need to cancel from their end. And asked what the event was. I assumed it was a Waitangi day event but clearly something else. 

What's weird is if they had said the place wasn't suitable due accessibility I would have understood. Taking so long to answer and only 3 days before plus booked over a holiday I might still not give a full refund but a partial one. But this - a cancelled event 3 days out over a public holiday leaves me with no booking. In fact they haven't cancelled yet. Because once again the guest thinks I can. 

I'm very keen they cancel tomorrow so that they don't get asked to review. I'm just not sure what I should think or do here. 

Sorry for long post!

[Colleen253]

@Wendy684  Yes, that's crummy.  I would be inclined to message them once more that due to their lack of communication and the reason they are cancelling, your cancellation policy will apply to full effect, and you trust they will fall back on their travel insurance. They may think your initial offer for cancellation applies, but it doesn't now. Call CX and explain how this has unfolded, and see if you can get them to cancel the reservation. You need a chance to get this rebooked, because as we all know, the chance of CX upholding your cancellation policy is slim. Or the guest will wrangle something on EC. 

[Lisa723]

@Wendy684 @Colleen253 in your shoes I would: message the guest, saying that at this point your cancellation refund policy will apply, but you will refund any amount you can recoup by rebooking their dates. Point out that the sooner they cancel, the more likely this will be, since as it is they are holding the dates. Remind them that you cannot cancel for them without being penalized by Airbnb. So it is in their best interest to cancel immediately. (No need to comment on the actual likelihood of rebooking.)

[Wendy684]

@Colleen253 @Lisa723 

These are local guests who would have been driving down so no insurance but had they booked into a motel the same situation would have applied. 

Thanx I will message again. I did say they needed to cancel but that was about it. I think telling them that I can refund for any nights that get rebooked which is more likely the sooner they cancel is a good idea. 

Thank you

[Colleen253]

@Wendy684  Yes, I'm just thinking though, time is of the essence, and with their history re lack of communication/timely followup...but hopefully they do get your new message now and this prompts them to follow through in good time. Hope it all works in your favor. What a pain.

[Wendy684]

@Colleen253 you have a point though maybe this is motivational. In the end they will lose. 

Last resort I will have to contact air bnb. I'll give it today and phone them this evening if I must but honestly they are idiots there and I would rather never have to. They will mess things up somehow.

[Sharla1]

Whatever you do, don't cancel it yourself. I had a somewhat similar situation recently with a senior who was unable to climb stairs on her own, but received the booking request from her family member who clearly didn't read my house rules. I reached out to CS and they canceled it for me without penalty. But unfortunately they still have us the ability to leave reviews which was incredibly frustrating. Neither of us did thankfully but I do think they are your best bet, especially if you want to rebook soon. 

[Wendy684]

They can unfortunately leave reviews if it's cancelled less than 24? hours before check in. This is 3 days so they won't. If they cancel today. 

Contacting air bnb is a last resort since they are all raving lunatic idiots there

[Wendy684]

Oh dear I lost my sh$t with air bnb and told them they were idiots. With some other words thrown in. Probably not very helpful if very true. 

I need some time out. I need a platform that cuts out the middle micromanagers . Both myself and guest will suffer this time.

[Helen350]

@Wendy684 Just take the money & run! It's THEIR problem if they booked then changed their minds. YOU did the right thing in telling THEM to cancel. If your cancellation policy means it's too late for a refund, that's their problem, not yours. And if you've told them the sooner they cancel, the sooner the chance someone else books = refund, then you've been more then helpful. The ball is in their court!

(I often offered refunds for short notice cancellations, not liking to take money I hadn't earned, & feeling sorry for guests. 2 days ago, a guest booked for 3 days hence, then cancelled a few hours later, no explanation. Suddenly I'd no qualms: he booked, changed his mind, too close to check in for refund, - not my problem!) 

[Sarah977]

@Wendy684 "

"Oh dear I lost my sh$t with air bnb and told them they were idiots. With some other words thrown in. Probably not very helpful if very true."

No, definitely not helpful. Try to keep in mind when you have contact with CS that they are just lowly front-line employees. They don't make policy and they are operating from a script that Airbnb higher-ups create. There is actually a high degree of dissatisfaction among Airbnb employees on blogs that can be read if you know where to look- they seem to be treated as badly as hosts are. I'm sure they don't close unresolved cases, for instance, because their intention is not to be helpful- I'd bet they close them because Airbnb punishes them somehow for not be able to resolve a case quickly. And I would be very surprised if they are paid a wage that encourages them to put in a lot of effort.

Keep your goal in mind- to get your issues resolved. If that means being unfailingly polite and thanking them for their time, even when you'd like to strangle them out of frustration or anger, so be it. I've gotten CS reps to come around from being robotic and unhelpful simply by acknowleging their humanity and saying something like "I hope the rest of your work day goes smooth, without a bunch of people yelling at you- I know you have a difficult job". I'm not saying you should roll over and just say, oh, okay, when you aren't getting useful service- you should definitely stay clear and firm and persistent about your issue and what you are asking for, but getting angry serves zero purpose. One tactic is if you get a rep who you can tell right away is clueless, just thank them for their time and call back, hopefully getting a better rep the next time. You may have to do this several times, but it often pays off.

[Wendy684]

@Sarah977 you are right of course and I sincerely regret losing it with the rep I first spoke to. Unfortunately I have had a few bad CS experiences recently (on entirely different matter) where it really has been them being idiotic there is no other word for it. Because they didn't understand basic things abt air bnb. Which comes down to a lack of basic training.  In this instance it was probably first a policy then a really frustrating way the person was speaking and saying things added to the fact she just talked over me all the time rather than listening to anything. And when I said to her I felt unable to have a conversation like that please could I talk to someone else otherwise I was going to hang up and call back she refused as kept saying no she wouldn't, don't hang up but no. I hung up. Next guy was very helpful. Yes same policy but it's the way they speak and convey things that matters. And being able to have a two way convo. 

CS the world over is full of people like that. They don't listen to our care about customers. 

But yes hanging up and calling back is a good idea

[Wendy684]

Just a follow up to update I did eventually get the message through to air bnb that I was trying to help the guest out by getting them to process the cancellation to improve chances of someone else booking.

They phoned them and the guest finally made contact and was very grateful. I don't think they would had mindedat all either way (after all that, this is what entitled ungrateful guests have done to me lol). So the visit is cancelled and I will refund any nights that someone else books in.

Everyone is happy though I'm bruised from yet another less than straightforward convo with ABB