What makes a host will not accept a potential guest?

[Kellan0]

Dear All,

I am Kellan, and I am a traveller. I am very new on this community. 

I am currently a researcher who investigate sharing economy, particularly solutions for both host and service providers will consider to increase their benefits.

At the moments, I am looking at the phenomenon "host's rejection". I have a number of your discussions on this community, and get some idea in mind. However, it would be great I can officially start a thread and we can discuss in one place.

Could you please share with me your concerns regarding some questions below?

1. What makes you reject a potential guest? Please share any potential causes.

2. Which is the most important reason for you to reject a guest?

3. How often will you reject a guest? 

4. When will you reject the guest? Is there any possibility to reject a guest after you accepting them, and what reason for that?

5. Can you estimate your rejection rate, possibly per week/ per month?

6. Do you think the sharing service provider's policy can decrease the rejection ?

7. Could you please share any ideas you think it would be help all service providers, host and rejected guest?

All ideas are respected and helpful in this discussion. 

I would like to say thank you for all you stop here, read the post and leave some comments.

Wish we all Airbnb, host and guest can co-create the best values for us.

Best,

Kellan.

[Sarah977]

@Kellan0  I don't really understand your question- what do you mean by lose some resources?

[Kellan0]

Hi @Sarah977,

I mean if you think you lose something when you reject a guest, i.e. time, money, .....?

Thanks

[Sarah977]

@Kellan0  Part of the job of hosting requires spending time answering inquiries and booking requests. Many responses to inquiries go unanswered, the host never hears from that inquirer again, because that's just what many guests do- send out a bunch of inquiries to scout around. That's just part of the territory of being a host, so I think most hosts don't consider that they have "lost" their time.

As far as money goes, hosting a guest who is not a good fit would end up not being worth the money.  Not feeling comfortable with the stranger who has booked a space in one's home is not compensated for by receiving money. I would rather have the room sit empty than deal with a guest who sets off alarm bells from the first messages they send.

[Huma0 · Accepted solution]

@Kellan0

Hello, not sure if you are still collecting data for this, but as the thread is still going, here are my answers:

1. What makes you reject a potential guest? Please share any potential causes.

- They want to bring children, even though my listing states no under 18s. This is a frequent request.

- The booking guest is actually under 18. They shouldn't officially even have their own profile, but sometimes they do.

- They want to bring a pet. This is a rare request, but occasionally happens.

- They have really misunderstood what they are booking, e.g. they think they are getting the whole house (or an apartment) not a room in my home. Sometimes they just think they are getting a private bathroom but the bathrooms are actually shared.

- They have not read that I have cats and they are allergic.

- They do not respond to my questions witin the 24 hour period a host has to accept/reject.

Incidentally, most guests will cancel their request once you explain, so you don't necessarily have to 'reject' them.

2. Which is the most important reason for you to reject a guest?

- Wanting to bring children is probably the most common reason why I have to reject a booking. Some guests will try to persuade me their child is wonderful and I should let them stay, but that is not the point. I will not budge on this one!

The next most common reason (but not the most important) is guests not responding to quesitons in time. In these cases, I tell them if they send another request including the requested information, then I will accept it.

3. How often will you reject a guest? 

Hard to say. Maybe once a month or less.

4. When will you reject the guest? Is there any possibility to reject a guest after you accepting them, and what reason for that?

I always ask them to confirm they have read the listing and agree to the house rules before I will accept a guest's request. I ask them questions if there is something I am unsure about, or for more information if they haven't sent any in the first place. This means that potential problems are usually brought up BEFORE booking.

For instant booking guests, my welcome message asks them to respond to a short set of questions, which includes confirming they've read the listing/agree to the rules.

I've only once cancelled after a guest booked (it was an instant booking). This was due to several factors. If it had only been one, perhaps I would not have cancelled, but combined, they really worried me. They included: guest booked 2 nights, but wanted to stay for 5, then 6. Kept booking for less nights/people than needed. Asked for a discount. Kept ignoring my check in/check out times. Was slow to respond and had to be asked questions over and over again.

I also once asked a guest to cancel her reservation herself, but it was an extreme case that involved a break up and a suicide attempt. I did not want to risk such a thing happening in my home!

5. Can you estimate your rejection rate, possibly per week/ per month?

Hard to say. Not more than once a month on average.

6. Do you think the sharing service provider's policy can decrease the rejection ?

Yes, the main thing is better education for guests so they understand the importance of 1. Completing their profiles. 2. Communicating with hosts. Some attempt has been made to do this, but there needs to be more.

I think it should be compulsory for guests to complete their profiles before they can send a booking request/enquiry, i.e. they have to write a description, add a photo.

There should also be a short form when sending a request, where they have to fill in fields for the most common host questions, e.g. Who are you travelling with? What is the purpose of your visit? You have this in part with IB, but even then, guests don't answer all the required questions. It should be compulsory in order to make the booking.

In fact, if someone is booking for two or more people, I think it should be compulsory that they fill in the names of the other guests.

7. Could you please share any ideas you think it would be help all service providers, host and rejected guest?

See above.

Also, I think hosts should respond to requests within 24 hours, BUT should have 48 hours before accepting/declining as not all guests respond to questions in time. OR, the host has to respond to the guest within 24 hours, but if they have questions, the guest then must respond within 24 hours to those. I think either of these would greatly reduce rejections.

[Kellan0]

Hi @Huma0,

I am still working on this topic. Thank you very much for your awesome ideas. Currently, I would like to go to deeper a rejection situation.

Could I ask you:

1. Can you describe a case of recent/ most memorable rejection you experienced?

1. In such situation, what kind of resources you think you lost?

1. Do you feel your well-being decreased? How and why?

1. After rejection, what are your feelings about the platform and guest?

    5. What were the reactions from the guest/platform in that case? What you expect it should be?

Again, many thanks Huma.

[Huma0]

Hi @Kellan0

RE your questions:

1. Can you describe a case of recent/ most memorable rejection you experienced?

See under point 4. of my previous answers. This was where I cancelled a guest that had instant booked because of the numerous reasons outlined above.

1. In such situation, what kind of resources you think you lost?

I don't know yet if I will lose money, but I'm hopeful those dates will get booked anyway as they are still a few weeks away. I think the resource I lost most was time. It took a lot of time to corespond with the guest RE their booking and more time still for the cancellation as, even after I cancelled, they rebooked! I then had to message them a few times to get them to cancel the new booking. I also spent time on the phone/email with Airbnb to get this sorted out.

1. Do you feel your well-being decreased? How and why?

It was stressful, especially as I had plenty of other things to do at the time. I was also worried about the impact of cancelling on a guest.

1. After rejection, what are your feelings about the platform and guest?

The guest had used Airbnb several times, so I was surprised how little they understood how it works. I am not sure if they were just making numerous mistakes or deliberately trying every way they could think off to get some money off. It's hard to say, but I am relieved to not be hosting them. If they can't understand the basics of booking a room or my check in/check out times, what other misunderstandings might have arisen during their stay?

RE the platform, again I think there is a lack of education for guests in relation to booking and the forms/requirements mentioned above would help. It would have saved a lot of correspondence and time if the guest had been required to fill in certain details when booking. They are asked, but it seems to be optional whether they answer or not. It should be compulsory in order for them to book.

    5. What were the reactions from the guest/platform in that case? What you expect it should be?

The guest did not want to accept the cancellation, hence why they simply rebooked, although I had clearly explained why I had cancelled and why I felt uncomfortable with the booking. They then tried to convince me to keep their new booking, even though again they had booked for the wrong number of nights and were still planning to disregard my check out time. They were disappointed that I wouldn't accept their booking, but acknowledged that it was because of their mistakes.

Airbnb CS were very understanding and told me I had every right to cancel, penalty free. However, they did say that even though it was the same guest making the same mistakes, it would count as more than one cancellation because the guest had made more than one booking. That was disappointing. 

[Amy38]

I never decline a guest.  I write and decline ttheir requests...discount, children or a pet. Then I wait till the last minute and accept them.  By that time, they have moved on.

I regularly accept third party bookings as they have always been locals renting for older parents.

[Kellan0]

 Hi @Amy38,

You make a good point, you decline requests not guests.

May I ask more about your experience?

 - In such rejection situation, what kind of resources (time, money, knowledge,i.e. anything) you think you lost?

 - Do you feel your well-being decreased? How and why?

 - After rejection, what are your feelings about the platform and guest?

 - What were the reactions from the guest/platform in that case? What you expect it should be?

Thank you, Amy

[Amy38]

@Kellan0  This a rare occurance for me...usually a student needing a steep discount.

they ask politely and I politely say it is not possible and direct them to a couple of cheaper places nearby.

I hope I have helped them.  I do not feel I have lost anything and I am not offended by the requests. 

The  potential usually writes and thanks me and moves on. No harm nofoul.

[Sarah977]

Okay, here's a perfect example. I had just gone into my account this morning to block off the last week of March as that is the Easter holiday week when literally 10,000 young Mexicans from all over the country descend on this tiny beach town for the sole purpose of partying their faces off. Half of them don't look or act old enough to be traveling without their parents.

Don't get me wrong- I've hosted Mexicans and young people many times and have had no problem with them, but the Easter week brings a different crowd. I knew I'd be getting requests and didn't want to have to decline, would rather have the room empty. Before I could block the calendar, sure enough an inquiry came in. Girl who looked about 18 or less, just joined in March, so within the last couple of days, obviously for the purpose of booking that party week.

She asked 2 questions- first was whether I had those dates available (obviously seen on the airbnb site), the second, Is it only for 1 person? when my listing TITLE says "Unique Tropical for Solo Traveler".

I was just in the midst of responding to her inquiry when I got an airbnb message that she had booked other accomodation. Whew, didn't have to deal with it. Finished blocking the week on the calendar.

[Sarah977]

@Kellan0  I understand that you are doing research, although you haven't really said what the purpose of this research is. It seems to me like you are thinking this declining of a potential guest is way more of a big deal than it is to most hosts- if the guest communicates badly, or indicates that they haven't bothered to read the listing accurately or at all, or tries to get us to make some "exception" to our rules, we decline their request to book and move on. It really isn't a big deal, I don't think any hosts lose sleep over it.

[Kellan0]

Hi @Sarah977, you made an interesting point, yes. I am doing a research. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the value co-destruction on AirBnb and some other sharing platform. Different guest/host will have different perspective, and I respect all of them. I had a chance to interview guests, being rejected is somehow important  and they think they may lose their time or lose the opportunity to stay in their favorite option (place).

I am sorry to make you confused on my research. Again thank you very much for your contribution. It really helps.

[Sandra126]

@Sarah977, I DO lose sleep over it! I really don't want to decline anyone, and wish they would read the listing before requesting to book. If we decline requests, our listing slips as we are less committed to actual hosting. One guest re-requested immediately after I declined (even though I gave my answer '' this room is only available to book if you have already booked the entire house, as it is just an extra room in the garden'' saying ''but we are really nice people''. So that is two declines in one day as the house guests would be surprised to find guests in the garden. :). It mounts up. If you decline enough you can become de-listed as Air prefers hosts who do just that, host.

[Kellan0]

Hi @Sandra126,

Thank you very much for your thoughts.

Your case has proved what we are thinking about of sensitive rejection. 

As a host, you may lose your time, well-being as the guest does.

May I ask what you think about the guest/platform in case you decline/reject someone?

Again, many thanks @Sandra126

[Sandra126]

Hi @Kellan0, if Airbnb had a feature I need I would only reject the totally wrong, such as wrong dates, 9 guests in a room, that sort of thing. What I need is the extra guests costing a different amount, depending on which room they sleep in. I have ''extra guests: $30'' on my listing which is two singles in the house. But I have a glorious extra garden bedroom which is 85 per night, regardless of if it is one or two guests. So, if Air had an option of Extra guests: 30-85 (flexible amount) I would only need one listing, and can discuss options with guests before they book which is what I do now. Though I am on IB, I say that groups cannot  IB as the bed options vary. That bit works well, but not the booking requests to the garden room. Yet, if I put thost pictures on the main listing guests will think they have access to that room as well and will be less happy when they discover that they don't.

what I think about the guest who hasn't read the listing before booking (or worse, HAS read it but stridently tries anyway) is annoyance as I know I have to decline, when I don't ever want to.

Someone suggested that I make the singles the same price as the garden room, so I could meld the listings but there is a vast difference between the rooms, rather not do that. I get less requests now that I have become more stern in my language ''I will decline'', but I still get some as it is a cheap listing in an expensive area.