Shortcut or Siri integration for Calendar sync

Richard2732
Level 1
Greenville, SC

Shortcut or Siri integration for Calendar sync

I would like to either create an iOS shortcut or be able to ask siri to do a manual sync of my VRBO calendar rather than waiting for Airbnb's standard 2 hour sync. Has anyone been able to create this or is this already a thing that I cannot find?

4 Replies 4
Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Richard2732  I do a manual sync of my calendars whenever I receive a booking.  This way I can also add in any cleaning days or non-availability.  I am not aware of any way that you can do this via an IOS shortcut or through Siri.

@Lorna170 Thanks for your input. I keep up with those easily. My cleaners have real time access to my calendar, which means that I don't have to communicate about every stay.  I want to be able to turn instant book on for VRBO rather than having the approval waiting period. I think this deters bookings, which I need to fill occupancy that Airbnb guests are not doing. I'm thinking of times when I'm busy, a sleep, etc. that would cause me to miss the booking and possibly double book since Airbnb only syncs every 2 hours.

@Richard2732  That makes sense.  I currently have instant booking turned on for my listing in both VRBO and AirBnB, and so far this has not been an issue.  However, I do have AirBnB set to add a day before and after each booking as a cleaning day (padding) and I think that this has prevented double or overlap bookings.  

 

I had not noticed that AirBnB syncs only every two hours.  It appears to me that when I get an AirBnB booking, AirBnB performs an immediate sync as I tend to see it right away on the VRBO side when I go there to verify that VRBO is also blocked out.  Likewise with my VRBO to AirBnB calendars.   

 

I don't think that leaving VRBO on a request only (not instant book) is an issue -- my VRBO guests tend to want to ask questions before they book, and they are also an older demographic, so a delay in my responding (when I wake up) has not been problem.  I do switch over to request only on VRBO when approaching high season, just to be safe.

@Lorna170 here's a link to a help section of Airbnb indicating the 2 hour sync. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/99 It seems as though we have different ways of running our listings. I have day of cleanings so I need to be more on top of it to prevent double bookings. VRBO may sync more frequently from Airbnb than visa versa. That doesn't help me though. 

 

I still would love to know if someone is in my situation and has a solution related to what I'm trying do. My margins aren't such that I can afford a hosting software to do this for me.