Post by High Priestess on Feb 22, 2016 23:45:09 GMT
Heather and Roger shared on New Hosts Forum 6 months ago
AirBnB correspondence to guest
Heather and Roger
Hello everyone,I received an email from a guest arriving in about 10 days and she said AirBnB had emailed her today asking her to confirm her reservation with me. It made her feel uneasy and I've not heard of it happening before. I assured her that her reservation was confirmed and we were looking forward to her arrival.
I thought I would email the Help Center and ask them, but my question doesn't fit the drop down boxes that eventually leads to "Help". I wish they would just let us email them questions without jumping through hoops! They are the only employer I know that has 350,000+ employees and makes them rely on FAQs and forums for learning their jobs!!!
Is there a general email address for the Help Centre, and is it unusual for them to contact guests?
Many thanks --- I've learned a lot from all of you!Heather
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Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
More like 600 employees. We hosts are most certainly not "employees" of AirBNB .....
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Hassen
Hassen6 months ago
600 ? Where this figure comes from? Looking at forums members there are thousands
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
Probably 1/3 of a million hosts or more, but we are neither employees nor IMO even independent contractors.
Hassen
Hassen6 months ago
That sounds close to reality. We generally in multinatiobal companies call them "stakeholders"
Kate
Kate6 months ago
Well we essentially are employees. They make their money from our work!
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Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
not in the slightest.
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
We aren't Airbnb employees, or they would be giving us health insurance and deducting federal and state taxes, and Soc Sec taxes, from our payouts. We are more like independent contractors.
Just like hosts get a reminder email that we have a reservation with guests, guests get a reminder email about that. Unlike the reminder email that hosts get, the reminder email that guests obtain tells them to do certain things.
This is the format of the email that guests get (copied from a recent trip I made where I was an AIrbnb guest for the first time. Yea!):
"This is a friendly reminder that you have an upcoming reservation at (listing name) for (dates). We want your arrival to go smoothly, so please take a moment to do the following:
Message (name of host) to confirm arrival time and check-in details.
Download our app to view your itinerary, your host's address and phone number while traveling.
Review the house manual, if the host has included one.
If you need assistance at any point during your trip, please visit our Help Center. For urgent situations, please email us or call 855-4-AIRBNB.
Also, by emailing the host at (email hidden) address, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .
Thanks,
The Airbnb Team"
So as you see, it's not that the guest is being asked to confirm that the reservation exists. Rather the guest is being asked to tell the host what time they will arrive, and ask about how to check in if they dont' know how. And as the many posts on guests not arriving on time or even saying when they will arrive certainly demonstrate, a reminder to them to do this is welcome!
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Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
I wouldn't even say we are ICs. The relationship is looser than that. We are almost just subscribers to a booking interface. See: IRS: Independent Contractor Defined www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Independent-Contractor-Defined
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
You're right Jeannette, we aren't truly Independent Contractors either. I only use that term since we get a 1099 form which is deemed as for independent contractors. But really you're right and we are just advertisers/subscribers.
Heather and Roger
Heather and Roger6 months ago
Thanks Deborah - the guest didn't send me the wording, but she hasn't used AirBnB before and seemed concerned. Appreciate your help.
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
Yes the 1099 form that one also gets from IC work may mislead some.
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
Actually, I didn't pay much attention to this before, but the email to the host says something very similar regarding confirming guest's arrival time -- here's info from host email:
"The guest has already paid (amount paid) + service fee to Airbnb. That money (less host fees) will be sent to you the day after the guest checks in.
By emailing the guest at (email hidden) address, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Host Checklist
Contact the guest via email or phone to confirm arrival time. Provide directions to your address from the airport, train station, etc.
Fresh sheets/pillowcase
Tidy house/bathroom
Fill the fridge with a few breakfast goods (OJ, bagels, fruit)
Print your guest itinerary, so you have their email and phone number on hand
Find handy information at our Help Center
Thanks,
The Airbnb Team"
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Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Ed6 months ago
Heather and Roger - the best thing to do is call them on the phone. I see you are in Canada, so I don't know the number for there, but for the USA its "One dash four one five dash eight hundred dash five nine five nine."
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Heather and Roger
Heather and Roger6 months ago
Thanks, but it seems it is just a standard email and the guest was unduly concerned - appreciate your help!
Vicky
Vicky6 months ago
I've got a reservation next Saturday as I guest and I just got my email 7 days before the visit. Not sure why they would get it 10 days begore
Reply Like Delete
Deborah
AirBnB correspondence to guest
Heather and Roger
Hello everyone,I received an email from a guest arriving in about 10 days and she said AirBnB had emailed her today asking her to confirm her reservation with me. It made her feel uneasy and I've not heard of it happening before. I assured her that her reservation was confirmed and we were looking forward to her arrival.
I thought I would email the Help Center and ask them, but my question doesn't fit the drop down boxes that eventually leads to "Help". I wish they would just let us email them questions without jumping through hoops! They are the only employer I know that has 350,000+ employees and makes them rely on FAQs and forums for learning their jobs!!!
Is there a general email address for the Help Centre, and is it unusual for them to contact guests?
Many thanks --- I've learned a lot from all of you!Heather
6 comments
Following
Like
Delete
Hide
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
More like 600 employees. We hosts are most certainly not "employees" of AirBNB .....
Reply Like 3 replies Delete
Hassen
Hassen6 months ago
600 ? Where this figure comes from? Looking at forums members there are thousands
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
Probably 1/3 of a million hosts or more, but we are neither employees nor IMO even independent contractors.
Hassen
Hassen6 months ago
That sounds close to reality. We generally in multinatiobal companies call them "stakeholders"
Kate
Kate6 months ago
Well we essentially are employees. They make their money from our work!
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
not in the slightest.
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
We aren't Airbnb employees, or they would be giving us health insurance and deducting federal and state taxes, and Soc Sec taxes, from our payouts. We are more like independent contractors.
Just like hosts get a reminder email that we have a reservation with guests, guests get a reminder email about that. Unlike the reminder email that hosts get, the reminder email that guests obtain tells them to do certain things.
This is the format of the email that guests get (copied from a recent trip I made where I was an AIrbnb guest for the first time. Yea!):
"This is a friendly reminder that you have an upcoming reservation at (listing name) for (dates). We want your arrival to go smoothly, so please take a moment to do the following:
Message (name of host) to confirm arrival time and check-in details.
Download our app to view your itinerary, your host's address and phone number while traveling.
Review the house manual, if the host has included one.
If you need assistance at any point during your trip, please visit our Help Center. For urgent situations, please email us or call 855-4-AIRBNB.
Also, by emailing the host at (email hidden) address, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .
Thanks,
The Airbnb Team"
So as you see, it's not that the guest is being asked to confirm that the reservation exists. Rather the guest is being asked to tell the host what time they will arrive, and ask about how to check in if they dont' know how. And as the many posts on guests not arriving on time or even saying when they will arrive certainly demonstrate, a reminder to them to do this is welcome!
Reply Like 4 replies•1 like Delete
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
I wouldn't even say we are ICs. The relationship is looser than that. We are almost just subscribers to a booking interface. See: IRS: Independent Contractor Defined www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Independent-Contractor-Defined
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
You're right Jeannette, we aren't truly Independent Contractors either. I only use that term since we get a 1099 form which is deemed as for independent contractors. But really you're right and we are just advertisers/subscribers.
Heather and Roger
Heather and Roger6 months ago
Thanks Deborah - the guest didn't send me the wording, but she hasn't used AirBnB before and seemed concerned. Appreciate your help.
Jeannette
Jeannette6 months ago
Yes the 1099 form that one also gets from IC work may mislead some.
Deborah
Deborah6 months ago
Actually, I didn't pay much attention to this before, but the email to the host says something very similar regarding confirming guest's arrival time -- here's info from host email:
"The guest has already paid (amount paid) + service fee to Airbnb. That money (less host fees) will be sent to you the day after the guest checks in.
By emailing the guest at (email hidden) address, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Host Checklist
Contact the guest via email or phone to confirm arrival time. Provide directions to your address from the airport, train station, etc.
Fresh sheets/pillowcase
Tidy house/bathroom
Fill the fridge with a few breakfast goods (OJ, bagels, fruit)
Print your guest itinerary, so you have their email and phone number on hand
Find handy information at our Help Center
Thanks,
The Airbnb Team"
Reply Like Delete
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Ed6 months ago
Heather and Roger - the best thing to do is call them on the phone. I see you are in Canada, so I don't know the number for there, but for the USA its "One dash four one five dash eight hundred dash five nine five nine."
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Heather and Roger
Heather and Roger6 months ago
Thanks, but it seems it is just a standard email and the guest was unduly concerned - appreciate your help!
Vicky
Vicky6 months ago
I've got a reservation next Saturday as I guest and I just got my email 7 days before the visit. Not sure why they would get it 10 days begore
Reply Like Delete
Deborah