Post by High Priestess on Sept 27, 2015 14:58:53 GMT
Trevor posted in April 2015:
High maintenance guests
What does one usually do in the following situation?
A guest reserves the space but before arriving asks a lot of questions with simple answers such as what's the address. The guest is new, 1 review, so I chalked it up to inexperience with the site. We pride ourselves on being friendly and hospitable.
But then it went from questions to requests to demands as the guest arrived. First the guest asked if we could get the address and phone number of a local gym (I did, though I told him the name, I googled it). Then he asked if we'd make an appointment for him at the local hair stylist. (I got him the number, I didn't make the appointment). Then he insists we make the bed and change sheets every night ( not a service we provide we told him, but as a curtesy, would change them 1/2 way through his 4 nght stay. Then requested we run an errand for him.
We are not a concierge service, but he seems exasperated when we refuse some things. I'm afraid we are going to get a bad review. How does one handle this?
Peter:
Wow, Trevor, what a Guest! Here's some useful tips: (1) I don't mind getting contact information for local gyms or hair stylsit - part of the service imho (2) changing the sheets nightly - I inform my Guests in my information folder (I probably should state it in my listing too) that because of the drought, I'll only change sheets and towels every third day. (3) As to running the errand, I'd say "sure. My hourly fee is $X. Alternatively, I have found TaskRabbit to be a very good service for this kind of thing."
G:
Yeah...he sounds like a spoiled brat that should stay at a hotel. If I were you I would ask if he prefers that and give him a full refund. He sounds like he will be high maintenance once he arrives and who needs that?
Trevor
He's already arrived. These are requests after arrival.
Frankly, I don't mind getting address info. It's simple, I google (though a guest could too
. But I don't make appointments or run errands across town.
As to sheets, we decided to change them every 3 days, but nightly is too much. And as you said, we are not a hotel. We should probably do a longer info sheet
Hmm, what might be a good idea I think is add some of these services to the info sheet, like task rabbit. We have a good guide (which we are adding to) but do guests looks at it, haven't noticed they do. Never mention it too us.
Peter:
Trevor, my information folder includes lots of personal recommendations for local and neighborhood businesses, attractions, restaurants, shops etc as well as information about transportation and a whole page devoted to conservation. So, there's lots of popular info mixed in with things I want my Guests to know. A huge number of my reviews compliment the information folder.
Keith:
boundaries!. set them and keep them. I think the reason you got to the point where you were this guests errand boy is because you kept letting him know his behavior was ok.
the first response should be "all the useful info I have is in my welcome guide, if it's not in there I may not be able to help you". but there's no reason for you to make calls for someone.. everyone has access to google.
"I don't go to the gym, but you can find some on google maps.. look for ones near buena vista park"
I have had guests ask for my address-- I tell them it's in the booking confirmation airbnb provides. I then email them a PDF info packet and ask that they reply acknowledging receipt of the email.
if I like the guest, I'm happy to help them plan an entire 4 day visit but if not, I try to make sure they have no reason to expect more from me than politeness and a clean comfortable place to stay.
High maintenance guests
What does one usually do in the following situation?
A guest reserves the space but before arriving asks a lot of questions with simple answers such as what's the address. The guest is new, 1 review, so I chalked it up to inexperience with the site. We pride ourselves on being friendly and hospitable.
But then it went from questions to requests to demands as the guest arrived. First the guest asked if we could get the address and phone number of a local gym (I did, though I told him the name, I googled it). Then he asked if we'd make an appointment for him at the local hair stylist. (I got him the number, I didn't make the appointment). Then he insists we make the bed and change sheets every night ( not a service we provide we told him, but as a curtesy, would change them 1/2 way through his 4 nght stay. Then requested we run an errand for him.
We are not a concierge service, but he seems exasperated when we refuse some things. I'm afraid we are going to get a bad review. How does one handle this?
Peter:
Wow, Trevor, what a Guest! Here's some useful tips: (1) I don't mind getting contact information for local gyms or hair stylsit - part of the service imho (2) changing the sheets nightly - I inform my Guests in my information folder (I probably should state it in my listing too) that because of the drought, I'll only change sheets and towels every third day. (3) As to running the errand, I'd say "sure. My hourly fee is $X. Alternatively, I have found TaskRabbit to be a very good service for this kind of thing."
G:
Yeah...he sounds like a spoiled brat that should stay at a hotel. If I were you I would ask if he prefers that and give him a full refund. He sounds like he will be high maintenance once he arrives and who needs that?
Trevor
He's already arrived. These are requests after arrival.
Frankly, I don't mind getting address info. It's simple, I google (though a guest could too
. But I don't make appointments or run errands across town. As to sheets, we decided to change them every 3 days, but nightly is too much. And as you said, we are not a hotel. We should probably do a longer info sheet
Hmm, what might be a good idea I think is add some of these services to the info sheet, like task rabbit. We have a good guide (which we are adding to) but do guests looks at it, haven't noticed they do. Never mention it too us.
Peter:
Trevor, my information folder includes lots of personal recommendations for local and neighborhood businesses, attractions, restaurants, shops etc as well as information about transportation and a whole page devoted to conservation. So, there's lots of popular info mixed in with things I want my Guests to know. A huge number of my reviews compliment the information folder.
Keith:
boundaries!. set them and keep them. I think the reason you got to the point where you were this guests errand boy is because you kept letting him know his behavior was ok.
the first response should be "all the useful info I have is in my welcome guide, if it's not in there I may not be able to help you". but there's no reason for you to make calls for someone.. everyone has access to google.
"I don't go to the gym, but you can find some on google maps.. look for ones near buena vista park"
I have had guests ask for my address-- I tell them it's in the booking confirmation airbnb provides. I then email them a PDF info packet and ask that they reply acknowledging receipt of the email.
if I like the guest, I'm happy to help them plan an entire 4 day visit but if not, I try to make sure they have no reason to expect more from me than politeness and a clean comfortable place to stay.