Post by High Priestess on Jun 16, 2016 3:32:13 GMT
Attachment Deleted
Joi
Joia year ago
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-122939
lost a half star on cleanliness
i'm sad today. i noticed my cleanliness stars went from 5 to 4.5 after my last guest left a review. Halfway through her stay did mention that she saw some ants and I offered to call the exterminator right away and also told her they are a common pest at the beach, one that every homeowner deals with. (not to make excuses, it's just a fact of life on the island.) She told me it was no big deal at all but she thought I would want to know. She gave me glowing reports all week when I checked on her. I don't know if the 4 stars was due to the ants or not, she did not mention it in the private comments of the review. Maybe something else was dirty that she did not mention.
What can I do to encourage guests to tell me when they find a problem, so I can remedy it right away, instead of just docking stars after their stay is over? Do you find that if you fix a problem mid-stay that you get good ratings?
I feel cleanliness is one of those "deal breakers" that would really turn away potential guests if the stars don't look good. I was really hoping to hold onto those 5 stars!
thanks!!
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Vladimiro
Vladimiro a year ago
people can b strange u know u can have the best of intensions but still some wont say a word if they find something they dont like and then rate u down in the comments....... u can only do ur best and hope i guess....
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Elizabeth
Elizabetha year ago
You can stand on your head and some guests will still give you grief for something or other. Par for the course. You may want to mention on your house manual that ants come with the territory and not specific to your home. Perhaps there is a news article that you can put in the manual that can vouch for that. Would not let this bring you down. Soldier on and do the best that you can. That's all we can do.
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Lisa
Lisaa year ago
Darlin, I completely understand how you feel. Some guests you just can't please. I had a month long booking check out on Monday and she could not have been more work. I CONSTANTLY cleaned up after he, refused to put her dishes away, left me a very large mess after she left and had the feckin audicity to ding me on cleanliness and location!! Idrive my boyfriend nuts at times with my OCD with cleaning, I like things immaculate. My flat is behind the Queens very large residence, in the centre of Edinburgh and if I happened to have the nerve to go to work and not be there to do her dishes well that didn't rate. She was running around with a couple of fellas she met here and started moaning the last week of her stay that one of the guys was a far walk from mine. So she dinged me on my location because my flat was far from the guy she met. Just keep keeping on and going forth with being a lovely host and getting great reviews. Some folk will never be happy.
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Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
I don't focus on stars anymore otherwise I would be angry and stressed all the time. As long as my median stays above 4 stars it's ok. After more than two years doing airbnb I learnt that , as Elizabeth says, you can stand on your head and it won't be enough. I had a guest who told me after leaving in a private review that I had ants in my house. I live in Florida and ants come and go with the seasons. As long as there is ONE grain of sugar in the kitchen they will come. I can't do anything about it.....
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Nathalie Et Claude
Nathalie Et Claudea year ago
Joi, your reviews are very nice. Including the review of this lady.
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Stan & Maggie
Stan & Maggiea year ago
Lol I tel them ... If you see one ant, tell me cos there are a trillion on their way! I hate those critters!
Reply Like Delete
Joi
Joia year ago
thanks for all the encouraging support! what do you think of adding this (or something like it) to my house manual. Sandrine, maybe you have input?
"We do everything we can to combat the unfortunate island-life reality of ants and palmetto bugs. we have professional pest control visit monthly. Please help by keeping counters wiped clean and not leaving food out. If there is any problem please let me know asap and I will do my best to help."
Reply Like 4 replies•1 like Delete
Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
I mention in my manual that guests should not eat in the bedrooms because I usually don't enter the bedrooms during their stay.One of my recent guests had kids and they left chocolate wrappers all over in the bed. Luckily it was not ant season....Sometimes even stating it clearly in the manual does not help (with some guests). And some guests don't don't mention problems until they're gone. I have given up insisting too much on the rules. I mention them when they come in though because they don't always read them but they they have to LISTEN to me when arriving here lol. But appearing too eager and insisting on the rules often repels the guests and I had two guests making light fun of me because I'm really into details. It's hard to please everyone and as long as I'm doing my best I try not to feel so upset anymore :-)
Nathalie Et Claude
Nathalie Et Claudea year ago
To remind the climate and Bugs in the manual is an idea but quite strange to me. Imagine if all the guests were doing that. Ex: appartment in NYC. Please note that winters are cold and windy and at springtime, bugs invide the city. Other ex. House in a tropical place, please note that the weather can be humid and mosquitos like it.
Bekah and Brian
Bekah and Briana year ago
I make mention of all manner of creatures in my House Manual, too. Ants come out if you leave them something to come out for, palmetto bugs are a deeply unfortunate and horrifying part of life here, local cats often enjoy the safety of the upper balcony, once a possum got into the laundry room, and I even add a special page in Spring just for Giant Termite Cloud Season. Keep guests informed in a lighthearted manner.
Rick
Ricka year ago
Me too! I tell guests that even though treated, sometimes a straggler gets past all defenses! (I've become a great believer in regular pest control visits, although philosophically & ecologically I'm opposed)...I also tell guests to politely shoo lizards back outside---they eat the other guys!!
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
I like that statement for your house manual.
I think it is futile to hope that guests will rate you accurately all the time. People aren't always rational with their ratings, and we can't make them so, but clear communication can help, and also it helps to try to set guest expectations appropriately. If you live in an area that is tropical or humid and has insects accordingly, it is good to point this out to guests from other parts of the world who aren't familiar with that. I do get annoyed when I have the type of guest who seems to really expect that a person who keeps their home up right, will never have a single insect in the house. If a spider is seen by these types, I get blamed. If there are some flies in the house, it is seen as a defect, when this is just a a natural occurrence. I try to use language to set the guest expectation such that they know I do not value sterile, barren residences which are hermetically sealed to all of nature.
Reply Like 2 replies•1 like Delete
Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
Deborah I hear you. I don't understand how some guests expect to have a "sealed" house (it's easier in an apartment I guess), especially with places no winter like Florida where I live. Our houses are old and there are holes, and ants are minuscule and get in easily. I'd be interested in knowing the phrasing you use since English is not my first language.
Rick
Ricka year ago
Ants hate cinnamon---so sprinkle that around the edges of rooms where they march---Cleanliness often has nothing to do with bugs, especially in an old, historic house in a hot & humid climate...I'd also be concerned about my pest control company---if you are still seeing bugs with monthly treatments, something is wrong...They generally come back for free (at least here) if you are still seeing critters...You have to be careful that your cleaners (or yourself) do not wipe up what they put down! I have to restrain my cleaning lady, because she goes right after them, cleaning it all up!! Makes me crazy...
John
Johna year ago
FYI - The best non-professional ant stuff I have found is Combat Ant Gel that comes in a syringe and you put small drops in hidden places -or- in a small section of plastic straw - have had GREAT luck with it - ants avoid those standard traps and head directly for the gel!
Reply Like Delete
Joi
Joia year ago
thank you! i'll try it!
Reply Like Delete
Deborah
Joi
Joia year ago
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-122939
lost a half star on cleanliness
i'm sad today. i noticed my cleanliness stars went from 5 to 4.5 after my last guest left a review. Halfway through her stay did mention that she saw some ants and I offered to call the exterminator right away and also told her they are a common pest at the beach, one that every homeowner deals with. (not to make excuses, it's just a fact of life on the island.) She told me it was no big deal at all but she thought I would want to know. She gave me glowing reports all week when I checked on her. I don't know if the 4 stars was due to the ants or not, she did not mention it in the private comments of the review. Maybe something else was dirty that she did not mention.
What can I do to encourage guests to tell me when they find a problem, so I can remedy it right away, instead of just docking stars after their stay is over? Do you find that if you fix a problem mid-stay that you get good ratings?
I feel cleanliness is one of those "deal breakers" that would really turn away potential guests if the stars don't look good. I was really hoping to hold onto those 5 stars!
thanks!!
10 comments
Following
Like
Delete
Hide
Vladimiro
Vladimiro a year ago
people can b strange u know u can have the best of intensions but still some wont say a word if they find something they dont like and then rate u down in the comments....... u can only do ur best and hope i guess....
Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Elizabeth
Elizabetha year ago
You can stand on your head and some guests will still give you grief for something or other. Par for the course. You may want to mention on your house manual that ants come with the territory and not specific to your home. Perhaps there is a news article that you can put in the manual that can vouch for that. Would not let this bring you down. Soldier on and do the best that you can. That's all we can do.
Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Lisa
Lisaa year ago
Darlin, I completely understand how you feel. Some guests you just can't please. I had a month long booking check out on Monday and she could not have been more work. I CONSTANTLY cleaned up after he, refused to put her dishes away, left me a very large mess after she left and had the feckin audicity to ding me on cleanliness and location!! Idrive my boyfriend nuts at times with my OCD with cleaning, I like things immaculate. My flat is behind the Queens very large residence, in the centre of Edinburgh and if I happened to have the nerve to go to work and not be there to do her dishes well that didn't rate. She was running around with a couple of fellas she met here and started moaning the last week of her stay that one of the guys was a far walk from mine. So she dinged me on my location because my flat was far from the guy she met. Just keep keeping on and going forth with being a lovely host and getting great reviews. Some folk will never be happy.
Reply Like Delete
Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
I don't focus on stars anymore otherwise I would be angry and stressed all the time. As long as my median stays above 4 stars it's ok. After more than two years doing airbnb I learnt that , as Elizabeth says, you can stand on your head and it won't be enough. I had a guest who told me after leaving in a private review that I had ants in my house. I live in Florida and ants come and go with the seasons. As long as there is ONE grain of sugar in the kitchen they will come. I can't do anything about it.....
Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Nathalie Et Claude
Nathalie Et Claudea year ago
Joi, your reviews are very nice. Including the review of this lady.
Reply Like Delete
Stan & Maggie
Stan & Maggiea year ago
Lol I tel them ... If you see one ant, tell me cos there are a trillion on their way! I hate those critters!
Reply Like Delete
Joi
Joia year ago
thanks for all the encouraging support! what do you think of adding this (or something like it) to my house manual. Sandrine, maybe you have input?
"We do everything we can to combat the unfortunate island-life reality of ants and palmetto bugs. we have professional pest control visit monthly. Please help by keeping counters wiped clean and not leaving food out. If there is any problem please let me know asap and I will do my best to help."
Reply Like 4 replies•1 like Delete
Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
I mention in my manual that guests should not eat in the bedrooms because I usually don't enter the bedrooms during their stay.One of my recent guests had kids and they left chocolate wrappers all over in the bed. Luckily it was not ant season....Sometimes even stating it clearly in the manual does not help (with some guests). And some guests don't don't mention problems until they're gone. I have given up insisting too much on the rules. I mention them when they come in though because they don't always read them but they they have to LISTEN to me when arriving here lol. But appearing too eager and insisting on the rules often repels the guests and I had two guests making light fun of me because I'm really into details. It's hard to please everyone and as long as I'm doing my best I try not to feel so upset anymore :-)
Nathalie Et Claude
Nathalie Et Claudea year ago
To remind the climate and Bugs in the manual is an idea but quite strange to me. Imagine if all the guests were doing that. Ex: appartment in NYC. Please note that winters are cold and windy and at springtime, bugs invide the city. Other ex. House in a tropical place, please note that the weather can be humid and mosquitos like it.
Bekah and Brian
Bekah and Briana year ago
I make mention of all manner of creatures in my House Manual, too. Ants come out if you leave them something to come out for, palmetto bugs are a deeply unfortunate and horrifying part of life here, local cats often enjoy the safety of the upper balcony, once a possum got into the laundry room, and I even add a special page in Spring just for Giant Termite Cloud Season. Keep guests informed in a lighthearted manner.
Rick
Ricka year ago
Me too! I tell guests that even though treated, sometimes a straggler gets past all defenses! (I've become a great believer in regular pest control visits, although philosophically & ecologically I'm opposed)...I also tell guests to politely shoo lizards back outside---they eat the other guys!!
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
I like that statement for your house manual.
I think it is futile to hope that guests will rate you accurately all the time. People aren't always rational with their ratings, and we can't make them so, but clear communication can help, and also it helps to try to set guest expectations appropriately. If you live in an area that is tropical or humid and has insects accordingly, it is good to point this out to guests from other parts of the world who aren't familiar with that. I do get annoyed when I have the type of guest who seems to really expect that a person who keeps their home up right, will never have a single insect in the house. If a spider is seen by these types, I get blamed. If there are some flies in the house, it is seen as a defect, when this is just a a natural occurrence. I try to use language to set the guest expectation such that they know I do not value sterile, barren residences which are hermetically sealed to all of nature.
Reply Like 2 replies•1 like Delete
Sandrine
Sandrinea year ago
Deborah I hear you. I don't understand how some guests expect to have a "sealed" house (it's easier in an apartment I guess), especially with places no winter like Florida where I live. Our houses are old and there are holes, and ants are minuscule and get in easily. I'd be interested in knowing the phrasing you use since English is not my first language.
Rick
Ricka year ago
Ants hate cinnamon---so sprinkle that around the edges of rooms where they march---Cleanliness often has nothing to do with bugs, especially in an old, historic house in a hot & humid climate...I'd also be concerned about my pest control company---if you are still seeing bugs with monthly treatments, something is wrong...They generally come back for free (at least here) if you are still seeing critters...You have to be careful that your cleaners (or yourself) do not wipe up what they put down! I have to restrain my cleaning lady, because she goes right after them, cleaning it all up!! Makes me crazy...
John
Johna year ago
FYI - The best non-professional ant stuff I have found is Combat Ant Gel that comes in a syringe and you put small drops in hidden places -or- in a small section of plastic straw - have had GREAT luck with it - ants avoid those standard traps and head directly for the gel!
Reply Like Delete
Joi
Joia year ago
thank you! i'll try it!
Reply Like Delete
Deborah