Post by High Priestess on Feb 16, 2016 4:17:50 GMT
Gina shared Feb 13 2016
Guest insists she booked a bigger apartment
Hi. Did any of you encounter this before? My guest who just arrived insists she booked a 1-BR apartment and she was disappointed to find my unit is a studio. I talked to her on the phone and she was insisting she booked a big 1-BR and I was frustratingly insisting my listing clearly said "central modern studio". After realizing she did book a studio, her next gripe was she paid a hefty sum for it and feels "robbed". I explained that she could cancel the booking if she's not satisfied but I had a strict cancellation policy so she would not be refunded any amount and so she feels so shortchanged. She says her sister got a 1-BR in the same building for the same amount she paid. So I am in a bit of a quandary. I messaged CX but I haven't got a reply. Any suggestions on the best way to handle this type of guest? If I offer a discount (she's booked for 2 weeks) how do I go about sending her a refund?
3 comments
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Michele Yap
Michele Yap2 days ago
Hi Gina, sorry to hear. It's her fault that she didn't read your listing properly. She should be the one who contact CX. From the way I see it, if you don't refund her and she comes and stay, she might write a "revenge" review. And even if you offer her discount, she might think you ripped her off too and give you a less than stellar review (plus being a demanding guest). If review is important to you, it's better if she just cancel her booking and maybe you can offer partial refund. Anyway, the fastest way to get a response from AirBnB is through twitter @airbnbhelp. Good luck!
Reply Like 4 replies
Gina
Gina2 days ago
Hi Michelle. This is exactly one of my options and it seems to be the best option. Review is quite important to me as I have been SH status continuously for 2 years! I'm sure she'll give me a thumbs down on value if I go ahead and let her stay even if I give her a discount or refund. CX did call me right away after I sent them an email but they encourage me to let the guest stay through her booking. Oh well, I'll know tomorrow how this turns out when I meet with my guest. Thanks!!!
Michele Yap
Michele Yapa day ago
Do keep us posted on the result.
Gina
Ginaa day ago
And by the way Michelle I like how you specify in your listing that guests should read your listing description thoroughly to meet their expectations. So spot on! Hey we have a forum or group for Manila hosts don't you think?
Michele Yap
Michele Yap17 hours ago
Thanks Gina. Yes, I try to do my part by being as transparent and as accurate as possible. The rest is really up to the guests to do their part in reading what I offer. At least they are warned and should adjust their expectations accordingly. Sure. Let me know if there's a Manila hosts group/forum.
Keith
Keitha day ago
She could just be trying to play you for a discount.
Your listing g is clear and she got hasty and didn't read.
Most likely she put in multiple requests and lost track of them. And then one she wanted more was available but she already confirmed hours.
You can weather one bad review and one less than 5 star value.. But can you forego the income you're counting on?
If the review is written as revenge you can appeal to have it removed.
Also check her profile... Does she normally write reviews?
I've found that often the whiners don't even review people.. Or she'll end up enjoying her stay and will feel better after the fact.
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like
Gina
Ginaa day ago
I realized that as well. I could actually offer a discount because when she booked my place my discount option was off since that was the time airbnb was going through changing their long term pricing to a percentage instead of a fixed rate. However that might not work if she really wants a bigger place. As for the reviews, yeah she might not be inclined to write one. In fact when I told her she could cancel she said "how do you do that?" So I guessed she's not used to doing things online. And then she kept insisting it was MY mistake, or I misled her to this booking. How do you deal with these kind of guests?
C C
C Ca day ago
Gina, I did have that before. The lady was in her room for THREE SOLID DAYS without "realizing" that she didn't get the room she (didn't really) book...!!! Psycho.
Reply Like 4 replies
Gina
Ginaa day ago
You mean she stayed in a room she didn't book? Or after 3 days she realized she didn't want to stay there because she booked "a different" room?
Gina
Ginaa day ago
My guest is acting "ignorant" about things.
C C
C C21 hours ago
She stayed in the room she booked, with the appropriate pic & room name on it & everything--then insisted after she was done & out, that she had stayed in the wrong room & demanded a full refund. She talked about wine from the beginning of her stay to the end. I just think she was literally messed up in the head.
Gina
Gina20 hours ago
Haha crazy!
Guest insists she booked a bigger apartment
Hi. Did any of you encounter this before? My guest who just arrived insists she booked a 1-BR apartment and she was disappointed to find my unit is a studio. I talked to her on the phone and she was insisting she booked a big 1-BR and I was frustratingly insisting my listing clearly said "central modern studio". After realizing she did book a studio, her next gripe was she paid a hefty sum for it and feels "robbed". I explained that she could cancel the booking if she's not satisfied but I had a strict cancellation policy so she would not be refunded any amount and so she feels so shortchanged. She says her sister got a 1-BR in the same building for the same amount she paid. So I am in a bit of a quandary. I messaged CX but I haven't got a reply. Any suggestions on the best way to handle this type of guest? If I offer a discount (she's booked for 2 weeks) how do I go about sending her a refund?
3 comments
Follow
Like
Michele Yap
Michele Yap2 days ago
Hi Gina, sorry to hear. It's her fault that she didn't read your listing properly. She should be the one who contact CX. From the way I see it, if you don't refund her and she comes and stay, she might write a "revenge" review. And even if you offer her discount, she might think you ripped her off too and give you a less than stellar review (plus being a demanding guest). If review is important to you, it's better if she just cancel her booking and maybe you can offer partial refund. Anyway, the fastest way to get a response from AirBnB is through twitter @airbnbhelp. Good luck!
Reply Like 4 replies
Gina
Gina2 days ago
Hi Michelle. This is exactly one of my options and it seems to be the best option. Review is quite important to me as I have been SH status continuously for 2 years! I'm sure she'll give me a thumbs down on value if I go ahead and let her stay even if I give her a discount or refund. CX did call me right away after I sent them an email but they encourage me to let the guest stay through her booking. Oh well, I'll know tomorrow how this turns out when I meet with my guest. Thanks!!!
Michele Yap
Michele Yapa day ago
Do keep us posted on the result.
Gina
Ginaa day ago
And by the way Michelle I like how you specify in your listing that guests should read your listing description thoroughly to meet their expectations. So spot on! Hey we have a forum or group for Manila hosts don't you think?
Michele Yap
Michele Yap17 hours ago
Thanks Gina. Yes, I try to do my part by being as transparent and as accurate as possible. The rest is really up to the guests to do their part in reading what I offer. At least they are warned and should adjust their expectations accordingly. Sure. Let me know if there's a Manila hosts group/forum.
Keith
Keitha day ago
She could just be trying to play you for a discount.
Your listing g is clear and she got hasty and didn't read.
Most likely she put in multiple requests and lost track of them. And then one she wanted more was available but she already confirmed hours.
You can weather one bad review and one less than 5 star value.. But can you forego the income you're counting on?
If the review is written as revenge you can appeal to have it removed.
Also check her profile... Does she normally write reviews?
I've found that often the whiners don't even review people.. Or she'll end up enjoying her stay and will feel better after the fact.
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like
Gina
Ginaa day ago
I realized that as well. I could actually offer a discount because when she booked my place my discount option was off since that was the time airbnb was going through changing their long term pricing to a percentage instead of a fixed rate. However that might not work if she really wants a bigger place. As for the reviews, yeah she might not be inclined to write one. In fact when I told her she could cancel she said "how do you do that?" So I guessed she's not used to doing things online. And then she kept insisting it was MY mistake, or I misled her to this booking. How do you deal with these kind of guests?
C C
C Ca day ago
Gina, I did have that before. The lady was in her room for THREE SOLID DAYS without "realizing" that she didn't get the room she (didn't really) book...!!! Psycho.
Reply Like 4 replies
Gina
Ginaa day ago
You mean she stayed in a room she didn't book? Or after 3 days she realized she didn't want to stay there because she booked "a different" room?
Gina
Ginaa day ago
My guest is acting "ignorant" about things.
C C
C C21 hours ago
She stayed in the room she booked, with the appropriate pic & room name on it & everything--then insisted after she was done & out, that she had stayed in the wrong room & demanded a full refund. She talked about wine from the beginning of her stay to the end. I just think she was literally messed up in the head.
Gina
Gina20 hours ago
Haha crazy!