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We’ve covered guests who don’t read the description and I think this may tie into that, but I wanted to open a new topic just in case:
I have now had three guests over the past 2 months that have booked well in advance and since sent 20-30 individual emails/messages to ask questions (this is for a 1 night stay). I try to be patient but when I get questions like is your apartment far from the train station, where is your apartment located or which floor is your apartment on I struggle. From Do I need to book for more than 1 person if I bring my friend to we’ll arrive at 8:30am then to drop off our bags (check in is from 3pm) I want to scream because this has all been covered before. As a deeply snarky and sarcastic person I need to control myself to be kind and patient and gracious. All because I don’t want a bad review. "As you are arriving with your bikes I cannot give you the exact time but if you were to enter the address on Google maps it will give you the information you seek because they have a special bicycle route mapper*.
What I’m looking for really is for some advice to deal with this - it is all in my listing from the description to the information they are sent after booking (and yes, I checked, the bloody floor number is on there both phonetically and numerically) - please tell me I am not on my own here.
20-30 emails is insane. After 3rd I would politely advice them to read description again.
If you are hard to find and by that I mean, for example a guest needs to tske 3 means of transportation to get to you then I would put a very detailed direction to your house. But other than that 3 additional emails are plenty.
That is a lot of back and forth, and also reason why I don’t do one night stays anymore. The guests always expect the most for the least. And it’s all the same cleaning and work for half the money. The things that would crack me up about the one nighters were the things they would say. It was always, ‘we’re so looking forward to our getaway. We plan to do x and x and then we were thinking of going to x.’. Can you make suggestions for this and this and this? And of course it was ridiculous. One night is hardly a ‘getaway’, and you will won’t be doing a quarter of what you are expecting. It was young inexperienced travelers. Excited and nervous, and a bit of a PITA. Inevitably sweet enough, but too much bother for the most part. Since only taking two night bookings (I guess I am established enough up here to be able to and still be busy enough), I don’t get those anymore, it’s people that are more experienced, thus a lot less hand holding.
I agree with Yana, I might answer the first question in the listing, but I always say please read the whole listing and your itinerary for the house rules and manual. Everything you need is there. Looking forward to meeting you! (Not lol)
Julie, I create a PDF guest doc that I send out with every booking. Has exact directions (even pics of the street, google map and house) with EVERYTHING they need to know… the house rules… but also a plethora of information about the local area, suggestions of things to do and where to eat… They really really appreciate it. I have a print out of this also in a binder in my room. Sometimes they don’t read much of it… But if you can put together a list of the common questions and answers it alleviates a lot of the hassle.
I am like Sandy. I have switched to a three-night minimum, because the time and energy that goes into cleaning and check in is not really worth it for less than that. Fortunately I have had all super sweet guests so far, but I agree sometimes the stupid questions can be really annoying. I love the idea of after the third dumb question sending a gentle professional reminder to review the listing, manuals, etc., as they provide all the information needed, and if there is any critical information missing to please let me know.
I answer just about any possible question a guest may have in my listing description, it is very detailed. Do they read it? No.
They instant book when they see the pretty pictures and then ask questions.
People don’t read anything, I even send them a message after they book reminding them to read everything and providing check in instructions, yet 90% of my guests say.
“Yes I read everything, now when do I check in?”
FACE PALM.
How do I handle it? I say “the answers to all you questions are in the listing description, please read it again, thank you”
I also have a strict cancelation policy, and I strictly enforce it: “Oh you want to cancel because you instant booked and then realized it is just a room and not the whole apartment? Oh and you want a full refund too?” HA HA HA NOPE.
RTFL. Read The F*cking Listing BEFORE YOU INSTANT BOOK. Ask questions before booking if the answer is not in the listing description.
I have no pity for people who do not read. You can’t fix stupid and rude.
You are a braver person than I am. Can’t do instant book. I have to know ahead of time who is requesting to book before I accept. In fact, when the idiotic questions start that is when I politely steer the conversation in the direction of ‘you might want to consider something more suitable’ and it works like a charm every time.
