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Hi everyone. I have a cleaning person / turnover assistant who helps me. I have two guest rooms in my house. I like to schedule her to come at noon on the day of each departure. Is there a good way to help manage this calendar, and also to add notes about particular things to do on each date?
Right now, I just send her a text message every time somebody books or cancels, and sometimes I send a text message with the entire calendar, to make sure we are on the same page.
I just snip screen shots and email them. I go out three months in advance.
What about google calendars? I’m pretty sure you can sync your Airbnb calendar to it and then share with whoever you like
I have a whole apt. rental and am not computer savvy so no special apps for me. However, I created a template in Word (landscape format) and work from the printout.
The columns going across the page are: Date In/Out, Time In/Out, Guest Name, #Nights, Code [their assigned code for the keyless entry lock], Basket [whether they get gift basket #1 or #2] and Notes/Special Instructions.
I use a small font [8] and everything easily fits across the page, and 12-16 sets of guests can be listed down the page. (It would be easier to do a chart using cells and just tab to each cell and enter the info but I’m clueless.)
About once a month (or sooner if there are new reservations within the next 2 weeks), I email the Guest List to the housecleaner and she prints it out. It gives her an at-a-glance chart and makes it easier to plan her schedule on those days.
BTW, my Notes/Special Instructions contain things like: Leave light on [when guest has an after dark arrival]; arrange for mid-stay linen/towel exchange; couple is on honeymoon; celebrating __ anniversary; first stay in VR, first guests from Russia (etc.); couple’s 5th stay with us…stuff like that. The housecleaner likes the personalized info.
I’ve done this for 6 yrs. and it works for both of us.
I’m the opposite but although I love using various apps I find that the best way to deal with cleaners, the handyman and any outside workers is to use a system that’s good for them. It makes life a lot easier.
My handyman, for example, responds better to phone calls. My plumber reacts instantly to texts. (Other people want contacting via What’s App, email or even, in the case of one person, Facebook messaging!) Using their preferred methods gets the best results.
As regards apps, I run a website that has contributions from several different writers. I found an app that was great for this - especially for sorting out deadlines. But although people used it enthusiastically for a few days, the novelty soon wore off. Now one person always emails me, another relies on (grrr) FB messaging, another prefers to text …
But as I see myself as the hub, and they are the spokes of the wheel, whatever is easiest for them gets the best response so works well in the end.
I envy you your tech abilities. I just have no grey matter in that regard though I have other talents, I’m told (wink!).
That is true ~ to use the vendor’s preferred communication method for the best results. The trouble is, in this day and age where texting is king, I would be left in the dust. I’m not even a fan of talking on the phone because it interferes with whatever I have going on at the moment.
The good news (for me) is that I have a gem of a housecleaner - and I use that term loosely - because she is my plumber, handy’man’ and renovator…for everything having to do with my rental.
In the last three months alone, she installed a new goose-neck kitchen faucet, a Badger 5 disposal, new bathroom fixtures for tub and vanity, a new toilet (guests from Australia clogged it three times in a week), re-strung and hung new vertical blinds and replaced the head-rail.
She has also in the past replaced the A/C, done tile work and the usual painting, caulking, grouting, etc. She is absolutely the success behind my rental.
I know she would prefer to text but knows that I only email and call. It’s all good. Like I said though, I envy you your techie skills. Your being the hub to the spokes of the wheel is a good visual!
I think you might want to check a service like Properly which seems to be doing a great work in this direction, although I have never tried it myself.
As for the strict communication part, smartbnb will soon be able to do it (and I am just now taking a break from coding this 
Similar to @marc2000, I have been having the same issue and using my self developed Your Porter App.
I think it works exactly as you described and your teammates do not need to download any app. It works through SMS, WhatsApp or Email… Just the way all people communicate. 
You can assign them various tasks and let them know with a message. Besides that, they will receive an online checklist, so they can let you know when the cleaning or whatever task is done. 
After that you can see it on your smartphone or computer. Check it here.
No need to mention it is completely free for airhosts with 1 listing. 