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Thanks to all for yesterday’s advice for Problem #1. Here’s my second issue:
Up until a few weeks ago, when someone booked a reservation, or if someone made an inquiry prior to booking, I would get notified three ways: (1) audible text message to my cell phone; (2) audible message through the Airbnb app on my cell phone; and (3) email (not audible).
Lately I’ve noticed that while I always got an email about a booking or an inquiry, I was no longer getting TIMELY text messages or messages via the Airbnb app. It could take 12 hours or more for me to be notified, and I have lost bookings as a result. Recently it seems that I no longer get texts or app messages at all with new bookings or inquiries; I only get emails.
To quickly get around this problem before I (hopefully) figure it out, I set up a specific email account exclusive to Airbnb, and I get audible alerts any time there is activity.
Noteworthy is that once a booking is made, I can instantly communicate with the guests in all three ways.
I spent a considerable amount of time on the phone with Airbnb support this week, sending screen shot after screen shot of various settings on my phone. As I thought I knew, my notifications settings are all correct. Airbnb has sent my problem off to a higher level, and I am waiting to hear back from them.
I can’t be the only person this has happened to. Any thoughts?
I haven’t had this but I think you’ve done the right thing setting up an dedicated email address and having an audible alert on your phone. Have you set the phone to give visual alerts too?
I’ve had this problem for years and have commented about it here. For me the delay tended to be 10-60 minutes. I spend a lot of time in front of my computer or on my smartphone so it wasn’t unusual for me to see notice of a booking first on my email or on the Airbnb site itself. I get a lot of next day or even same day bookings so it’s important to stay on top of it.
I’d be shocked if Airbnb is able to do anything much about it. You have to come up with your own workarounds. Make sure all your notifications are set to be on.
It happens on occasion to me, sometimes for awhile and then it goes away. It seems to be part of the system. I also use the email alert. I just make Airbnb a VIP in my mail on my iPhone and I get an alert with a sound. You have done what you can do.
My text alerts stopped all of a sudden a few years ago. After the usual idiotic responses from CS (maybe your text inbox is full or it must be an issue with your phone provider) they finally admitted it was a tech error on their end. They did eventually get it working again- took a month.
Text messages are low priority for cellular service providers. It is not uncommon for text messages to be delayed during times of heavy usage.
I noticed the SMS identification for Airbnb recently changed so they’ve either changed their service provider or the messaging software. Not all cell service providers accept all messages. You may wish to check your messaging settings.
In the case of me sometimes receiving alerts at 3am when the guests sent the message hours earlier, it doesn’t have anything to do with my phone settings, because it happens randomly. Sometimes alerts come through within a minute of the guest’s message being sent, other times it’s delayed. The issue, I believe, is on Airbnb’s end.
I agree with muddy: it doesn’t have anything to do with my phone settings, because it happens randomly. I guess my solution to have a separate email account with only airbnb activity seems to be the way to go. Frustratingly inexplicable!
Thanks for all the thoughts!
My take was that she doesn’t want to hear a ping every time she gets a regular email from someone other than Airbnb. I’m not aware of how to set up a ping for only certain emails, but I’m no techie.
Why would she get a ping everytime she gets a regular email from someone other than Airbnb if the email alert is set for emails from Airbnb?
This isn’t a techie problem. It’s a you being daft problem. Stop leaning on the techie issue, you’re not old enough for that.
Besides, OP said she wanted to get alerts from Airbnb, but wasn’t getting them. That does not justify your take of her “not wanting to hear a ping”. You just have an agenda, confirmation bias.
Oh yes, I’m old You totally didn’t get what I said. I know she wants to get alerts for her Airbnb emails and to hear a ping. But I wasn’t aware that there are email settings that one can use so that you only get pings for emails from specific senders.
I was assuming, since she set up a dedicated email address for Airbnb, that she didn’t want to hear a ping every time she got an email from just anyone.
Not really, you’re not old in the technological timeline. It is 100% okay if some people don’t want to use very much technology but it doesn’t have anything to do with age, not anymore, that is all I was saying. It is people your age and even older that created the computers we are still using in our technology today. We are past the point in history where there is someone old enough to not be familiar with technology. Nursing homes are teeming with laptops, Apple watches and smartphones. People your age bought computers at Radio Shack as early as 1977. Several times recently you have discussed technology of one type or another and then mentioned age in relationship to it. But there is no longer a relationship between age and technology and it is insulting to older people for you to say there is, sorry, just a pet peeve. I’ll leave it alone now.
Amen and thanks. Because I’m 63 and OWN a custom software development company. Tech is everywhere and the 85 year old receptionist at church used to be a data programmer for IBM.
I’m sick of the “age bias” and the willful ignorance of tech being displayed.
Clearly you’re no techie. And thanks for “tech-splaining” phone settings to a techie. We love it. Really.
I am fine with the willful ignorance, that’s a personal choice. It just can’t be because of someone’s age. It’s almost as bad as if it was because someone was a girl
I have worked in male-dominated industries since 1985 (Wall St. trading floor, financial operations, technology/software sales) and the minute someone says “…because you’re a girl…” I hit the roof. I was raised by a Dad who taught me to change oil, rotate tires, fix about anything, and to be independent. The “helpless Disney princess” vibe bothers me no end. Rescue yourself. grrrr
You totally didn’t get what I said. I know she wants to get alerts for her Airbnb emails and to hear a ping. But I wasn’t aware that there are email settings that one can use so that you only get pings for emails from specific senders.