Ask Rene

[Rene-and-Zac0]

When you need the ‘Real’ and you’re tired of the’fake’, Ask Rene. 

A realistic view on hosting brought to you with Country Charm and humor.

feel free to ask me any hosting related questions that need a ‘no sugar added’ response. 

It’s my pleasure to review your listing and offer my expert opinion on hospitality.

Ask me how to handle touchy situations with some Country Flair, I got that for you. 

Now Honey, I know you’re thinking “ how is this Heffa an expert at hospitality?”.

I started working for the Inter-Continental hotel group in 1992.

At the Kinshasa property, I was the front office manager.

In Los Angeles, I opened the four Star four diamond hotel as the front desk manager.

I went on to work for Omni hotels, Westin and private luxury brand hotels.

I worked as a high level Concierge in Los Angeles and I realized, I’m pretty good at this stuff. 

Now if you have any questions about your listing, any questions about how to elevate your service or you just need to vent to an understanding ear, Honey, I’m here for you.

Ask me how you can earn $15 per guest in high tourism areas and it cost you nothing but a phone call. 

Just a little warning for the ‘snow flakes’, I’m real, %100 at all times.

If you are soft or you get your feelings hurt easy, don’t even start it by asking me a question.

My response will be real and to the point.

No sugar or preservatives added.

I’ll try to make you laugh but my response will be real.

So if you’re ready to put your big kid undies on and get down to business, ask away. 

I can get you 7.62X39 rounds in the Congo or a Lamborghini in Hollywood, my experience is at your service.

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Kimberly54]

Wow, @Rene-and-Zac0, this is amazing!  What a resource!

How does this work?

Best,

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Kimberly54 My brother would deliver the Witchita Eagle on his bike through the neighborhood when we were kids. I’d follow at a distance on my bike to my job selling night crawlers and worms to the guys going fishing.

Sometimes a dog would grow a wild hair and I threw rocks at the dog to stop him from chasing us around. I loved reading the Eagle. I’d read through the paper to the advice column, it was always next to the ‘crime’ section, which was everyone’s real reason for reading the Eagle in the first place. 

Sometimes you need someone to throw rocks so you can deliver your paper. 

Im offering a no nonsense advice column.

If you need that solid advice that is rooted in Country Charm and humor....shoot

’You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Kimberly54]

@Rene-and-Zac0, so how do we reach you?  Through this forum?

I don't have anything to ask as of now, but I'm fascinated, and this resource could truly be incredible to this group.

When I was starting university I worked part-time as a multilingual tour guide and learned much about 'ground operations' for groups--much like you describe, but not nearly to your level of experience. 

This is delightful!  Tell us how to engage you--and where we can peek in and see???

Best!

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Kimberly54 Feel free to post anything here.

I’ve been asked by the administrator of this board to be fake and not give my honest opinion regarding things that “host” post here on the boards.

Well in this league,  not everyone gets a trophy Honey. 

I worked extensively with JTB and I think that’s a huge market for Airbnb to explore. I hope they move towards that market. 

Mostly what im trying to do is offer a no nonsense response to issues that Host come in contact with during their operations. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Mark26]

You've been asked by the administrator of this board to be fake, and not give your honest opinion regarding things or stuff that hosts post here on the boards?  How do we even know that is true?  How do we know you're not making the whole thing up?  How do we know you were really throwing rocks at dogs, and it wasn't fishermen throwing rocks at you to keep you away from their night crawlers and sour mash?

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Mark26 Pulllleaazeeeeee, who makes up being from Wichita Kansas?

And I can put a half dollar sized rock right upside your head from 40 yards away. LEFTY!

And After I threw it, I would ring the bell on my bike as a courtesy to other riders, because I’m polite like that. 

Second, selling worms and crawlers is so Country, I feel like taking off my socks and twirling my toes right now. Just because you have a HOA now don’t be mad because they make you wear shoes. You can still be Country. 

This advice column is much like the resolution center, you gotta have faith honey. LOL

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not above sour mash but I prefer it a little more filtered into moonshine. Nothing livens up bible study better than some ‘hard sweet tea’!

heres part of the PM that was sent;

“I can understand you frustration here and your reason for responding and trying to get your point across to why this isn't a good thing to do. It is really good that you are so passionate about our community and want to see hosts being proactive about the way they act when hosting. This is great to see. Having said this, here in the CC I think there are different ways and more successful ways to get our point across sometimes and from my experience, the manner in which we respond here has so much impact on the direction of the conversation. I think this is the case here, you raise some important points, but this is slightly lost by the way you have shared this and it all becomes slightly more personal, which is not nice for anyone”.

so, I don’t do ‘fake’. Last week My cousin Maggie asked me to try her fried chicken. I knew I shouldn’t because I’m not ‘fake’. Her chicken taste like hot raccoons feet. Her feelings got hurt.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

Here’s a helpful link for the Eagle http://www.kansas.com

and heres a link link to some funk. Grand Funk...

https://youtu.be/vPdKSlQOBYE

[Cyndy4]

Hi Rene.  I need to vent!  And ask your advice.

Just had two young backpackers stay for 5 nights.  Both nice girls -I was their their first Airbnb stay.  A few issues came up i.e not locking the door when they would go out and not wiping down the kitchen surfaces and stove after they made breakfast or cooked.  Yes I know - should have mentioned it at the time but I just cleaned up after them!  The public review was 5 stars but they complained in private feedback to AirBNB that the kitchen wasn't clean (I'm thinking they mistook the saucepan/frypan marks on glass top stove as grime or similar)  They also gave a low rating for value for money.  I picked them up and dropped them back at the airport - no charge.  They had access to, and used, wifi, washing machine, breakfast, fruit, tea/coffee etc and I supplied public transport cards foc.  The cost of the room is cheaper than a hostel so I'm not sure why they rated it so low in that respect.  Any advice to avoid similar problem in future would be appreciated. 

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Cyndy4 The first thing you stated was ‘backpackers’.

Backpackers are on an adventure to see ‘the world’ but not all of them have proper home training. They also pack dirty clothes with clean clothes and the standard for hygiene is lowered on the road. They stink. Your shower or kitchen might be the first facility they have seen in a couple of days.

They will want to wash all of their clothes in your machine, dry out their boots with your hairdryer and scarf food in their mouths like the Cookie Monster eating a bag or Oreos. You are a base camp.

For not locking the door, I’m from Kansas and back home I’m not even sure there was a key for our front door. We just didn’t lock up. You know I love my girlfriends but Sugar, locking the door is not Something we focus on doing. 

Two simple additions to your listing and you will never have to deal with a guest not closing or locking the door. 

1. Get a schlage zwave lock. This lock is a touch pad entry(no keys), locks automatically after 30 seconds and lets you program individual key codes for each guest visit. 

2. Get yourself an automatic door closer. The closer shuts the door and the Zwave locks up. 

DONE.

Now let’s chat about you going ‘above and beyond’.

This is a business, point blank and period.

A successful business will not burden the bottom line with cost. A successful business develops new revenue streams.

Now Honey Child, I know you’re thinking ‘revenue streams?’ What revenue streams?

Anytime a guest asks for something not included in your listing, that’s extra and it cost.

The guest HAS to pay for it and you need to recognize the opportunity to make money from the request.

The guest asked you to pick them up at the train station?

Perfect example. 

This is a perfect opportunity for you to develop a  business relation with a local transportation company. The transportation company is in business too. Doesn’t matter if it’s Cardis international or Jimmy Uber from down the street.

When you contact the transportation company, advise them that you have guest that stay at your property from time to time and they need transportation. Ask what type of commission the transportation company is willing to pay you for a reference or booking.

If they don’t offer commissions on their bookings, move to the next company.

Someone is willing to pay you for referral business. 

Now your guest gets picked up in a cab or limo or whatever and you’ve just made $5 in commissions and they didn’t even check in yet.

One of the perks is Jimmy Uber will give you discounts and be happy he’s making money too, so when you need personal transportation, Jimmy hooks you up. 

Flowers for example, I saw a host complain a guest asked them to buy flowers in advance. 

Heres how Rene makes money off that request,

“Hello flower shop? This is the Amazing Rene and I need to order some flowers for a guest. What commission do you pay on your orders?’. Now Rene made $5 off your transportation, $3 off your flower order and you still haven’t checked in yet.  On a $100 a night rate, I’m closing in on boosting my revenue %10. Do just the commission and get a full night room rate for just making a phone for ten guest to get a cab ride from the station.

How would you feel now if you made an extra $20 off this one group because of their ‘extra request’?

Now ten guest are paying you $200 and so on, all just extra money hanging around from ‘extras’. 

I hear host complain about guest request and I think ‘darn, I would have cashed in on that one’. 

These are not your ‘friends’, these are customers. 

Hopefully you charge for the food and fruit but I suspect you don’t, missed revenue. 

Now the cleaning, Honey, that’s just home training. Print out on the computer some cute little tent cards with a corny emoji asking guest to clean up as a reminder.

 I had a guest last weekend leave food crumbs in the dresser top drawer. I have no clue how that got there but using a dresser drawer as a serving platter is just too much.

Good Luck!

’You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Cyndy4]

Thanks Rene - some good advice.  

[Leonardo199]

Love your description of backpakers, you're hilarious!! 😄

[Lori138]

Hi Rene,

I do live in a high tourist area, 20 minutes away from the Wisconsin Dells, where there are many touristy things to do.  I also live close to a ski mountain, within 10 minutes that I currently have most of guests coming in to go skiing.  I'm intrigued with your comment:

"Ask me how you can earn $15 per guest in high tourism areas and it cost you nothing but a phone call".

Thanks so much.

Lori

[Rene-and-Zac0]

Hi @Lori138 

Well let’s see here, how would Rene make money in a ski town with tourist? 

First things first, lift tickets. Every skier needs a lift ticket. Call the ski resort and ask about commission on the sale of lift tickets for your guest. If they don’t offer commission, ask about discounted lift tickets that you can resell. $3 commission on five lift tickets is $15, BOOM.

This saves the mountain time with skiers waiting in line for lift tickets at the mountain, which equals more ski time.

Now imagine your reviews when the guest writes “ The host even got our ski lift tickets in advance, so no ticket lines for us!”. 

Now every single ski town I’ve ever been to has horse sleigh rides or carriage rides.

I would contact the operators of the sleigh and inform them that you have guest that would like their service, how much in commissions are you offering on bookings I send you? $5 a head commission.

Ski rentals,  $3 commission.

Restaurants and cafes normally don’t offer commissions but they will give you free meals and deep discounts for referrals. 

Did you know that every single major sightseeing tour company pays booking commissions? 

Are there helicopter ski tours? Back country ski guides for hire? All of them will pay for customers.

For example, Starline tours in Los Angeles pays $19 a head for a booking commission. On a group of five guest, that’s almost $100 in extra money.

Now let’s do a little revenue retrieving for five guest, $15 in lift ticket commission, $25 in sleigh ride commission, $95 in back country ski tour commission, free dinner for YOU and I have barely scratched the surface. So an extra possible $135 from your guest to your profit line. 

When a guest asks you for something, don’t think of it as a task, think about how you can make money from it and cash in.

You want a case of beer waiting for you in the room? I got that.

Flowers? BOOM!

Once you start making the calls to local merchants and service providers, they will recognize your name and ‘brand’ and they will flood you with opportunities. 

I don’t work for free and if you have all this traveling around money and going skiing money, you have MY money too. If you pretend like you don’t have any money for me, I’ll get my money, one way or another. 

Great question.

Good Luck!

’You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Lori138]

Awesome!  Thanks so much!  You've inspired me!!!!!