Guests who don't communicate their approximate arrival time.. guests who just plan don't communicate

[Joa1]

I am writing this the night before I have a booking for yet another guest who has not replied to my requests for an approximate arrival time.  I am finding that this is happening with people who have recently joined Airbnb.  It is a very frustrating experience to have to leave a whole day free, just "in case" the guests show up.

I've been hosting for a few years now, and have noticed a change in many of the guests who have booked with me in the past year.  I joined Airbnb as a host because I wanted the communication factor that Airbnb fostered.  Now, I'm finding that many of my guests are treating my place as a hotel with personalized service, at a fraction of the cost.  They make their reservation,  don't respond to my messages, and then expect to show up "sometime" on their arrival date.   I make it very clear upon check-in that if my guests have any issues, problems or needs to please communicate them to me so I can resolve them.  Rather than doing that, if some of my guests have a problem they say nothing, and then give me a poor review.  Which brings up another thing that I am feeling dissatisfied with about the "new" Airbnb.  The emphasis that is being put on getting 5 star reviews is over the top at this point.  As a host you can bend over backward to try to please your guests and make their stay a great experience,. But you are going to get some people who just aren't happy with you, or their choice to book your place, and give you a negative review.  

I don't want to sound like I am a complainer, and am dissatisfied with the whole Airbnb philosophy.  I just wish that that "philosophy" was emphasized more when people join Airbnb as travelers.

[Elena87]

Hello @Joa1  , I find that most people here do manage to give their arrival time quite accurately and do keep you updated if there are delays - but some exceptions.

I had some Chinese guests with a vague 'in the afternoon' arrival time who eventually arrived at 8pm.

Now after this, if I can't get a time window communicated from guests after a reminder, they get from me a message along the lines of

' I don't seem to have your excepted arrival time, and of course our place doesn't have a 24 concierge, so give me a call on xxx when you arrrive at my place and I'll be winging my way right there within an hour/ninety minutes/two hours '.  This kind of message puts the ball firmly back in the guests court and I find my uncommunicative guests suddenly find now communication very interesting indeed.

Things can still go bump now and again, but less so.

Philosophy - Star reviews = fake internet points.

[Andrea9]

Exactly @Elena87!!

I live in the apartment with the guest room, but since it completely renders me unable to get any serious work done when the waiting period gets too long, I usually shoot off a similar email a day earlier saying I have to get several chores done away from home and if they happen to arrive when I'm not home to just call me and that I won't be more than 20 or 30 min away. And like with you, wow, that gets an answer quickly!!!! 

[Cormac0]

@Joa

I completely agree with your commentary, the guests that gave me the poorest star rating (4.8 for location & value) where the ones that kept me waiting 8.5 hours for them to arrive, without communication until the last two hours, apparently, he forgot to message me even thought I sent him three reminders on three different messaging systems.

I have suggested to some Guests to share their location with me (iOS and android can do this) so I can see where they are located in real time, there seem to be a great deal of reluctance in doing this WHY?

If it a privacy issues it’s a bogus excuse after all we’re allowing unknown entities into our home with some very dodgy verification processes.

Regards

Cormac

The Explorer’s Club Krakow III

The Explorer’s Club Krakow VIII

[Annette33]

@Joa1 , seems to be a sign of our times that communication is deteriorating, also on Airbnb. Best you/we can do is being pro-active in our communication with guests:

1.)  Your stated check in time is between 1pm and 10 pm.  how about you narrow that by a few hours? I have 3 pm to 8 pm, always worked fine. 

 2.)  You may want to put it into your house rules that the day of arrival, guests need to message you their ETA.  I did, And I believe it helps make guests be more aware.

3.) To reinforce communication about ETA, I send out a friendly meassage to my guests the day before arrival, reminding them of that.  Never had a problem.  Being in Mexico, some guests my not be able to correspond by text , but if they get an email the night before, they should be able to see it - and react. Good luck! 

[Kenneth12]

Keyless entry (with video).   Airbnb could make arrival time a mandatory field (but my latest guest ignored it-- put in 6PM,  wanted 1PM).   AirBnB could indeed do a lot here,  by improving their website and mobile UIX (and beating in the importance of these points).

Good luck out there.

[Katherine121]

My first ever guest left me waiting for them all day arriving at 9:30 pm so I have limited my check in time to 4 till 8pm this puts more control in my hands.  Have to say Airbnb does not pass messages on to guests and hosts their system is not as efficient as it should be.

[Allison2]

I'm so glad you posted this! I've had the same experience; I think it's indicative of Airbnb's split personality. Are we running mini-hotels, or welcoming people into our homes where you'd want to meet your host?

I have a keypad, so guests can always let themselves in, but the stay seems to go so much better for everyone if I can meet them in person and walk them through.

I'm reluctant to be totally hands off, but it's so disruptive and annoying to have my time held hostage. Last week's guests who were supposed to arrive "before dark" (so vague!) didn't show until midnight because they'd stopped at some parks along the way. The next guests didn't respond to any messages until 2pm on their check-in day, with a 9pm arrival that ended up being midnight.

It does seem that more guests want the "check-in whenever I want" and I definitely don't want to wait around for whenever that is. The question will become - do my arrival ratings hold if I go to hands-off check-in? 

[Alexandra224]

completely true, as i don't live at the property i have to be there waiting, mainly i don't have problem with this, but it's annoying to be waiting hours sometimes, and yes, there has been a change about perspectives, it feels like running a mini hotel, someone said over the messages here, and it's true.. it doesn't feel like hosting, it's a new experience for people who want to meet other people and locals.. that was the main purpose of this, for me when i travel i find Airbnb amazing to connect with locals, but also people (hosts) who don't care about this and just earning money, break this barrier, because, then guest feel like host don't get a crap and actually start acting like if this was a hotel, and having no communication between both parties, so this is a 2 person problem, hosts" who are actually just people that are here mainly because of the money and not also trying to be friendly with the guest, and "guests" who are just booking with the purpose of not even replying messages of the host asking how everything is going...

such a difficult topic!!!

[Ange2]

@Joa1    After a few guests arrived hours late or hours early without letting me know  I started aending a message saying: please let me know what time your flight (train) (bus) is arriving SO that I can confirm I am able to be here to meet you.   I also add a list of local luggage storage places just to press the point home.  It seems to work as all my guests now message me with their arrival time days before they arrive and they keep in touch if they are delayed and or early.

[Robin129]

That is annoying and inconsiderate! 

So far I have managed to get my guests here within the check-in window. I don't know if it is because the guest are paying attention or because I repeat it often. My check-in/out times are listed in the description and rules as firm. When I accept a booking I try to impress on the guest that my schedule does not permit check-in after 6 PM. I also include it in a reminder note I send a few days before they arrive. Only once did a guest not respond to me when I asked when she would arrive. I finally said that I needed to hear from her about it or I would have to cancel the reservation. She responded within the hour. 

I am a homeshare with dogs. I need to be present when the guest arrives in order to introduce my dogs to the guest. Unfortunately, people don't read. 

[Marianna10]

I had this happen with my current guests.  They did phone at noon tosay they would be at my home by 4 p.m (check in is 4-7 p.m.) but it was fortunate that I was even home around lunch on a Friday to take a call on a landline. I e-mailed them a week before their arrival and asked for an ETA but no response.  I had shopping to do and arrived home at 3:30 with a car load of groceries including frozen items, and then the door bell rang - they came at 3;35 which I know is only 1/2 hour but it made a difference to me.  I go out of my way to ensure I am home upon arrival and also will certainly let folks in early or leave late if I can.  I really like the note which says "I don't seem to have your expected arrival etc." and intend to use it - thank you so much.

[Annette33]

@Marianna10 , I imagine guests who are travelling have all sorts of things on their minds, still they should be considerate of transmitting a pretty clear arrival time. often, they just don't seem to understand that hosts have a life too, and are carefully planning for their arrival and that knowing the arrival time is very helpful. Airbnb doesn't help matters much by more and more taking on the image of renting  a private home but with hotel service...

To help things about arrival time , I  find it best to : 

1.) Not do email or expect telephone calls, but communicate via the Airbnb message platform, or texting. Is that not possible for you?

2.) I have it in my house rules that guests are supposed to message me their ETA the morning of travel/arrival.  I also send a kind reminder  the day before arrival, reminding them of it. this works great for me, everybody complies.I think a week ahead if time is too far out.

3.) In case I wouldn't hear back  from guests, yes, then I would get pro active the morning of check in date and call  then myself.

[Joa1]

I have tried all of your suggestions. Two weeks before their arrival date I send a message through Airbnb. If I don't get a response, I message them a week later. Two days before I message them again if I haven't received a reply. And, then I SMS text message, and/or call the day before. Calling and texting can be problematic, as most of my guests do not have international SIM cards, or have a landline at their home registered with Airbnb. After going to these lengths, I often still have guests who have not responded, and I have no idea of when to expect them.

I have even gone so far as to have made communication of estimated arrival time a minimum of 24 hours in advance one of my house rules, and I still have issues getting even an estimated arrival time. (btw When contacted Airbnb replied that they, in actually, have no means to enforce our "house rules")

As Airbnb expands, and becomes more corporate, we the hosts are left carrying the burden of trying to provide the hospitality that Airbnb is based on with an increased number of travelers looking for a cheap alternative to a hotel...and thus, expecting similar amenities to a hotel like checking in when you feel like it. 

There... that's my two cents...

[Katherine121]

Stop fussing just put a strict check in time and a strict ETA rule on day of arrival and state you may not be there outside these times.  Guests will just have to wait for you if you are not there.  Your home is not a hotel so guests should know they cannot expect hotel rules otherwise they would pay hotel prices.