(B1a) Communicating effectively within your team

• Your team members may assist you in various areas, such as in management/accounting, booking/task scheduling, housekeeping, and so on. The most effective way to communicate with them is using group messaging tools in addition to email, DropBox, etc.

• There are many messaging tools. The one that comes with your iPhone or Android phone may not be the most suitable one for group messaging.  We find WhatsApp Messenger fits such applications particularly well.

• Under WhatsApp, you can create multiple groups for different messaging functions. You can easily add new members to the group or delete existing members from the group.

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• Housekeepers are at the forefront of your service, not just for housekeeping and getting the rooms ready, they are your ears and eyes for your hosting service everyday. They are essential forces behind quality and efficiency of your hosting service

• Establish proper protocols for housekeeping procedures, work priority, and communication.  It is recommended to establish various messenger groups on WhatsApp with housekeepers including groups such as "Cleaning schedule", "Timesheet report", "Availability for work", "Lock Codes", "Supply Requests", "Repair Requests", "Damage Reports", and so on.

• Upon arrival at a house, the housekeeper needs to make sure all guests scheduled to check out on the day have checked out.

• Before cleaning any room, housekeepers should document any damage, smoking, or unusual uncleanliness (requires extra cleaning) with adequate photos before cleaning activities. These photos are needed for reimbursement claims.

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• The most effective way to communicate with the guests is using the platform-provided apps (i.e., Airbnb app or VRBO app)

• If a guest could just send you a simple message like "Hi" via the platform app, it will tell you so much about the person who is contacting you (e.g., their names, booked listing, check-in date, and so on). This avoids miscommunication so the host can assist the guest more effectively.

• In addition, both Airbnb and VRBO apps provide language translation, a very powerful tool to enable multi-lingual communication.

• Airbnb deletes certain sensitive information (such as phone numbers) from the messages shortly after the guest checks out .

• Avoid using other messenger apps to communicate with your guests, as they are less effective, and they do not delete sensitive information such as phone numbers.

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• Quick response time to the "initial inquiry" is one of the key factors in the search ranking of your listings. It is very important to always answer the initial messages as soon as you get it.

• It is imperative to compile a good set of Quick Replies. One click and the message is sent. In particular, the response for the initial inquiry.

• Scheduled messages are sent out according to a specific date and time.  This is a very useful tool.

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• Related Vido:

1. How To File Airbnb Damage Claims: The Most Effective Way
2. How To File Airbnb Damage Claims: The Most Effective Way

• Proactively set up house rules and applicable penalties.  House rules must be compiled and placed at the designated field for the listing.  It cannot be scattered and embedded in various fields of a listing.

• The first goal of specifying house rules is to reduce potential issues.

• House rules also put you in a better position for reimbursement if it becomes necessary

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• Over a period of time, you may find your listings have discrepancies and inconsistencies (e.g., check-in and check-out time, available items., etc.) may vary. Such inconsistencies can cause misunderstanding with the guests and unsatisfactory expectations, a potential cause for bad reviews. 

• There are various ways to review and edit your listings in batch to ensure your listings having consistent and uniformly correct information. 

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• 5-star rating systems seem to be the gold standard for almost any review system. However, it is biased and gives most power to the guests who give a 1-star review.  Most guests are generous and give 5-star review. Occasionally,  a guest may give the host a 1 star review with invalid reasons. The host must contact Airbnb to remove such reviews.

• 1-star review can be caused by very trivial matters or simple misunderstandings. It is imperative for the host to understand the root cause of such issues and take action to avoid reoccurrences. 

•  A listing could be suspended for 5 days (or longer) due to poor ratings. This could amount to a very large loss/penalty.  So the review ratings of guests can have a direct impact on your revenue.

• You can appeal to Airbnb/VRBO to remove unfair reviews if you have a solid reason (typically if the review is against the rules by the platforms).  It is importance to understand the guidelines imposed by the platform. Also this must be done on timely basis.

• How to survive and thrive under this review system. It can be easy, it can be difficult.

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• Ideally all guests follow house rules, and all stays are mutually satisfactory. Only complimentary to each other (and most likely to be so).

• In the event of house rule violations or damages caused by the guests, the hosts need to file damage claims in a timely manner with plenty of evidence.  On Airbnb, all reimbursement cases go to the Resolution Center after the initial submission. The host must review the Resolution Center on regular basis as some other guests may submit claim against the host.  If such cases are not addressed properly and timely, the claim by a guest will be deducted from the payout once Airbnb approves the claim. The link to the Airbnb Resolution Center is

www.airbnb.com/resolutions

• No evidence, no reimbursement. Airbnb primarily uses photos as evidence.  Texts in Airbnb messages are important, but useless if there are no associated photos.

• Keep your expectation low so you will not be disappointed later on. Reimbursement claims are difficult to submit (by design), and typically not handled in a timely manner.  The host must follow it up, and additional documents must be provided when requested.  Contact Support if you do not hear from Airbnb. 

• Damaged items must have online cost information (need to provide an URL for a similar item). Other items (like extra cleaning, and repairs) must have an invoice from a service company.  Airbnb will ask you to provide the website of the service you use (e.g., your cleaning service company).  The website information may be requested by Airbnb depending on the Case Manager who handles your case. Some Case Managers can be exceedingly difficult and request a lot of photo documents.

• Even though it can be a time consuming and a frustrated experience, the host should still submit valid claims for reimbursement. You will find there are no uniform standards by the Case Managers.  Some may be easy to deal with, while some can be very difficult and ask you to provide more and more proof until you are tired and give up.  But if you do not submit the claim, you will never get reimbursed.

• If there are multiple claims in a case, the case manager tends to just reimburse the smallest claim and close the case.  You must create a new Resolution Center case for the remaining unsolved ones. This is a test of will.

• Most of the penalties for the house rule violations are hard to get reimbursement as violations cannot be documented with a photo. Try to be effective in providing evidence. For example, you cannot take photos on weed smell, but you can take photos of weed butts.  So do not let your housekeeper throw away the valuable weed or cigarette butts before photos are taken.

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• A guest with chronic issues (payment or other matters) has just checked out. You really do not want to host this guest again.

• However this guest contacted you and tried to book your listing. You want to block this guests from communicating with you for good.

• Reporting a guest does not mean you blocked the guest.  How do you block such guests?

• You want to block a problematic guest completely. However, an important button on Airbnb website is grayed out, making it difficult to block out the guest.

• You must receive a confirmation that the guest has been blocked out from communicating with you. Otherwise, it is just a Report, and the guest can still book your place.

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• Guests like a numeric lock system for their come and go.  They particularly like being able to check in without meeting the host in person (convenience for both sides).

• Housekeepers/repairperson also need such a lock system to access the rooms or the houses on timely basis.

• For the convenience of the guests and internal service personnel, it is necessary to establish a numeric lock system that is economical and functional.

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• None currently

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