Keeping demanding guests happy
Whether you’re an Airbnb host in London, Dubai, Lisbon or Hong Kong – chances are you will have come across a demanding guest. You know the guests we are talking about – the ones who find fault in the littlest things and test your patience as a host.
How can you ensure you deliver a premium quality service each time to even your most demanding guests? Keep reading for our five tips on keeping even your most grandiose of guests happy and help keep the good reviews coming in.
1. Set guest expectations
If you are honest with the description and amenities that you advertise on your Airbnb listing, you are less likely to find yourself dealing with an irritable guest. Guests want to know what they’re booking, so make sure your messaging is in par with reality. If they think they are getting an ‘Art deco apartment in the heart of Paris’ and arrive to find a minimalist loft on the outskirts of the city – then you are probably going to get a bad review. Part of providing a quality customer service, is to set realistic guest expectations.
2. Be on call
Things can go wrong when guests arrive and as a host, it’s your responsibility to be reachable, preferably 24/7, so that they can text or phone you for support. If you have a job it might be more tricky at times to answer the phone or attend the property, ensure you have another trustworthy person or a co-host to take care of guests’ concerns. Always take their complaints seriously.
3. Focus on the bathroom
If you are not using a professional cleaning management service, take extra care about cleaning out drains in the bathroom. The last thing a guest wants is for the hair of previous guests to start floating around due to a blocked shower drain. Make sure the toilet, bath and shower are absolutely spotless. If you have a shower curtain, replace it regularly to avoid mould. If you are concerned about the extra cost of hiring a cleaner, consider adding a cleaning fee to your listing.
4. Help them sleep
One of the biggest complaints a guest will flag in their review is that their bed was uncomfortable. Avoid putting off potential guests, invest in a mattress that’s midway on the universal firmness scale so that it’s not too firm and not too soft. Provide a range of pillow types and good quality linen so that they can have the most enjoyable night’s sleep possible. For more airbnb hosting tips, continue reading: ‘How to deliver a Guest Sleep Experience to Your Airbnb Guests‘.
5. Stay calm
No matter what lengths you go to when it comes to trying to make guests happy, you will still occasionally come across a guest who is not pleased. It’s important that you keep your cool and that you don’t react emotionally to their complaints and criticisms.
Make sure you set very clear expectations from the start with your Airbnb messaging, include house rules on your listing and always do your best to address the situation.
At the end of the day even Airbnb superhosts will need to deal with demanding guests, the best you can do is to be fair and clear from the start. If you are not working with a professional airbnb host management company, contact Airbnb to help resolve any disputes.
Short-Term Property Management
GuestReady is active in six countries across Europe and Asia: it provides premium Airbnb-management services to hosts in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Paris, Cannes, Porto, Lisbon, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. GuestReady won the 2018 Serviced Apartment Award as the Best Service Provider and was shortlisted again this year in the same category. Our services include managing airbnb reservations, guest communications, multiple channel listing, pricing optimisation, professional housekeeping and maintenance. Schedule a call today for a free consultation to find out how we can help take the pressure of you as a host.
