We all want check-ins to be flawless. If we could control the airways, baggage, and the weather this may actually be possible. So what do you do when travel plans change at the drop of a hat? Here are some easy Airbnb tips for flawless check-ins that will make your guest’s experience start off on a great foot.
Airbnb Tips – Communicate
Since guests are usually traveling a long way from home, the last thing you want to add to a tired traveler is a bad start. Open the lines of communication right away as soon as they book their stay. This will prevent any long delays in responding to travel delays or other things that may occur from their door to yours. Communication seeds confidence that your host has your best interest in mind. Here are a few great Airbnb tips to get off to a good start.
- Agree on the best form of communication, phone, email, text, chat, you want to be easily accessible to your future guests.
- Be mobile friendly. You don’t want to lose contact when they leave their home. They are the most important package being delivered to your door, act like it.
- Make sure you clearly understand the arrival details. If they haven’t communicated them to you, make sure you remind them.
- Make sure you let them know what to expect. You are like a hotel but you’re not a hotel. If they don’t know what to expect -they may not like the surprise.
- Make sure you have clear house rules.
Airbnb Tips – Key Crisis
There have been stories of key exchanges having some issues in the past. Perhaps keys were lost in the mail, or the email of the key’s hiding location was sent to the spam box. Things happen. It’s your job as the host to be proactive about these kind of situations and problem solve in advance in case you encounter a problem like this.
Most hosts feel most comfortable with delivering the keys in person. If that is possible it is the best way to ensure a smooth entry. Obviously this involves understanding when your guest will be there, hence the communication we mention above.
But what if something stops you from getting there? A huge accident on the freeway, or maybe you got a flat tire. Here are some Airbnb tips on getting the keys to the guests when you can’t be there.
- Airbnb Lockbox – you can buy this in most hardware stores. It’s easy to install, cost-effective and secure. All you have to do is let your guest know where the box is.
- Secret hiding spot – this has been working for 12 year olds all over the world since I can remember. Rock, doormat, flower pot. Make sure it’s easy for them but not so easy for a stranger.
- A friendly neighbor as a backup plan. If you can’t make it in the event of a small mishap, maybe your neighbor can be there.
- Door Code – You can just text or email the door code and you are keyless, using a tool like RemoteLock.
- A local store or restaurant / pub -Do you know a friend who runs the burger joint down the street? Why not leave your key there. In some places you can find business centers close by that will also hold a key for you.
Check-in should always be the least of your guest’s worries. After a long day of travel it should be the highlight of their day. Follow these easy Airbnb tips to make sure you communicate, have a key exchange system, and are ready to handle any last minute changes; and a flawless check-in will follow suite.