10 tips for an Airbnb Host when starting out

So now that you have set everything, it’s time to make your way to build a great business on Airbnb. People can earn a lot by becoming supercool hosts on Airbnb. But how to join the ranks among the elite? Here are 10 tips to help an Airbnb host through:

1.Be Trustful

You can’t work while believing that everyone is there to give you a rough time. The mental state you have will likely be reflected in how you will get treated by your guests. So, keep calm and give your guests a chance to show their kindness.

Doing so is easy and you can do it by:

• Making things clear– The very first thing is to let your guests sign the contract. Ask them to go it over and ask if there are any issues.
• Remind them of the rules – It happens that sometimes guests do the booking way much before then they actually move in. Hence, there is a high chance of getting forgetful of the rules. So, explain them all the rules once again in a clear and precise way.

2. Be Polite and Honest with the Reviews

We are living in a time when people prefer things based on the reviews that are left by users before them. Airbnb is no exception to this.

Earlier, it was possible to view a guest’s review before leaving yours about them. However, this is addressed as now you can only see the review on the other side, once you publish yours.

3. Bring Cheers with Small Things

Beach towel, beach chairs, beach umbrella, conditioner, shampoo, shower gel, etc. are things that are required while one is enjoying a vacation. However, guests won’t carry these and the reason is obvious. There is already much to carry.

You can, as an Airbnb host, add these things to your apartment to enhance its appeal. Adding dishwasher and some detergent is also appreciable. All these things don’t cost that much but offer a great deal of homelike ambiance.

Sometimes, guests might wish to celebrate some occasion while staying at your property. Leave a bottle of wine, flowers, chocolate, or even a best wishes card will make them treat your property just like their home.

4. Contact Airbnb Instantly In Case of Any Conflicts

Bad things can happen to good people. If there is some issue with the guests that you aren’t able to cope up with, quickly reach out for assistance from Airbnb. Whatever the issue(s) may be, like damage to the property, you need to keep a proof of the same.

While dealing with difficult situations, don’t lose your temper. Be polite and ask the guests to reflect the same and hold their position until help comes from Airbnb.

Typically, Airbnb will advise you to resolve the issue amicably. So, it all boils down to your ability to deal with the situation. Remember, patience is a virtue.

5. Enable Instant Bookings

Once you are pretty sure that you have made the house rules clear, it’s time to allow for instant bookings. You need not worry about guests reading the house rules as Airbnb ensures that they go through them.

As Airbnb offers a grace period that allows a host to cancel a reservation if they are not comfortable with the guest. Thus, there is no need to screen every guest. Furthermore, not allowing Instant Booking might lose your guests to other places that offer it.

6. Ensure a Smooth Arrival and Check-In

First of all, you need not make your guests wait for much longer, and if possible not wait at all. Often, guests overestimate the ETA for reaching the house. Hence, there is a long time in which you can set on the AC or heater and make things ready for greeting the guests.

Some things that will help you ensure your guest welcoming stays smooth are:

• If you aren’t able to be there when the guest arrives, then Airbnb’s provision of the automatic remote lock will help you. It is activated via means of a password that you can generate and provide to the guest.
• Stay in contact with the guests and keep giving appropriate directions.
• Get the flight details to adjust your estimate about the time required by guests for reaching the house.

7. Go for the Super Host Badge

Of course, the Super Host Badge on Airbnb is very difficult to get. However, it is worth an exhaustive effort especially if your property is at a popular destination teeming with options. The badge noticeably increases the number of bookings you will receive.

There are several things that you need to take care of acquiring the badge, including having a number of guests to write favorable reviews of your offering.

As Airbnb allows guests to leave feedback only for a period of 2 weeks after the stay is over, you might want to remind your guests for leaving a review.

8. Never Opt for Off-Platform Bookings

Sometimes, gaining a booking from outside the platform might seem lucrative. Airbnb charges 10% fees for booking, which can obviously greatly add up to the total amount. Hence, some guests might offer you a 50-50 offer by going offline from the platform.

However, understand this that doing so will strip you from all the safety offered by the platform. So, if a guest post staying decides to not pay you the vowed amount or even pay less, there’s nothing you can do.

9. Thoroughly Review the Cancellation Policy

It’s still a long way for Airbnb to become the platform of choice for last minute options. Moreover, it lacks a Direct Booking feature. For an Airbnb host, there is a choice among three types of cancellation policies. You need to pick among them depending on your flexibility.

Picking the Moderate or Strict cancellation policy is recommended. In this way, you are ensured that you don’t lose on money from cancellations that can’t be rebooked.

Though not returning money to customers might seem opposing to your consciousness, understand that cancelling very close to the actual date make it difficult for an Airbnb host to gain a replacement.

10. You Will Get What You Will Give

What you will give is what you will get. This is true for the Airbnb business. You need to treat your guests just like the way you wish to be treated. Being friendly, flexible, and accommodating are some of the most desirable qualities that an Airbnb host must have.

You can start by giving your guests recommendations on the best restaurants and places of interest nearby. If you can arrange transportation for them, it will work like a charm.

Another way that you can make the experience better for your guests is to tell them about the various benefits of opting Airbnb coupons during the screening process.

Even though there’s something they want and you are not able to help them, a humble sorry will work much better than a nonsensical excuse.