Have you ever been to a coffee shop and listened to a customer unravel their 20 step process for their cup of coffee? It’s probably happened once or twice. But what’s most common is whether or not they take milk or sugar. This difference in preference applies to other areas of the service industry, such as the short term rental space. Every once in a while, you as a host will be presented with a potential unusual request or situation. Depending on the circumstances you may or may not want to go through with the request. But finding the fine line of great accommodation and overworking yourself is hard to do.
Fulfilling Unusual Requests
When dealing with an unusual request, figure out the complexity of it. Will it cost you a lot of money? Does it take a lot of time to organize? The bigger the request the more reluctant you may be to do it. If you haven’t already, we suggest you join a short term rental FAQ or group on social media so that you can ask and answer questions of your fellow short term rental operators. One of them may have experienced this request before and can advise you further.
If you’re okay with the request, figure out whether or not you’ll pay for the request. If they want extra towels, for example, you may charge them a small extra cleaning fee or cover it entirely. If they want champagne in the room with chocolates, then you’ll most likely charge for the items as well as the time it takes to set up. It’s about understanding what’s being asked and whether or not you’re comfortable with it.
It is your property and your business, so you are not beholden to fulfilling every guest request. However, some guests may complain about not being able to meet their special requests.
