Managing Inquiries and Bookings as a Gold Coast XP Host

As a host on GoldCoastXP, you can share your unique local tours, activities, events, and stays with an international audience of travelers. Efficiently managing inquiries and bookings is key to providing a great guest experience. This comprehensive guide covers tips and best practices for:

  • Responding to customer inquiries
  • Managing booking requests
  • Communicating with guests
  • Handling cancellations and refunds
  • Setting Up Your Listing Details

The first important step is to configure your listing availability, pricing, durations, and booking options appropriately.

Responding to Customer Inquiries

When a potential guest shows interest by sending an inquiry, always respond promptly within 24 hours when possible. Here are some tips:

  • Log in to your Gold Coast XP host dashboard and click on “Inbox” to see new messages.
  • Open the inquiry message thread and type your reply in the message box.
  • Address any questions the guest asked completely and provide helpful details about your experience.
  • Use a friendly and conversational tone, but remain professional in your language and information shared.
  • Double-check for any spelling or grammar errors before sending your reply.
  • Click on the Icon to send your response to the interested guest.

Following up quickly and comprehensively shows guests you are an attentive and responsive host. This drastically increases the likelihood of converting inquiries into confirmed bookings.

Managing Incoming Booking Requests

As your listing gets discovered, you will start receiving booking requests from guests. Confirm or decline all requests within 24 hours when possible by:

  • Going to the “Booking Requests” section in your Gold Coast XP host dashboard.
  • Clicking on the booking request to open the details. Verify the guest’s name, number of travelers, requested date/time, and any special requirements.
  • If you are unable to accept the booking, click “Decline” and notify the guest with an explanation and suggestion for alternative dates if possible.

Avoid double-booking yourself by keeping your availability calendar updated in real-time with any confirmed bookings.

Tagging Bookings

Gold Coast XP allows hosts to tag booking requests to indicate status and priority. The main tag order is:

Pending – This is automatically applied to new booking requests. It means the booking is awaiting your review and confirmation.

Checked-In – Once you have accepted and confirmed a booking request, you can tag it as “Checked-In” on the day your experience with the guest starts. This indicates the booking is now active.
The checked-in also implies the guest is confirmed to be at the venue where the experience is taking place

Checked-Out – After your experience concludes with the guest, tag the booking as “Checked-Out”. This completes the booking lifecycle.

Communicating with Guests

Communication is key before, during, and after your guests’ booking experience. Use Gold Coast XP’s integrated messaging system:

Before the booking:

  • Confirm the meeting time, exact location, and contact details, and answer any questions a few days prior to the booking date.
  • Send reminders to bring any required items, dress code, or documents.
  • Proactively notify guests of any last-minute experience changes if needed.

After the booking:

  • Follow up with guests after the experience to thank them for coming and ask for candid feedback.
  • Request they leave a 5-star review about their experience on your Gold Coast XP listing profile. Respond professionally to any reviews.

Let guests know if you are sharing any photos or videos from the experience on your listing gallery or social media.

Cancellations and Refunds

If you must cancel a confirmed booking due to unforeseen circumstances:

  • Cancel at least 24-48 hours in advance whenever possible. Last-minute cancellations negatively impact guests.
  • Contact the guest immediately through Gold Coast XP messaging with an apology and explanation for the cancellation.
  • If the guest does not rebook, process a full refund. Log in to your host dashboard > Payments > Issue Refund.
  • The host can refund the order for the guest to rebook again
  • Note that frequent last-minute cancellations can result in penalties as per Gold Coast XP’s Host Accountability Policy.

We hope this detailed guide helps you successfully manage all aspects of inquiries, bookings, and communication with guests on the Gold Coast XP platform. Please contact our 24/7 Support team if you need any assistance.

Setting Up Your Listing Details

We have a detailed help article on setting up your listings, which can be found by clicking on the following link: [Setting Up Your Listing Details]