When a guest reports a problem, the first reply sets the tone for the rest of the stay. Pick the issue, how serious it is and what you’re going to do, and the builder writes an immediate reply, a follow-up for once it’s fixed and a one-line note for your records. Safety issues get a different first message that puts the guest’s safety ahead of troubleshooting.
Use placeholders for anything private, like door codes or contractor phone numbers.
The first message always does three things: thanks the guest for telling you, says what happens next, and gives a time. The follow-up checks the fix worked. The log line is for your own records or your team.
For safety issues the order changes: the guest is told to get to safety and contact emergency services first, before anything else. Replace [LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER] with the right number for your area.
Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere.
Reply fast, even before you have the fix. A quick “got it, here’s what happens next” calms most situations. Silence is what turns a broken dishwasher into a bad review.
Give a time and keep it. If the time slips, message before it passes, not after.
Don’t lead with refunds. Fix the problem first. If a partial refund is fair, offer it once you know the impact, and handle it through the platform’s own tools.
Keep it on the platform. Messages sent through the booking platform give you a record if anything is disputed later.
For a dishwasher that won’t start, with someone sent this afternoon, the warm first message reads: “Hi Sam, thanks for letting me know about the dishwasher not starting, and sorry about that. I’m arranging for someone to come and take a look this afternoon. I’ll confirm the time as soon as it’s booked. I’ll keep you posted until it’s sorted.”
Usually not in the first message. Fix the problem, then decide whether a gesture is fair based on how much it affected the stay. Offering money too early can set expectations you can’t meet.
Tell them to get to safety and contact emergency services first. Then arrange help. Choose the safety option in the builder for wording that puts this first.
Draft calm, specific public replies to good, mixed or negative reviews.
Open tool →Guest ExperiencePlan which messages go out when, from booking to post-stay.
Open tool →Guest ExperienceBuild clear arrival instructions with placeholders, not live codes.
Open tool →STR OperationsCreate a printable turnover checklist for your cleaners.
Open tool →Thrive Hosts handles guest messages and coordinates fixes with your local cleaners and maintenance contacts, so issues get answered and followed through.
Message drafts are a starting point. For emergencies, guests should always contact local emergency services first.