Tokeet Podcast

When a guest cancels due to a family death, hosts face an emotional and financial crossroads.In this episode, we break down how to respond compassionately, communicate clearly, and use smart systems to protect your income without losing your humanityKey Takeaways:✅ What to say first when a cancellation involves loss✅ How to apply your cancellation policy without sounding cold✅ When partial refunds or credits make sense✅ Why automation helps you stay calm and consistentRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 5 Proven Ways to Handle Death in the Family Cancellation 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/death-in-the-family-cancellation/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

False reviews happen, but they don’t have to define your business.In this episode, we walk through exactly how to respond, document, and escalate a review dispute while protecting your reputation and your future bookings.Key Takeaways:✅ Identify when a review actually violates policy✅ Gather solid evidence before contacting support✅ Communicate professionally to strengthen your case✅ Use documentation tools to prevent future disputesRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: How to Dispute a False Guest Review: Proven Steps Every Host Should Know 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/how-to-dispute-a-false-guest-review/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

In this episode, we unpack the five most common vacation rental mistakes new hosts make, from refund regrets to guest miscommunication.Learn how small changes in boundaries, systems, and tone can turn early chaos into a smoother, more professional hosting experience.Key Takeaways:✅ Why clear policies matter more than flexibility✅ How to communicate like a pro from day one✅ Smart ways to handle guest issues without conflict✅ The role of automation in stress-free hostingRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 5 Vacation Rental Mistakes New Hosts Keep Making (and Fixing) 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/vacation-rental-mistakes-to-avoid/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Great hosting isn’t just about occupancy, it’s about who you welcome.In this episode, we unpack how property managers use communication, pricing, and automation to make confident booking decisions across major rental platforms.Key Takeaways:✅ Why guest information varies by platform and what that means for hosts✅ How pricing and booking settings act as natural guest filters✅ Practical steps to vet guests before approval✅ Simple tools that automate screening without losing your personal touchRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Vacation Rental Guest Screening: Proven Tips from Vrbo and Airbnb Hosts 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/vacation-rental-guest-screening/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Even the best hosts face unfair reviews that sting and cost bookings.In this episode, we break down how to respond with professionalism, protect your rating, and use transparency to win future guests. It’s about turning feedback, fair or not, into proof that you care.Key Takeaways:✅ How to craft calm, factual responses that build trust✅ When to challenge or remove reviews that cross the line✅ Tools that simplify review management and save hours✅ Why thoughtful replies can boost bookings more than perfect scoresRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: How to Respond to Unfair Guest Reviews and Protect Your Rating 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/how-to-respond-to-unfair-guest-reviews/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

What happens when a guest violates your house rules, and then leaves a one-star review to get back at you?In this episode, we break down a true Host story, the emotional toll of retaliatory reviews, and the practical steps to respond, appeal, and recover your standing.Key Takeaways:✅How to recognize and document retaliatory reviews✅ Why timing and tone matter when contacting support✅ Ways to write calm, credible public responses✅ Tools and habits that prevent future review risksRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 5 Proven Ways to Handle Retaliatory Airbnb Guest Reviews 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/how-to-handle-retaliatory-airbnb-guest-reviews/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

They followed your house rules and left the property clean, but they treated you like hired help the entire stay. Now you’re facing that empty review box, wondering if honesty is worth the retaliation risk.In this episode, you’ll learn the exact system successful hosts use to write reviews that protect the community without tanking your reputation, including which rating categories actually matter, the coded phrases other hosts recognize instantly, and why the “would not host again” checkbox is more powerful than anything you write publicly.✅Use the communication rating strategically to document poor behavior without appearing vindictive in the written review✅ The “would not host again” checkbox is private, seen only by other hosts, and carries more weight than star ratings✅ Writing factually instead of emotionally protects your credibility while still warning other hosts about problematic guests✅ Leaving dishonest 5-star reviews for difficult guests harms the host community, honest reviews are community protection, not punishmentRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 8 Rules: What Should You Write in a Bad Guest Review? 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/guest-review-examples-bad-reviews/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Many hosts rely on cash reservations to secure bookings in specific markets, but this leaves their businesses vulnerable to exploitation and financial loss.This episode outlines the exact, actionable security protocols you must implement today. Learn how to verify guests, deter malicious calendar blocking, and guarantee payment for every reservation.Key Takeaways:✅The critical shift hosts must make to secure cash on arrival bookings.✅ How competitors are using the current system to block your calendar.✅ Two simple verification steps to deter high-risk guests.✅ The essential financial mechanisms needed to guarantee no-show fees.Related Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 5 Essential Strategies for Cash on Arrival Bookings 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/cash-on-arrival-bookings-strategies/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Lubov Kopylenko, Chief Marketing Officer at HNext, breaks down the difference between rule-based automation and proactive AI that actually operates your property management system.She shares real stories, from preventing a fire hazard before alarms went off to turning a boat rental into a full birthday dinner upsell, and explains why property managers are seeing 20-30% increases in direct bookings with 80% fewer manual errors.Key Takeaways:✅Goal-driven AI plans and executes complete workflows across your existing tools without trigger-based scripting✅ Una achieved day-one productivity with zero configuration by scanning policies and self-learning from guest interactions✅ Real properties report 30-40% workload reduction by deploying AI for guest communication and after-hours coverage first✅ Proactive intelligence means catching safety issues, solving access problems, and creating contextual upsells before humans notice the opportunityRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Proactive AI for Vacation Rentals: How Una Works Like a Real Employee 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/proactive-ai-vacation-rentals/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

A Miami host faced a guest demanding a full month’s refund after two five-minute noise incidents from a neighbor, both resolved immediately. The guest left but kept using building amenities while pushing for the money back.This episode breaks down the exact decision framework that protects hosts from unreasonable refund requests while maintaining professional standards. You’ll learn when to approve, when to deny, and how to respond so platform support can’t override your policies.Key Takeaways:✅The five critical questions every refund request must pass through before you decide✅ Why fear-based refunding costs the average host $3,000-$5,000 annually and attracts serial refund-seekers✅ The three-part response structure that validates guest concerns without surrendering revenue✅ What platform support agents can and cannot force you to do during refund disputesRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: How to Handle Guest Refund Requests: 5 Questions to Ask 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/handle-guest-refund-requests/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

You enforce a house rule and get a retaliatory one-star review calling you aggressive.This is the impossible choice: maintain your standards or protect your rating. After five years managing properties and analyzing over 500 host-guest conflicts, here are the prevention and response strategies that work when guests strike back.Key Takeaways:✅Why the two-way review system creates a hostage situation for hosts who enforce policies✅ The seven-stage prevention system that stops retaliatory reviews before they happen✅ The 150-word response formula that makes future guests side with you over false accusations✅ How to build a review buffer strong enough to absorb bad reviews without search ranking damageRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 7 Strategies to Handle Bad Guest Reviews (Save Your Rating) 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/handle-bad-guest-reviews-save-rating/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

You get a 4-star review that says “perfect stay” or 1 star because it rained at your beach house. One host found 84% of their bad reviews were about things explicitly documented in their listing, including a guest who complained the beach had “too much sand.”We break down the 4 categories of unfair guest reviews, why they happen, and the exact prevention strategies that work.Key Takeaways:✅The 4-Star Paradox: Why guests think 4 stars means “good” when algorithms interpret it as “problematic”✅ The 4 categories of unfair reviews: location/weather complaints, guest-caused problems, property misunderstandings, and infrastructure failures✅ Radical transparency strategy: How over-disclosing prevents wrong-fit bookings and attracts honest guests✅ Pre-checkout feedback conversations: The one question that prevents negative reviews before they’re writtenRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Negative Guest Reviews? 70% Are Unfair, Here’s Why 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/negative-guest-reviews-unfair/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Properties with photo accuracy issues get penalized by the algorithm regardless of star ratings. Listings that verify WiFi speed eliminate 88% of connectivity complaints. Hosts who disclose all fees upfront rank higher than those revealing charges after booking.This episode breaks down the five most common listing mistakes that hurt visibility, plus the 48-hour audit that fixes all of them.Key Takeaways:✅ Properties marking pools as “shared” see 54% fewer guest complaints than those leaving sharing status ambiguous, accuracy prevents issues✅ Verified WiFi speeds eliminate 88% of connectivity complaints and rank higher in searches from remote workers specifically filtering for internet quality✅ Hidden fees violate platform policy and generate instant listing issues, all charges must appear in price breakdown before booking confirmation✅ Ground rules should stay between 5-7 items covering essentials only, longer lists cause guests to skip important details or book elsewhere entirelyRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: 5 Airbnb Listing Mistakes That Kill Your Bookings (And Quick Fixes) 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/airbnb-listing-mistakes-fix-bookings/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Most difficult guest situations start the same way, mismatched expectations about what a vacation rental experience should be.In this episode, we break down the five tactics property managers use to prevent conflicts before they start, respond professionally when issues arise, and protect their business from guests who aren’t worth the revenue. You’ll get specific templates, red flags to watch for, and a framework for building systems that handle problems efficiently.Key Takeaways:✅Screen guests during inquiry by watching for boundary negotiation before booking, it signals behavior during their stay✅ Create response templates for common issues that acknowledge, provide action plans, and set timelines without emotional reaction✅ Document everything in real-time through platform messaging and timestamped photos, it’s the difference between winning and losing disputes✅ Know when to part ways through pre-booking cancellation, mid-stay early checkout, or blocking future bookings to protect your business and mental healthRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Dealing with Difficult Guests: 5 Tactics That Actually Work 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/slug-dealing-with-difficult-guests/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Forty percent of Superhosts globally manage multiple properties, proving the requirements are achievable at scale. The difference between qualifying and missing the mark often comes down to response rate, the one metric that doesn’t improve with experience.This episode reveals how checkout instructions reduce issues by 5%, why automated communication handles 70-80% of messages, and what actually counts toward your response rate calculation.Key Takeaways:✅ The 90% response rate is the hardest Superhost requirement because every inquiry, booking request, and special offer counts, even for guests you decline✅ Properties adding checkout instructions see 5% fewer reported issues within 90 days and 3.4% more bookings compared to similar listings without them✅ Scheduled messages handle 70-80% of routine communication automatically, quick reply templates cover another 15-20%, leaving just 5-10% requiring personal attention✅ Hosts with Instant Book enabled often maintain higher response rates by eliminating the inquiry stage where most missed messages occurRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Airbnb Superhost Requirements: The Communication Strategy That Actually Works 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/airbnb-superhost-requirements-communication-2/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Bobby Varghese, CEO of Jervis Systems, joins us to explain why manual lock code management costs property managers more than they realize, and how automation delivers measurable savings beyond just time.From HVAC controls that reduce energy waste to pool heaters that were costing some managers over $1,000 monthly, this conversation covers the practical side of access technology that actually impacts your bottom line.Key Takeaways:✅Manual code entry scales up dramatically with multiple properties and locks, automation recaptures hours every week✅ Some property managers save $500–$1,000 monthly just from automating pool heaters and hot tub systems✅ Insurance companies now require or incentivize smart locks with code rotation for better coverage rates✅ Modern systems let guests control everything from garage doors to thermostats through their phone without creating accountsRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Smart Access for Short-Term Rentals: Cut Costs & Save Time 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/smart-access-short-term-rentals/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

A guest threatens to leave a devastating review unless you issue a full refund for an issue they never reported during their stay. Most property managers cave to these demands, but that’s the worst possible response.This episode reveals why your public reply matters more than the review itself, and how to turn extortion attempts into credibility-building opportunities that actually increase bookings.Key Takeaways:✅Why guests who threaten bad reviews will post them whether you comply or not✅ The three-step documentation framework that protects you from false claims and chargebacks✅ How to craft public responses that convince future guests you’re the reasonable party✅ When review threats cross into extortion and how to report them to platformsRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: How to Respond to Bad Reviews When Guests Threaten You 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/how-to-respond-to-bad-reviews-when-guests-threaten/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

Hosts who update their listings four times per year book 30% more nights than those who don’t. Each 5-star review translates to 4.6% more bookings and roughly $900 in additional annual revenue.This episode breaks down what actually affects search ranking based on official platform data, not guesses or outdated advice.Key Takeaways:✅ Every 5-star review generates 4.6% more bookings and 3% revenue growth over the following year✅ Properties with 90% or higher response rates rank better than slower competitors, even with similar review scores✅ Verified WiFi speeds reduce connectivity complaints by 88%, and specifying shared pool status cuts pool-related issues by 54%✅ The Guest Favorite badge creates measurable visibility boosts, properties with this designation see significantly higher occupancy than comparable listings without itRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Airbnb Search Ranking: What the Algorithm Really Rewards in 2025 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/airbnb-search-ranking-algorithm-rewards/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

You reported a threatening guest for extortion, but the platform sided with them instead. This episode breaks down what actually qualifies as extortion under vacation rental policies, why “I’ll report you” isn’t what you think it is, and the strategic moves that protect your listing when guests escalate conflicts.Key Takeaways:✅Extortion requires three specific elements: explicit review threat, conditional on payment, and documented in platform messages✅ Threatening to “report you” is platform escalation, not extortion, especially if the guest has a legitimate complaint✅ Listing accuracy determines dispute outcomes more than guest behavior or tone✅ The “first to call” strategy: whoever contacts support first typically controls the narrative and gets the better outcomeRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Airbnb Extortion Policy Explained: Why Your Report Was Denied 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/airbnb-extortion-policy-explained/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com

A booking comes through at 2 PM. Twenty minutes later, another guest books the same dates on a different platform. You’re now facing $1,100 in penalties, ranking damage, and an impossible choice.We break down why multi-billion dollar platforms won’t fix their sync delays, the competitive reasons behind it, and the exact prevention methods hosts use to eliminate double bookings, from free manual blocking to API-based channel managers.Key Takeaways:✅ iCal syncs every 30-90 minutes, not in real-time, creating a dangerous booking window✅ Platforms charge hosts $50-$1,100 in cancellation fees even when sync delays cause the double booking✅ Manual calendar blocking takes 5-10 minutes per booking but reports zero double bookings✅ Channel managers with API sync cost $30-$100/month and update calendars in seconds instead of hoursRelated Links:Company: https://www.tokeet.com/Blogs: https://www.tokeet.com/blog/Blog: Why Double Bookings Happen in 20 Minutes (And How to Stop Them) 👉https://blog.tokeet.com/prevent-double-bookings/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.tokeet.com