Job Details

Position : Guest Relations Virtual Assistant
Working Schedule : 10:00am-8:00PM EST | Standard working days are Wednesday-Sunday | Flexible day off but Friday-Sunday is a requirement
Salary Range : $8-$10 /Hourly Rate (the final salary will be determined by the candidate's level of experience and at the discretion of the client)
About the Company

The company is a luxury short-term rental provider offering unique experiences across waterfront markets on the U.S. East Coast. The portfolio includes distinctive properties in major cities, each providing premium, memorable stays.

Role Overview

The Day Shift Guest Relations Virtual Assistant (VA) delivers fast, clear, and on-brand communication across the full guest journey: pre-booking, pre-stay, in-stay, and post-stay. This role protects the company's brand by setting accurate expectations, resolving routine questions efficiently, and escalating issues early with complete documentation.

Day Shift VAs manage higher message volumes and full lifecycle support, including pre-booking inquiries, pre-arrival confirmations, coordination with operations and cleaning teams, and active in-stay service recovery. Success in this role ensures guests experience seamless, professional, and timely support. This role is Messaging only, no phone calls.

Key Responsibilities
Shift Phases

Start of Shift:

• Review the previous shift's handoff.
• Check open items in the communication tracking system.
• Identify priority guests: arriving today, active in-stay issues, late check-outs.

During Shift:

• Respond promptly to all guest messages (under 15 minutes).
• Use SOPs and approved templates for all communications.
• Log non-routine issues immediately.
• Coordinate with cleaning and operations teams for same-day bookings and guest needs.
• Facilitate pre-booking inquiries, quotes, and direct booking support.
• Confirm pre-arrival checklists: ID verification, rental agreements, boarding passes.

End of Shift:

• Submit handoff including open loops, escalation info, next steps, and ownership.
• Ensure all active in-stay issues are documented and ready for follow-up.

Decision Authority

Independent Decisions:

• Respond to general FAQs (parking, Wi-Fi, check-in times, amenities).
• Provide standard check-in and check-out instructions using approved templates.
• Perform basic troubleshooting (e.g., TV, Wi-Fi reboot) as per SOP.

Requires Escalation:

• Safety concerns (fire, flooding, injury, threats, break-in).
• Access failures (lock malfunction, missing keys).
• Serious complaints, legal threats, or chargebacks.
• Refunds, credits, or compensation requests.
• Maintenance issues impacting habitability (HVAC failure, no hot water, sewage).

Responsibilities You Own

• Monitor all guest communication channels during assigned shift.
• Respond within SLA using approved frameworks and property information.
• Proactively confirm check-in essentials.
• Log all non-routine issues with clear summaries and next steps.
• Complete handoff before shift ends.

Responsibilities You Support (Do Not Decide)

• Coordinate with maintenance and operations for issue resolution.
• Handle guest dissatisfaction with empathy, documentation, and escalation.
• Escalate policy exceptions and financial matters.

What You Never Do

• Promise refunds, discounts, upgrades, or policy exceptions without approval.
• Admit fault or liability on behalf of the company.
• Close unresolved issues without documentation.
• Handle safety incidents without immediate escalation.

Tools Used

• Hostaway: Reservations, guest messages, calendar, guest details.
• Enso Connect: Boarding passes, upsells, guidebooks, automated messaging.
• Quo: SMS and messaging with guests and team.
• Airbnb: OTA guest messaging and reservations.
• Airtable: Shift tracking, handoffs, QA, onboarding.
• Slack: Internal communication and escalations.
• Minut: Noise and occupancy monitoring alerts.
• VicoHome: Security camera verification (requires escalation).
• Meta (IG/FB): Social media engagement.
• GHL (GoHighLevel): Live chat messaging and CRM automation.

Performance Metrics

• Response time SLA adherence (under 15 minutes).
• Consistent tone and clarity in communications.
• SOP adherence and template usage.
• Accurate escalation (right time, owner, context).
• Complete and clear shift handoffs.
• QA score (bi-weekly target: 4.0+ out of 5.0).

Qualifications

Must-Haves:

• Strong written English: warm, clear, professional.
• Availability during U.S. Eastern Time day hours (~8:00 AM - 8:00 PM EST).
• Ability to manage multiple guest conversations simultaneously.
• Comfortable working independently in a remote, messaging-only environment.
• High attention to detail and commitment to documentation.
• Calm and composed under pressure.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience in hospitality, short-term rentals, or customer service.
• Familiarity with Hostaway, Airbnb, Enso, or similar platforms.
• Experience using Airtable, Slack, or project management tools.
• Comfort with AI-assisted tools and automated workflows.