Problem statement
Currently, when a cleaning task is created (e.g., starting upon guest checkout), teammates cannot see the next check-in date or time directly on the task itself or in their iCal calendar. This information is only available through one-time task reminder notifications, which become outdated and invalid as soon as a new booking comes in—and bookings can come in at any time. This means cleaners don't have a reliable, up-to-date reference for how much time they have before the next guest arrives. Additionally, task end times are static and don't automatically adjust based on when the next guest is checking in, which can lead to unrealistic deadlines or unnecessary urgency.
Current workaround
Cleaners must rely on one-time task reminder notifications that include next reservation details, but these notifications become invalid the moment a new booking is made. Cleaners may also contact the host to ask when the next guest is checking in. Hosts must manually adjust task deadlines when same-day turnovers occur or when there's more time available between guests.
Impact
- Cleaners don't know how much time they have to complete the cleaning before the next guest arrives
- One-time notifications become outdated immediately when new bookings come in, creating confusion and misinformation
- Task deadlines don't reflect the actual urgency (e.g., 3-day deadline when check-in is tomorrow, or 1-day deadline when there are 5 days available)
- Risk of rushing or delaying check-in if the cleaner doesn't have accurate, current deadline information
- Extra communication burden on hosts to answer "when is the next check-in?" questions and manually adjust task deadlines
- Reduced efficiency and planning ability for cleaning teams
Proposed solution
- Display the next check-in date and time directly on the cleaning task (in the Tasks app/portal) and include it in the teammate iCal feed—updated in real-time if a new booking comes in that impacts the next check-in time for that task
- Set dynamic task end times based on the next check-in: default to 3 days (or host-configured duration) to complete the task, but automatically adjust the deadline to the next check-in time if a guest is checking in sooner
Unlock
Cleaners would be able to:
- See at a glance how much time they have before the next check-in, with information that updates automatically as bookings change
- Work with realistic, automatically-adjusted deadlines that reflect actual urgency
- Plan their cleaning schedule more effectively based on accurate, current information
- Avoid rushing or delaying check-ins due to lack of information or outdated notifications
- Reference next check-in details anytime without relying on one-time notifications that become invalid
Hosts would be able to:
- Eliminate manual task deadline adjustments for same-day or quick turnovers
- Ensure cleaning teams always have accurate, context-aware deadlines that update automatically