MAIA - Best practices for office policies

This article complements Office policies. It explains what to write in each field so that Maia gives guests clear, correct answers.

Maia answers guests using your office policies. Every gap or vague line becomes a vague answer, a wrong promise, or an escalation to your team. Write each field as a short decision rule, not as a note to a colleague.

A good policy gives Maia:

• A clear answer: what is allowed, what is not, and the exact time limits.
• The conditions: what changes the answer (check-in type, length of stay, booking channel, same-day turnover).
• The price: every fee in your local currency, with what it includes.
• The next step: where the guest goes (Guest Space, a partner link) or when your team must step in.

Use the same structure in every field

Writing tips:

• One topic per heading. If a field covers several topics (fans, baby cots and welcome packs in Special requests), give each its own heading.
• Write IF / THEN lines. "IF the stay is 7 nights or longer, THEN weekly cleaning is free" is easier for Maia to apply than a paragraph.
• Give exact numbers. Write "11:00", "36 hours in advance", "30 days", never "late morning" or "in advance".
• Say what is NOT possible. A clear "Late check-out is not possible" stops Maia from offering it.
• Say when to hand over to a person. Name the case ("IF the request is less than 2 hours before check-in, escalate") so Maia flags the conversation instead of guessing.
• Never leave a field empty. Write the rule, even if it is "not offered".

What to put in each field

Check-in process

• Standard check-in time.
• Early check-in: when it can be requested, the latest cut-off, and how (Guest Space).
• What blocks it: same-day departure, cleaning not finished, extra mission scheduled.
• How the check-in type changes the answer: self check-in, key shop with opening hours, or meet & greet.
• Late check-in: from what time it counts as late, and the fee or availability check for meet & greet.
• Fees by time band, and what to update after approval (arrival time on the reservation).

Example: IF the property has 24/7 self check-in, THEN late arrival is always approved at no cost. IF it uses a key shop, THEN the request must come before 18:00 and be validated by operations. IF it is meet & greet, THEN a greeter must be available and the guest pays 20 EUR.

Check-out process

• Standard check-out time.
• Late check-out: whether it is possible, the request window, and what blocks it (same-day check-in).
• Fees, or "price on request" if your team quotes case by case.
• Alternatives when it is refused (luggage storage partners).

Example: late check-out is never automatic. IF there is a same-day check-in, THEN it is not possible. If not, operations confirms whether cleaning can move and sets the price, and the guest pays in Guest Space.

Luggage drop

Say whether guests can leave bags before check-in or after check-out. If not, give the storage partner links and any discount, so Maia offers a solution and not only a refusal.

Example: no storage at the property. Maia shares two partner links, one for drop-off and one for collection and delivery, each with a 10% discount already applied.

Guest vetting process

List the checks you run before accepting a guest, and what makes you decline or cancel.

Examples: every same-day Airbnb booking needs a profile check, and one or more negative reviews means the booking is declined. A booking from a blacklisted guest is cancelled once the reason is confirmed.

Security deposit / guest ID process

• Whether a deposit, a damage waiver, or both are offered, and for which properties.
• How each works: amount, hold or charge, when it is released, what the waiver covers.
• What happens if the guest does not complete it (for example, no check-in instructions are sent).
• Whether ID is required and why (local authority registration), or a clear "we do not ask for ID".

Example: the guest picks a deposit (a card hold released 7 days after check-out if no damage is reported within 48 hours) or a non-refundable damage waiver. Without one of them, check-in instructions are not released.

Discount policies

If this field only says "no discount", Maia can only refuse. With tiers, Maia can close the booking.

• The tiers: by length of stay, by how close the arrival is, and by booking channel.
• The maximum Maia may offer on its own if the guest negotiates.
• Channels where the discount does not apply, and where to send the guest instead.

Examples: no discount for 30 nights or fewer, 25% off for stays over 30 nights on Airbnb or the direct website only. Or: 7% off when arrival is within 7 days, 5% off when it is 8 or more days away, and Maia may add up to 3% more if the guest pushes.

Cleaning during stay

• Price, and whether it depends on length of stay.
• How far in advance it must be booked, and the time window.
• What is included and what is not (linen and towels, floors, bathrooms; dishes and rubbish are often excluded).

Example: under 7 nights, an extra cleaning costs the same as the cleaning fee. From 7 nights, a weekly cleaning with linen change is free. Requests need 36 hours' notice; cleaning runs between 11:00 and 17:00.

Pets policies

Avoid a single line like "No pets" if your rules differ by property. Include the default rule, the exceptions, any fee, what details to collect (type, breed, size, age) and who approves.

Example: no pets for stays of 10 days or less. For longer stays, collect the pet's details and wait for the owner's written approval before confirming.

Emergency contacts

• The guest-facing number (24/7 line or on-call number) and the hours it covers.
• The national emergency number for life-threatening cases (112 in the EU).
• What counts as an emergency (locked out, water or gas leak, flooding) and what does not (Wi-Fi, general questions).
• Maia reads the whole field: keep personal or internal numbers out where possible, or label them clearly as internal only, never share with guests.

Extra information

Use it for recurring questions that fit nowhere else, each under its own heading: linen and sofa beds, welcome pack (what is provided and that it is not refilled), rubbish, second keys and when key box codes are shared, drinking water, cancellations ("always follow the booking platform's policy").

Special requests

List each request type with the answer and price: baby cots and gear (check amenities first, then a rental partner link), fans and heaters (how many are free), custom welcome packs, transfers and tours (partner links), and the link to your direct booking site.

Event policies

Say what is forbidden, what is allowed, and the conditions.

Example: parties are never allowed. Daytime work meetings are allowed if visitors do not stay overnight and nothing is damaged, and the guest must agree to these terms in the chat first.

Lost and found

Say how long after check-out you still search, how long items are kept, pick-up and shipping fees, what is not kept (perishables) and when not to escalate.

Example: items are kept for 30 days. Pick-up is free; shipping costs 25 EUR.

Document

Upload a document (house manual, local guide, full terms) when answers need more detail than the fields hold. Keep the fields as the short source of truth so the two never contradict each other.

Mistakes to avoid

• Wrong currency after copying a policy from another office.
• The same text in two fields: a later change in one leaves the other outdated.
• One-word answers like "No pets" that are not true for every property.
• Empty fields: Maia has nothing to say and will escalate or improvise.
• Vague timing such as "in advance" or "late afternoon".
• Internal jargon (ticket colours, team nicknames) that means nothing to a guest.
• Out-of-date rules: update the policy the same day a fee or rule changes.

Checklist

• Every field has content, or a clear "not offered / not applicable".
• Each topic has its own heading with Rule, Conditions, Fees and Process.
• Standard check-in and check-out times are stated.
• Early check-in, late check-in and late check-out each have a request window, blockers and fees.
• Discount tiers and the maximum Maia may offer are written down.
• All prices are in the office's local currency.
• Partner links are included and working.
• Each field says when Maia should hand the conversation to your team.