If you're reading this, it's because you're starting your journey as a guide (or guru) in our community, and we want to make sure your experience is the best it can be from day one.
Here are the key points to start off on the right foot (and avoid headaches later on 😉).
We won’t go into too much detail here, since all these topics are already explained in more depth in other Help Center articles, but this summary will serve as a basic checklist.
🔑 For a great start...
✅ Download the GuruWalk App
It will make your life much easier. From there, you can manage your bookings, schedule, and messages in just a few clicks.
Download the app✅ Check attendance for your participants
It’s essential to correctly mark who attended and who didn’t. This directly affects your metrics and payments (PRO plan).
See how to do it✅ Manage your calendar properly
Avoid last-minute cancellations or no-shows (not showing up to the tour) by keeping your calendar up to date.
Watch video✅ Set up automatic messages
Activate welcome, reminder, and farewell messages to improve the traveler's experience and avoid confusion.
Watch video🚨 To avoid a bad ending...
Bookings are confirmed automatically:
You’ll receive an email and a notification from the GuruWalk App when someone makes a booking.
Don’t expect travelers to confirm their attendance. Even if they don’t reply to your messages, it’s very likely they’ll show up for the tour.
Guide no-shows = tour closed:
Not showing up for a tour is a serious offense. Two no-shows could mean your tour is shut down, so avoid them at all costs. Check and manage your calendar carefully.
Avoid cancelling whenever possible:
Cancellations, like no-shows, directly affect your reputation and the quality of your tour, and could lead to its removal. Avoid cancelling at all costs. If you cancel frequently, a “High cancellation risk” banner will appear on your tour, which could reduce your bookings.
❤️ Unjustified cancellations that could be justified:
If you have a personal emergency, health issue, or extreme weather conditions that could affect your or the travelers' safety, cancel the tour and then inform your Account Manager to try to avoid the banner from appearing on your tour. For PRO accounts, follow the same steps and contact your Account Manager to open a case and try to recover the deducted credits.
If you have no other choice, cancel properly from your calendar by selecting the event and choosing the appropriate cancellation reason.
Never ask the traveler to cancel for you:
This is considered fraud. If something unexpected comes up and you can’t attend a tour, try to reschedule the event to avoid affecting the travelers.
If that’s not possible, cancel the tour properly from the calendar so that travelers are notified correctly.
Messaging travelers individually through the platform or WhatsApp to let them know you can’t make the tour does not count as a proper cancellation and may result in penalties for your tour.
Knowing the rules is key to offering a great experience and avoiding unpleasant surprises.
Check out our policies
here.
Start off on the right foot and everything will be much easier 🙂 And remember: if you have questions, the Help Center is here for you.