Guest Support Specialist — Short-Term Rentals

We are Sophari — a premium short-term rental company operating furnished apartments across downtown Bellevue, WA. We serve corporate professionals, relocating tech employees, and extended-stay travelers, with guests booking through multiple channels including Airbnb, trip.com, and Booking.com. We are a small, close-knit remote team where everyone does the core work. There is no one here who is above answering a guest message, logging a note, or following up on a reservation detail. That is the culture and it is what makes us work well together. We are looking for a reliable, experienced Guest Support Specialist to join us remotely, help cover guest communications, handle issues across our platforms, and provide dedicated support for our Mandarin-speaking guests. --- ABOUT THE ROLE This is a part-time remote position covering 20–25 hours per week with a schedule that overlaps our evening hours (approximately 5–10pm Pacific Time). At least one weekend day is required. We are based in Bellevue, WA (Pacific Time). Candidates in Southeast Asia, East Asia, or similar timezones work particularly well for our evening coverage needs — your morning or midday is our evening window. You will work across multiple software platforms. Prior experience with our specific tools is not required — we care more about how quickly and thoroughly you learn new systems and follow process. --- WHAT YOU WILL DO • Monitor and respond to guest messages across all booking channels — promptly, warmly, and with good judgment • Handle common guest issues: late check-ins, lockout situations, extension requests, parking questions, and general inquiries • Support Mandarin-speaking guests in their preferred language — this is a meaningful segment of our business and a real differentiator for the right candidate • Log all guest interactions, notes, and follow-ups accurately and on time • Coordinate with the operations and cleaning team on same-day issues and turnover flags • Identify and flag upsell opportunities (early check-in, late checkout, parking) and send payment links when appropriate • Escalate pricing decisions, discount requests, and anything outside normal scope — good judgment about when to escalate is as important as the ability to resolve --- WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR • 2+ years of experience in short-term rental operations, property management, or hospitality guest support • Strong written English — you will be drafting guest messages that represent our brand • Mandarin fluency strongly preferred — a meaningful portion of our guests book through Chinese travel platforms and prefer communicating in Mandarin • Experience with Airbnb, Booking.com, or similar OTA platforms • Organized and reliable — you log notes in real time, you show up for your shift, you follow up when you say you will • Comfortable working independently with a small remote team across timezones • Calm and solution-focused when guests are frustrated or situations are unclear • Familiarity with property management software — specific platforms can be learned, the mindset matters more --- WHAT THIS IS NOT • This is not a sales or account management role — it is a guest support and operations position • This is not a high-autonomy role for pricing or discount decisions — we have clear escalation paths and we expect them to be followed • This is not suitable for someone juggling multiple demanding clients simultaneously — we need reliable shift coverage and genuine focus during your hours --- COMPENSATION AND GROWTH • $8–$11/hr depending on experience, paid through Upwork • 20–25 hours per week to start • Paid onboarding period included • 90-day review — if the fit is strong on both sides, we revisit rate and hours • Real room to grow as we add to the team and expand operations --- HOW TO APPLY Please include the following in your proposal — applications that do not address all four points will not be reviewed: 1. Your STR or hospitality guest support experience — be specific about the number of properties, platforms used, and how long you did it 2. Whether you speak Mandarin and at what level 3. Your availability in Pacific Time — confirm whether 5–10pm PT overlap works for you on a regular basis 4. One example of a difficult guest situation you handled and how you resolved it Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a short Predictive Index behavioral assessment (6 minutes, free) and submit video responses to scenario questions before the final interview. We are a small team that takes this hire seriously. A direct, specific proposal tells us far more than a long one.