Post by High Priestess on Jan 20, 2016 10:18:54 GMT
Maxine shared Jan 20 2016
ABB faze out mobile text alerts for bookings/inquiries - anyone concerned?
A discussion is raging in the Community Centre - New to Hosting under a post titled
' I can't believe this'
community.airbnb.com/t5/New-to-Hosting/I-can-t-actually-believe-this/m-p/20152#U20152
It is concerned with the sudden and unannounced fazing out of SMS text alerts that notify hosts of an inquiry or booking to their mobile.
Customer service response is 'get into the good habit of logging into the web site and check your account several times a day'.
Humm.... that's assuming that hosts are at a desk top or walking around with an internet activated tablet all day everyday with constant access.
Whilst length of SMS is shorter than email, alerts are more reliable even when signals are low. In remote areas and even non-remote, texts can be received with a lower signal than email download.
And response rates are important to guests and to a host maintaining superhost status.
The Australian community are up in arms, not just about the fazing out of SMS but also because hosts were not consulted nor advised with any notice period to make any alternative arrangements.
It was simply discovered once removed. Inquiries are very low at present which I assumed was simply down to it being January but I wonder if other ABB issues are affecting bookings all round........
5 comments•1 like
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Olivier François
Renae
Renae20 hours ago
I agree that they should keep the alerts coming. I'm not always checking my email.
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Cristina
Cristina19 hours ago
I thought it was a problem with my account and I prefer to receive sms as well!
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Ed & Hugh
Ed & Hugh17 hours ago
SMS has been very problematic. If you send an SMS through the site, often only part of the message gets delivered, or it gets delivered in the wrong order. This has caused big problems. E-mail and push notifications are much better, and work in more places. SMS requires a cellular signal...e-mail works on cellular or wifi.
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helga
helga13 hours ago
I was not even aware of the function till I had a problem with a guest who got everything by sms and that meant she got close to nothing of what I wrote. Good riddance. You can have a smartphone on a 5 euro contract or paying by 5 euro prepaid credits. You just need to buy a smartphone yourself as a one time investment.
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Rose
Rose6 hours ago
Maxine why are they discontinuing this practice? I for one will be disappointed for sure if they stop. I rely on those messages during the day when I'm not at a computer. And much easier to see a text message than to open my email on my phone all day long.
Reply Like
ABB faze out mobile text alerts for bookings/inquiries - anyone concerned?
A discussion is raging in the Community Centre - New to Hosting under a post titled
' I can't believe this'
community.airbnb.com/t5/New-to-Hosting/I-can-t-actually-believe-this/m-p/20152#U20152
It is concerned with the sudden and unannounced fazing out of SMS text alerts that notify hosts of an inquiry or booking to their mobile.
Customer service response is 'get into the good habit of logging into the web site and check your account several times a day'.
Humm.... that's assuming that hosts are at a desk top or walking around with an internet activated tablet all day everyday with constant access.
Whilst length of SMS is shorter than email, alerts are more reliable even when signals are low. In remote areas and even non-remote, texts can be received with a lower signal than email download.
And response rates are important to guests and to a host maintaining superhost status.
The Australian community are up in arms, not just about the fazing out of SMS but also because hosts were not consulted nor advised with any notice period to make any alternative arrangements.
It was simply discovered once removed. Inquiries are very low at present which I assumed was simply down to it being January but I wonder if other ABB issues are affecting bookings all round........
5 comments•1 like
Follow
Like
Olivier François
Renae
Renae20 hours ago
I agree that they should keep the alerts coming. I'm not always checking my email.
Reply Like
Cristina
Cristina19 hours ago
I thought it was a problem with my account and I prefer to receive sms as well!
Reply Like
Ed & Hugh
Ed & Hugh17 hours ago
SMS has been very problematic. If you send an SMS through the site, often only part of the message gets delivered, or it gets delivered in the wrong order. This has caused big problems. E-mail and push notifications are much better, and work in more places. SMS requires a cellular signal...e-mail works on cellular or wifi.
Reply Like
helga
helga13 hours ago
I was not even aware of the function till I had a problem with a guest who got everything by sms and that meant she got close to nothing of what I wrote. Good riddance. You can have a smartphone on a 5 euro contract or paying by 5 euro prepaid credits. You just need to buy a smartphone yourself as a one time investment.
Reply Like
Rose
Rose6 hours ago
Maxine why are they discontinuing this practice? I for one will be disappointed for sure if they stop. I rely on those messages during the day when I'm not at a computer. And much easier to see a text message than to open my email on my phone all day long.
Reply Like
Julia