Post by High Priestess on May 30, 2016 23:04:54 GMT
Carolyn shared on HOsting 911 in Jan 2015
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-102927
Airbnb asks/requires guests to have videos?
Hi all,
A post by Juliet, below, mentions that her guest was asked by Airbnb (before booking) to post a video to her profile. I recently had an inquiry where a woman said the same thing: she is new to the site, and she told me that Airbnb had advised her to do a video for her profile. She said she doesn't have the technology to do this. I told her it wasn't necessary for my purposes.
Does anyone know if Airbnb now asks or advises guests to have a video? That may be a challenge for some people. I myself don't have the equipment to post a video to my profile.
Thanks!
7 comments•1 like
Following
Like
Nic and Rach
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
Yes, Airbnb requires guests to make a video of themselves, but I think it's only if they aren't able to do other parts of the verification that Airbnb requires, such as sharing their Facebook account or Google account. Even if guests have Facebook and Google accounts they may NOT want to link those to their Airbnb account, so they end up having to do the video.
I agree that this is too much to ask for some guests who don't have the equipment to do this. Anyone who has a smart phone can do it easily with the smart phone, but not everyone has that. My hope is that those who don't have a smart phone, can at least get a friend with a smart phone to help them, and take the video and then send it to them via email, where they can then post it to their Airbnb account.
I really wish there were much simpler ways to do ID Verification since I share guests' frustration at the obstacles some of them face.
Reply Like 2 replies•3 likes
Cathy & Ed
Cathy & Eda year ago
I have had this come up more than once. Recently, a guest was trying to book while out of town. She could not upload a copy of offline ID because she did not have a scanner. They (Airbnb) ask her for the last four of her social security #, where she lived when she was younger etc. She thought it was a scam. She had tried to give them the website where she & her husband were teachers. They did not accept (blocked) that. She had previously (2 mos ago) rented through Airbnb and had a positive experience. I called CS, and they said they required that since, she did not upload a DL or passport. She had asked if she could send me a check for the full amount (two months in advance). Of course, I had to tell her that all reservations had to be made through Airbnb. I suggested she wait until she returned home, to scan her ID. A week later, I had not heard from her, so I declined thinking that she had decided not to book. She got back to me, and said that she had scanned her ID, but now they were asking to access her computer to upload a video, plus facebook contacts. She felt that she had completed the basic requirements; photo, email, phone, offline ID and credit card info. Those are my requirements too, but she felt they were being too intrusive, and so did I. She thanked me for my help, but just did not feel comfortable with the whole thing, since she had booked before. She said she would NOT be using Airbnb. I felt helpless, so I called CS, and was put on hold for 40+ minutes. Airbnb had said that SH would be put at the front of the cue (5 minutes), so I was really upset, because first I had lost a booking, and second I was on hold listening to the same message, " We are experiencing a high volume of calls...." and then listening to the same music promoting their employees. When I finally talked to the CS rep, I really had a lot to say about this, after waiting 40+ minutes. First, I know that CS can not make any decisions, so I told her that I really hoped they were recording our conversation for training purposes!! I got the "canned response", "Those are our requirements under our Terms and Conditions". I told her that was not an acceptable answer. I also asked to speak to a Supervisor. The response was that she had to confirm who I was first. I said I did not want to have to repeat that with a Supervisor, and I would perfer she just put me through. She said she had to know what it was about. I said, forget the Supervisor, just write down or record my whole complaint and pass it on. First, I addressed the long wait, and the SH status which was suppose to be updated on Jan. 1. My dashboard says it is being reassed and and would be updated in a few days. She responded that they were behind in their updates for SH, and they all would be updated by 1-12-15. So much for SH, and they are way past the 24hr response time they require of us. The next morning, I got a message from the guest. She had called also. She said they had cleared her, and she would like to complete the booking. I approved right away. I also noted that she had 6-7 verifications!! How much more do they need? I do want verified ID, but they went completely overboard in this case. Carolyn's statement is so true, many people do not use social media, or have the knowledge on uploading a video. Deborah, you are right, they could have uploaded a video with a smart phone.....but asking for access to your computer and sharing your contacts on Facebook or Google is over the top. I would not have allowed that either!! As far as the wait time, there is no excuse for a host or guest to wait for 40 minutes to talk to someone, that can not help them anyway! They are a 12 billion dollar company, they can afford to hire and train more people for CS, as well as, IT!!!
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Cathy, that must have been so frustrating, both for you and your guest. As I think I said, I had the same experience with guest from France, and after that I decided not to require complete verification any more. Yes, it's a bit more work on my part, because I get requests from people with NO information whatsoever, but they usually provide it when asked.
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
Oh thank you so much for that info, Deborah! It's especially a problem for guests my age (north of 50) who weren't raised on technology and may not have Facebook accounts. I also wish it were simpler. Thanks!
Reply Like 1 like
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Deborah is correct. But the video, Google, Facebook, Twitter etc are only needed in the case of a guest trying to make a reservation with a host who requires that their guests be fully verified. That is one reason I don't require it. However, I have heard that in the future everyone is going to be required to be verified. I read this last year, but haven't heard anything about this lately; perhaps they have decided not to do this.
Reply Like 2 replies
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
Actually, Airbnb is changing to requiring all guests to have verified ID, so even if the host does NOT require verified ID, their guest could still be required by Airbnb to do verified ID. This happened to me lately, and it happened to another host also. Here is my post about my experience with this---------------------------------------------------------------- www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-99899 I do NOT require verified ID, and I had a guest send me a reservation request. Airbnb stopped the reservation request in transit, so it never got to me, and told the guest she had to complete verified ID. She was not happy, and I was not happy. It took her over 6 hours total to do the booking - 2 hours to set up her account and find a place and send the reservation request, and then another 4 hours to jump through the verified ID hoops and obstacles. She was finally able to book but she almost gave up. I do understand the rationale for moving to require all guests to have verified ID, but I just wish there were simpler ways to do it. THese obstacles are going to keep a lot of people, particularly older people (she was older) from using Airbnb.
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Deborah, any idea WHEN they are going to start requiring all guests to have verified ID?
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
I wonder if I have this right. I just read the section on Verified IDs in the Help Center. It doesn't say ANYTHING about videos. I imagine the video is necessary only if a guest wants to reserve but doesn't have a Facebook, Linkdin or Google account, or doesn't want to be connected. That would be as you say, Deborah. I personally could not accept any guest who doesn't have verified ID, and I don't want to give that up. However, I also don't want prospective guests to have to make a video in order to make a reservation.
This seems like a case where Airbnb is in the process of establishing a policy, but they haven't fully decided on it yet....!
Reply Like 1 like
Susan
Susana year ago
I don't care about videos... it seems stupid to me.
Reply Like
Rosemarie
Rosemariea year ago
I require that all my guests are verified and post current photos. All my guests so far have gladly complied. In fact, one guest emailed me up-to-date photos. And, I walked one guest through the verification process communicating through airbnb. And, then she booked.
Reply Like
Kathi
Kathia year ago
I thing the video requirement is in the absence of other verifications. I had an inquiry that didn't feel right but figured the verification process would take care of it. She whined about having to provide a drivers license and asked me to waive the ID requirement. I said no. Then she said she entered everything and it wasn't showing up as done. I said I would wait. Then she said she was asked to make a video and didn't have a camera. I said "I'm so sorry it won't work out." I'm certain by the conversations I had with her that she was not who she claimed to be.
Reply Like 2 replies
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
Wow! Yes, I think you're right...She was a fraud. Glad you caught it and didn't accept.
Rosemarie
Rosemariea year ago
Good for you, Kathi. I had a guest who had issues getting verified. However, she never gave up. She even took a photo of her driver's license and emailed it to me. I explained that she would still need to complete the verification process via airbnb. She eventually figured it out and booked. It's guests like these we want in our homes, ones with integrity.
Deborah
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-102927
Airbnb asks/requires guests to have videos?
Hi all,
A post by Juliet, below, mentions that her guest was asked by Airbnb (before booking) to post a video to her profile. I recently had an inquiry where a woman said the same thing: she is new to the site, and she told me that Airbnb had advised her to do a video for her profile. She said she doesn't have the technology to do this. I told her it wasn't necessary for my purposes.
Does anyone know if Airbnb now asks or advises guests to have a video? That may be a challenge for some people. I myself don't have the equipment to post a video to my profile.
Thanks!
7 comments•1 like
Following
Like
Nic and Rach
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
Yes, Airbnb requires guests to make a video of themselves, but I think it's only if they aren't able to do other parts of the verification that Airbnb requires, such as sharing their Facebook account or Google account. Even if guests have Facebook and Google accounts they may NOT want to link those to their Airbnb account, so they end up having to do the video.
I agree that this is too much to ask for some guests who don't have the equipment to do this. Anyone who has a smart phone can do it easily with the smart phone, but not everyone has that. My hope is that those who don't have a smart phone, can at least get a friend with a smart phone to help them, and take the video and then send it to them via email, where they can then post it to their Airbnb account.
I really wish there were much simpler ways to do ID Verification since I share guests' frustration at the obstacles some of them face.
Reply Like 2 replies•3 likes
Cathy & Ed
Cathy & Eda year ago
I have had this come up more than once. Recently, a guest was trying to book while out of town. She could not upload a copy of offline ID because she did not have a scanner. They (Airbnb) ask her for the last four of her social security #, where she lived when she was younger etc. She thought it was a scam. She had tried to give them the website where she & her husband were teachers. They did not accept (blocked) that. She had previously (2 mos ago) rented through Airbnb and had a positive experience. I called CS, and they said they required that since, she did not upload a DL or passport. She had asked if she could send me a check for the full amount (two months in advance). Of course, I had to tell her that all reservations had to be made through Airbnb. I suggested she wait until she returned home, to scan her ID. A week later, I had not heard from her, so I declined thinking that she had decided not to book. She got back to me, and said that she had scanned her ID, but now they were asking to access her computer to upload a video, plus facebook contacts. She felt that she had completed the basic requirements; photo, email, phone, offline ID and credit card info. Those are my requirements too, but she felt they were being too intrusive, and so did I. She thanked me for my help, but just did not feel comfortable with the whole thing, since she had booked before. She said she would NOT be using Airbnb. I felt helpless, so I called CS, and was put on hold for 40+ minutes. Airbnb had said that SH would be put at the front of the cue (5 minutes), so I was really upset, because first I had lost a booking, and second I was on hold listening to the same message, " We are experiencing a high volume of calls...." and then listening to the same music promoting their employees. When I finally talked to the CS rep, I really had a lot to say about this, after waiting 40+ minutes. First, I know that CS can not make any decisions, so I told her that I really hoped they were recording our conversation for training purposes!! I got the "canned response", "Those are our requirements under our Terms and Conditions". I told her that was not an acceptable answer. I also asked to speak to a Supervisor. The response was that she had to confirm who I was first. I said I did not want to have to repeat that with a Supervisor, and I would perfer she just put me through. She said she had to know what it was about. I said, forget the Supervisor, just write down or record my whole complaint and pass it on. First, I addressed the long wait, and the SH status which was suppose to be updated on Jan. 1. My dashboard says it is being reassed and and would be updated in a few days. She responded that they were behind in their updates for SH, and they all would be updated by 1-12-15. So much for SH, and they are way past the 24hr response time they require of us. The next morning, I got a message from the guest. She had called also. She said they had cleared her, and she would like to complete the booking. I approved right away. I also noted that she had 6-7 verifications!! How much more do they need? I do want verified ID, but they went completely overboard in this case. Carolyn's statement is so true, many people do not use social media, or have the knowledge on uploading a video. Deborah, you are right, they could have uploaded a video with a smart phone.....but asking for access to your computer and sharing your contacts on Facebook or Google is over the top. I would not have allowed that either!! As far as the wait time, there is no excuse for a host or guest to wait for 40 minutes to talk to someone, that can not help them anyway! They are a 12 billion dollar company, they can afford to hire and train more people for CS, as well as, IT!!!
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Cathy, that must have been so frustrating, both for you and your guest. As I think I said, I had the same experience with guest from France, and after that I decided not to require complete verification any more. Yes, it's a bit more work on my part, because I get requests from people with NO information whatsoever, but they usually provide it when asked.
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
Oh thank you so much for that info, Deborah! It's especially a problem for guests my age (north of 50) who weren't raised on technology and may not have Facebook accounts. I also wish it were simpler. Thanks!
Reply Like 1 like
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Deborah is correct. But the video, Google, Facebook, Twitter etc are only needed in the case of a guest trying to make a reservation with a host who requires that their guests be fully verified. That is one reason I don't require it. However, I have heard that in the future everyone is going to be required to be verified. I read this last year, but haven't heard anything about this lately; perhaps they have decided not to do this.
Reply Like 2 replies
Deborah
Deboraha year ago
Actually, Airbnb is changing to requiring all guests to have verified ID, so even if the host does NOT require verified ID, their guest could still be required by Airbnb to do verified ID. This happened to me lately, and it happened to another host also. Here is my post about my experience with this---------------------------------------------------------------- www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-99899 I do NOT require verified ID, and I had a guest send me a reservation request. Airbnb stopped the reservation request in transit, so it never got to me, and told the guest she had to complete verified ID. She was not happy, and I was not happy. It took her over 6 hours total to do the booking - 2 hours to set up her account and find a place and send the reservation request, and then another 4 hours to jump through the verified ID hoops and obstacles. She was finally able to book but she almost gave up. I do understand the rationale for moving to require all guests to have verified ID, but I just wish there were simpler ways to do it. THese obstacles are going to keep a lot of people, particularly older people (she was older) from using Airbnb.
Juliet and Ed
Juliet and Eda year ago
Deborah, any idea WHEN they are going to start requiring all guests to have verified ID?
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
I wonder if I have this right. I just read the section on Verified IDs in the Help Center. It doesn't say ANYTHING about videos. I imagine the video is necessary only if a guest wants to reserve but doesn't have a Facebook, Linkdin or Google account, or doesn't want to be connected. That would be as you say, Deborah. I personally could not accept any guest who doesn't have verified ID, and I don't want to give that up. However, I also don't want prospective guests to have to make a video in order to make a reservation.
This seems like a case where Airbnb is in the process of establishing a policy, but they haven't fully decided on it yet....!
Reply Like 1 like
Susan
Susana year ago
I don't care about videos... it seems stupid to me.
Reply Like
Rosemarie
Rosemariea year ago
I require that all my guests are verified and post current photos. All my guests so far have gladly complied. In fact, one guest emailed me up-to-date photos. And, I walked one guest through the verification process communicating through airbnb. And, then she booked.
Reply Like
Kathi
Kathia year ago
I thing the video requirement is in the absence of other verifications. I had an inquiry that didn't feel right but figured the verification process would take care of it. She whined about having to provide a drivers license and asked me to waive the ID requirement. I said no. Then she said she entered everything and it wasn't showing up as done. I said I would wait. Then she said she was asked to make a video and didn't have a camera. I said "I'm so sorry it won't work out." I'm certain by the conversations I had with her that she was not who she claimed to be.
Reply Like 2 replies
Carolyn
Carolyna year ago
Wow! Yes, I think you're right...She was a fraud. Glad you caught it and didn't accept.
Rosemarie
Rosemariea year ago
Good for you, Kathi. I had a guest who had issues getting verified. However, she never gave up. She even took a photo of her driver's license and emailed it to me. I explained that she would still need to complete the verification process via airbnb. She eventually figured it out and booked. It's guests like these we want in our homes, ones with integrity.
Deborah