AIrbnb deciding whether to support offsite host groups

My reply to Melissa:

Hi Melissa
Thank you for contacting me about this.
What is Airbnb’s intention or agenda in wanting to give support to offsite host groups?
You mention two things which suggest you are wondering why hosts would form offsite groups, eg whether there are information gaps, or is there feedback we’d like to pass on so you could do better.

Information gaps is not why offsite host groups exist. We have all already passed on much feedback to Airbnb, often to no avail – many feel they’ve not been heard.

I was part of the original Airbnb host community groups which were disbanded 3 years ago. The difference between those groups and the Airbnb Community Center is that those groups, like the present offsite groups, are run by hosts, not by Airbnb or a third party organization, and this is important to hosts.

Offsite host groups don’t need Airbnb support, and in fact, though you might be surprised to hear it, might not want Airbnb support, particularly given the current situation of hosts feeling that Airbnb is ignoring their concerns. They need a place to chat, support each other, vent and tell stories without worrying that Airbnb is eavesdropping, which could be an impression that they are given if an offsite group receives official support. Also, it could simply further anger hosts if they view Airbnb as wanting to support offsite host groups, all the while still ignoring important feedback from the host community, such as feedback about the unfair star rating system and Airbnb’s unacceptably punitive response to hosts with lower than 5 star average ratings. I will use this problem as an example of how Airbnb hasn’t been listening/supporting hosts, since many hosts feel that Airbnb’s rating system is the most egregious problem within the Airbnb platform.

Unfortunately, for many hosts, seeing Airbnb trying to support offsite groups could trigger more of a sense of “you just don’t get it.” I think the best way for Airbnb to support hosts, would be to listen to hosts’ greatest concerns, such as our anger about the unfairness in the star rating system.

There’s a major theme about Airbnb’s relationship to hosts and hosting which hosts have been giving feedback to Airbnb about for years, but they have not been listened do, and this theme has to do with Airbnb’s control over their hosting. In so many ways, hosts want more control, and want Airbnb to be less controlling, including stop threatening hosts for getting less than 5 star ratings. Airbnb’s star rating system essentially involves very serious misrepresentation to guests, because you’re telling guests that a 4 star rating is “good”, while on the other hand, you’re indicating 4 stars is “bad” because you are punishing hosts for getting less than 4.7 stars. This is unacceptable, many hosts have said so, and Airbnb has ignored this feedback. The feedback that hosts have given to Airbnb about these and other concerns, for many years now, is enormous, and you can easily see it on the Airbnb Community Center posts. For instance, here community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Circle/Guantanamo/td-p/754779 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Will-AirBnb-please-inform-the-guests-how-the-feedback-works/m-p/803082#M192458 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/5-Star-Rating-System-flawed/m-p/284492#M66195 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/Change-the-Rating-System/idi-p/405603 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Rating-system-needs-work/m-p/841800 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/change-the-star-rating-system/m-p/507736#M115565 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Rating-System-suggested-improvements/m-p/848293 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Rating-System-suggested-improvements/m-p/532985 and community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Rating-System/m-p/606609
And you can also see hosts writing in major media about this issue www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/29/the-one-issue-with-airbnb-reviews-that-causes-hosts-to-burnout/#3d9bde81eb3b

Having run host community groups for over 5 years, I can easily see that each one of those posts represents thousands or tens of thousands of hosts who feel the same deep frustration. Hosts in offsite groups are generally not discussing topics that aren’t already being discussed on the Airbnb Community Center, so if you are interested in listening and supporting, you can start by listening there. In the October Host Q&A, it was mentioned that Airbnb intends to prompt guests if they give a low overall rating. That response once again shows you haven’t listened. The problem is not the ratings guests give….it’s how Airbnb interprets them. Until you stop interpreting 4 stars as “bad” then you haven’t heard hosts. It’s just not possible to prompt all guests to leave all 5 star ratings. You’re creating a fantasy world and then punishing hosts when guest behavior doesn’t correspond to that unrealistic fantasy, and that’s just wrong.

I find it easier to correspond in writing, so I’d prefer to do that rather than talk on the phone. If you have any other questions, let me know.

WRote back to Melissa again: (by the way, Airbnb does seem to be contacting many offsite host groups, not just mine...I know of at least 2 other host Facebook groups which Melissa contacted....I would guess there are dozens if not hundreds of offsite host groups....Airbnb will likely contact many if not most of them...)


You are welcome to contact me for feedback regarding any Airbnb products or launches. I would not be interested in attending any Airbnb events/invitations but I would be willing to give feedback, though I’m not confident my feedback will be heard.

The problem with the star ratings issue would not be hard to fix at all. It would merely involve ceasing to threaten hosts who go below a 4.7 star average rating or below 4.3 star on any one listing. So it’s not something additional to be done, just stop taking a particular action.

Threatening hosts because they have had vindictive guests accomplishes nothing but infuriating hosts, and emboldening guests to be inappropriately demanding. Guests routinely give hosts low star ratings because hosts wouldn’t let them break the rules, check in early, check out late, bring extra guests, or other things in violation of host’s rules, and Airbnb knows this because we’ve told them. I've heard of more than one host who got an across the board 1 or 2 star rating, by a guest upset because the host didn't cave in to their demands, resulting in AIrbnb threats or "pauses" to their listing. I got an across the board 1 and 2-star rating from a guest who was angry that I did not offer free breakfast – nothing in my listing suggests that I offer breakfast.

Things like this should never happen. Airbnb can easily find a way to remove or disregard outlier ratings. The problem is not that the guest gives such a rating – it’s the fact that Airbnb takes such a review/rating seriously and punishes hosts for what amounts to guests’ vindictive behavior, that is the problem. As well, as I explained, it is unconscionable, unethical and dishonest that Airbnb tells guests that 4 stars is “good”, and then punishes hosts for getting a 4 star average. At the very least, Airbnb ought to be honest with guests how you interpret the star ratings – more like this:


Many hosts are finding themselves in the awkward position of having to thus explain Airbnb’s rating system to their guests. Hosts have rated Airbnb’s rating system and give it a 1 or 2 star rating.

So again, I would be willing to be contacted for feedback on any new products/launches, just not so confident I will really be heard.

Thanks, Mabel! A lot of hosts liked my response...on the FB group where I posted this, here were some of the responses to my messages:

Yes, one can always hope....

Some hosts have said that they think Airbnb might be planning to disband the Community Center, and that this might be why they're trying to find offsite host groups they can direct hosts toward. That's an interesting idea-- I have no idea if it's likely or not. Many of us have observed that from the get-go the Airbnb Community Center was quite awkward. They disregarded our concerns and advice, and set it up with a paid third party organization to do moderation. Their hope was that the CC would be a "nice" place where happy hosts would help other happy hosts and Airbnb newbies, and everyone would be happy and "excited" about everything to do with Airbnb.

Well, that would be more possible if they had policies and practices that really made hosts happy and gave hosts support. I mean, hosting really is fun, it's a great micro-entrepreneurial opportunity, the original vision of Airbnb at its founding was superb, and things like treehouse listings, hobbit house listings, converted school bus in the outback listings, the incredible diversity of listings, the Airbnb Opens, the bonds formed in the hosting community, the "experiences" opportunities, all of this really is wonderful stuff. It's just that some of Airbnb's policies have been rather disrespectful of hosts -- such as their misrepresentation of thei interpretation of the star rating system to guests. And the hiding of guest photos before booking. The "infants stay free" policy. The difficulty so many hosts have had getting reimbursed for damages done by guests. The problems with Airbnb customer service (bad decisions made by CS, failing to solve problems in a timely way). THe "Host Q&A" events which show disrespect when Brian et al take a host question, and then pretend to respond to it, while actually dodging the question and simply doing advertising for new products in their "answer."

So, the result of policies and practices that really upset hosts, is that a lot of posts on the CC are not only critical of Airbnb, but they call out to Airbnb for a response that isn't coming. It's one thing for a company to allow users to post comments critical of that company right on the company's website -- that can show openness and transparency, tolerance of criticism, which is good. But when this criticsm reaches a certain pitch, and the level of frustration and anger reaches a high point, and there are many calls for Airbnb to respond which go unanswered....then this just looks bad for Airbnb. So, they might be thinking it's better for all of the host community to be offsite.

On the other hand, there's a real need for an easy way for hosts to find help from other hosts, and without an Airbnb Community Center, that will be harder for them to find. So....we'll see....