Post by High Priestess on Feb 25, 2016 8:14:35 GMT
Linda shared on New Hosts Forum 2 years ago
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-34450
Trying to understand Response Rate
My Response Rate is showing as 86%. However, I have responded to every single Inquiry or Reservation I've received in a matter of hours.
I've looked at the FAQ for the explanation of Response Rate (https://www.airbnb.com/help/question/430) and it notes the following: A response rate is a percentage that denotes how responsive a host is to inquiries and reservation requests.
So, if I'm responding to ALL Inquiries and Requests in just a few hours, why do I not have a 100% Response Rate?
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Anil & Meena
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Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
Has your response rate generally been higher?
This has happened to many hosts, several of whom have commented on it here. It has happened to me twice that I know of and perhaps more, where in spite of answering all inquiries usually within minutes but always within 2 hours during the day and as soon as I wake up answering inquiries that came in the middle of the night, I have seen my response rate go down to 96% in one case and to 92% in another case. WHen this happened the first time I called Airbnb customer service and the customer service person could not figure out why this was happening.
Just in case it matters, whenever I get a message from a guest/prospective guest in an ongoing thread/dialogue between us, I always go to the website inbox and click on their message, even if it doesn't need a response or I already read their message thru my email. I figure it can't hurt to make sure that the little envelope icon in the upper right corner of the website doesn't have any pink numbers on it, potentially signifying "unread" mail.
The response rate will probably go back up on its own before long...but it is quite annoying that we are having these problems occurring and no one can explain why. And I have met at least one guest who said she never contacts hosts who don't have a 100% response (email hidden) our rating does in some cases effect our business!
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Leah
Leah2 years ago
I do the same thing, or at least try to be the one with the last response
Linda
Linda2 years ago
Deborah, I've never noticed it being any higher than this. It seems to be permanently stuck on 86%.
That's a good idea about checking the website Inbox, too. I've used the app when responding to messages that come in later at night or when I'm away from a computer, but noticed that the message still shows as unread when I come back to my computer. So maybe that's what is causing the issue. I'll have to try that and see if it improves things.
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Joshua
Joshua 2 years ago
the best i can advise is this: from your dashboard, in the area on the right where you see a display of your most recent messages, in the lower left corner, you will see a link in blue that says "All messages." Once you have clicked this link in the upper left hand corner you will see a popo up menu that says, "all messages (many)" if you activate that menu, you will see "all, starred, never responded, reservations, and deleted." if you have any to which you have not replied, herein may lie your answer.
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Joshua
Joshua 2 years ago
i meant in the lower right corner from your dashboard
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Linda
Linda2 years ago
Thanks, Ernest. I just followed your directions and checked the full message list. Every one is showing as read, but I'm sure at one point that wasn't the case. I'll be more vigilant about checking via the browser to make sure any messages I responded to via the app are marked as read. Hopefully that will help.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Deborah
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-34450
Trying to understand Response Rate
My Response Rate is showing as 86%. However, I have responded to every single Inquiry or Reservation I've received in a matter of hours.
I've looked at the FAQ for the explanation of Response Rate (https://www.airbnb.com/help/question/430) and it notes the following: A response rate is a percentage that denotes how responsive a host is to inquiries and reservation requests.
So, if I'm responding to ALL Inquiries and Requests in just a few hours, why do I not have a 100% Response Rate?
5 comments•1 like
Following
Like
Anil & Meena
Delete
Hide
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
Has your response rate generally been higher?
This has happened to many hosts, several of whom have commented on it here. It has happened to me twice that I know of and perhaps more, where in spite of answering all inquiries usually within minutes but always within 2 hours during the day and as soon as I wake up answering inquiries that came in the middle of the night, I have seen my response rate go down to 96% in one case and to 92% in another case. WHen this happened the first time I called Airbnb customer service and the customer service person could not figure out why this was happening.
Just in case it matters, whenever I get a message from a guest/prospective guest in an ongoing thread/dialogue between us, I always go to the website inbox and click on their message, even if it doesn't need a response or I already read their message thru my email. I figure it can't hurt to make sure that the little envelope icon in the upper right corner of the website doesn't have any pink numbers on it, potentially signifying "unread" mail.
The response rate will probably go back up on its own before long...but it is quite annoying that we are having these problems occurring and no one can explain why. And I have met at least one guest who said she never contacts hosts who don't have a 100% response (email hidden) our rating does in some cases effect our business!
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like Delete
Leah
Leah2 years ago
I do the same thing, or at least try to be the one with the last response
Linda
Linda2 years ago
Deborah, I've never noticed it being any higher than this. It seems to be permanently stuck on 86%.
That's a good idea about checking the website Inbox, too. I've used the app when responding to messages that come in later at night or when I'm away from a computer, but noticed that the message still shows as unread when I come back to my computer. So maybe that's what is causing the issue. I'll have to try that and see if it improves things.
Reply Like Delete
Joshua
Joshua 2 years ago
the best i can advise is this: from your dashboard, in the area on the right where you see a display of your most recent messages, in the lower left corner, you will see a link in blue that says "All messages." Once you have clicked this link in the upper left hand corner you will see a popo up menu that says, "all messages (many)" if you activate that menu, you will see "all, starred, never responded, reservations, and deleted." if you have any to which you have not replied, herein may lie your answer.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Joshua
Joshua 2 years ago
i meant in the lower right corner from your dashboard
Reply Like Delete
Linda
Linda2 years ago
Thanks, Ernest. I just followed your directions and checked the full message list. Every one is showing as read, but I'm sure at one point that wasn't the case. I'll be more vigilant about checking via the browser to make sure any messages I responded to via the app are marked as read. Hopefully that will help.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Deborah