Post by deborah on Sept 23, 2015 5:29:54 GMT
The Reviews are killing me!!
For other high volume hosts.....are you writing so many reviews each week that they are becoming tedious?? I've got a handful of "stock phrases"...."took great care of the cottage"....."no problems noted"....."easy to host"...."welcome back any time"....."recommended to other hosts"....Anyone want to swap "phrases"
I just finished about 10 reviews...Most of my guests are perfectly fine...pretty generic, in fact....they don't generate much excitement in my reviews...in fact, I have to open up another window so I can review the correspondence between us, because I have a hard time remembering who they are & something unusual about them!! Oh yeah...that was the honeymoon couple...Oh yeah...that guy was a hunk/girlfriend/wife was beautiful...
Otherwise...ho hum....any one have suggestions on how to inject something exciting into these routine reviews???
Guess I shouldn't be complaining----with all the horror stories from hosts!
Reply:
I feel the same way. So many that they become identical.
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I must say, that I usually use the exact same language when I review a guest and that it is extremely rare for me to skip a review. The only times I diverge from my standard review is when a guest is particularly impressionable either in a positive or negative way. I will add that I try to be very specific when I am unhappy with a guest stating clearly and unambiguously what it was that they did or did not do so as to benefit the host community. I wish more hosts were as thorough and honest.
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hahah yeah sometimes it feels like you are coping and pasting when actually you are not (if you were, at least it would be easier).
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I've only not reviewed 2 of my guests. In one case there was an incident that airbnb dealt with and so a review was pointless as their profile was removed. In the other case, I didn't care for htem, but I realized it was a very personal opinion that likely wouldn't impact their stay with another host but I just couldn't think of a good way to say anything. they also didn't review me.
and yes, most of my reviews are similar unless the guest makes a particular impression either good or bad.
if it's bad but not "get these people off airbnb" bad then I try to say something suitably uninteresting enough that hopefully another host will pick up on the lack of enthusiasm. if I like them I try to make it clear that they were either a fun guest or whatever it was that made them stand out.
Deborah (High Priestess)
There was another post on this issue recently in Airbnb's New Hosts Forum I believe -- the point being the same as yours, that it is difficult to write reviews for "average" guests, who dont' stand out. People know what to say about the ones who really impress us or we hit it off with, but what about the ho-hum guests.
I replied on that post that I write a review for every guest, because just like reviews are important to hosts, they are important to guests, especially those who have few or none. I do end up, however, saying many of the same things over and over, for the guests who were average, nothing stellar or remarkable, or who I hardly spoke to, because we didn't see each other much.
I generally use phrases such as "X was a pleasant guest, easy-going, a gentle and soft-spoken person, who found his/her way around easily and didn't need much help, who was quiet and helped keep common areas clean (even if they didnt' leave their room that clean, at least they kept common areas clean), a polite and respectful person and I would welcome X back again anytime."
Like Keith I find that I write pretty much the identical review for many guests. I have read host reviews that were even shorter and not really a review so much as a thank you, eg, "Kay was wonderful, glad to have her stay with me." I think one doesn't have to be original -- guests are happy to just have positive things said about them and get a review on their profile.
Reply
I dont' put that in the review about how they didn't leave their room clean, I mean that as an explanation about why I would just refer to common areas and not overall cleanliness....
For other high volume hosts.....are you writing so many reviews each week that they are becoming tedious?? I've got a handful of "stock phrases"...."took great care of the cottage"....."no problems noted"....."easy to host"...."welcome back any time"....."recommended to other hosts"....Anyone want to swap "phrases"
I just finished about 10 reviews...Most of my guests are perfectly fine...pretty generic, in fact....they don't generate much excitement in my reviews...in fact, I have to open up another window so I can review the correspondence between us, because I have a hard time remembering who they are & something unusual about them!! Oh yeah...that was the honeymoon couple...Oh yeah...that guy was a hunk/girlfriend/wife was beautiful...Otherwise...ho hum....any one have suggestions on how to inject something exciting into these routine reviews???
Guess I shouldn't be complaining----with all the horror stories from hosts!
Reply:
I feel the same way. So many that they become identical.
Reply
I must say, that I usually use the exact same language when I review a guest and that it is extremely rare for me to skip a review. The only times I diverge from my standard review is when a guest is particularly impressionable either in a positive or negative way. I will add that I try to be very specific when I am unhappy with a guest stating clearly and unambiguously what it was that they did or did not do so as to benefit the host community. I wish more hosts were as thorough and honest.
Reply
hahah yeah sometimes it feels like you are coping and pasting when actually you are not (if you were, at least it would be easier).
Reply
I've only not reviewed 2 of my guests. In one case there was an incident that airbnb dealt with and so a review was pointless as their profile was removed. In the other case, I didn't care for htem, but I realized it was a very personal opinion that likely wouldn't impact their stay with another host but I just couldn't think of a good way to say anything. they also didn't review me.
and yes, most of my reviews are similar unless the guest makes a particular impression either good or bad.
if it's bad but not "get these people off airbnb" bad then I try to say something suitably uninteresting enough that hopefully another host will pick up on the lack of enthusiasm. if I like them I try to make it clear that they were either a fun guest or whatever it was that made them stand out.
Deborah (High Priestess)
There was another post on this issue recently in Airbnb's New Hosts Forum I believe -- the point being the same as yours, that it is difficult to write reviews for "average" guests, who dont' stand out. People know what to say about the ones who really impress us or we hit it off with, but what about the ho-hum guests.
I replied on that post that I write a review for every guest, because just like reviews are important to hosts, they are important to guests, especially those who have few or none. I do end up, however, saying many of the same things over and over, for the guests who were average, nothing stellar or remarkable, or who I hardly spoke to, because we didn't see each other much.
I generally use phrases such as "X was a pleasant guest, easy-going, a gentle and soft-spoken person, who found his/her way around easily and didn't need much help, who was quiet and helped keep common areas clean (even if they didnt' leave their room that clean, at least they kept common areas clean), a polite and respectful person and I would welcome X back again anytime."
Like Keith I find that I write pretty much the identical review for many guests. I have read host reviews that were even shorter and not really a review so much as a thank you, eg, "Kay was wonderful, glad to have her stay with me." I think one doesn't have to be original -- guests are happy to just have positive things said about them and get a review on their profile.
Reply
I dont' put that in the review about how they didn't leave their room clean, I mean that as an explanation about why I would just refer to common areas and not overall cleanliness....
