Hosts being directed to Airbnb groups to get help w/ ratings

Rebecca shared on New Hosts Forum 6 months ago

www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-166556


Hosts being directed to the Groups to get tips on achieving 5* through warnings


Rebecca


Is this a new thing? I've just received another yellow warning of 'Room for Improvement' because my latest guests only rated me 'Great (4)' instead of 'Fantastic (5)'. Among the asinine tips there is one, with a direct link, advising me to go to the Groups to get tips on how I can become 'Fantastic'. Leaving aside the nonsense of 'warning' guests that they are only 'great' and that, apparently, is just not good enough, I am mightily pissed off that people like Andrew and Deborah and many others who dedicate their time to helping other hosts are now being incorporated into the machine with no thought. You don't get paid, right? So how dare they just assume your time and energy is free? Maybe I missed a memo. A memo? What am I thinking.... they tell us nothing until months after the fact when we get a lovey dovey newsletter about all the things they already implemented. I'm mad about this. It's not right. Unless you guys ARE being paid for your time, in which case fair enough.
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Dajana


Dajana6 months ago
I would love to see guests being directed to groups for improvement on how to be a better guest and on how to review.

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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Yes you're right that the groups are a great source of advice and information (mostly, not always) but my point is that they are being used as an "official" resource for hosts. I'm questioning the fact that help and advice is being outsourced with no recompense with just a hey, we're so cool, it's a community, we don't have any responsibility (email hidden)c etc. People post some really serious problems on these groups and often it is because they are not getting the support they need from Airbnb. I'm sure it's difficult to manage that grey area between between being a touchy-feely Mankind is Good enterprise and a billion dollar company that is, let's not pretend otherwise, intending to go public.

Nic and Rach



Nic and Rach6 months ago
I will be mad too Rebecca... but really, what else can we do here.. We know that we are doing our job to make sure we will be rated a fantastic 5 but these lovely guests of ours are somehow improperly bizzy bone drunk rating us host..
What the hell is wrong with these guests I am so sorry Rebecca I feel your pain... let's go snorkeling and cool off a little bit.. you're still doing a fantastic job IMHO .. 330 guests and 41/2 stars on value, cleanliness and location.. and 5 stars with all the rest .. I really believe you can work on those 1/2 stars Rebecca ... You can do it !!!

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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
You know where you can shove those 1/2 stars, don't you Nic and Rach? LOL!
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Nic and Rach
Nic and Rach6 months ago
LOL Rebecca.. Shove it on their A's or AirBNB ?

Andrew


Andrew6 months ago
Straight up the Belo.

Evelyn


Evelyn6 months ago
From a guests mouth.. I don't give 5 stars.. And I was.. That's what I strive for.. as I held him by his toes over the lava.

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Ines and Steve


Ines and Steve6 months ago
No matter what some guests refuse to give 5 stars which is very disheartening when you try so hard

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Judy


Judy6 months ago
Unbelievable Rebecca - you're one of the earliest hosts, taking on all the changes over the years. and that is an offensive thing to receive. I would take it as an insult as well, and no doubt will, as you're probably in the test area and it will "roll out" to the rest of us as well.
Is it a superhost warning perhaps, to let you know you''re falling below par? Whatevs, you shouldn't be threatened for not being perfect in the eyes of a single guest who more than likely was an Airbnb virgin anyway!!
And I agree that the groups shouldn't be expected to act as coaches, giving free advice to other 'humans" about how to be touchy feely, leave chocolates on pillows and cook meals for these people who are being given such high expectations by all the fluffy new advertising.
I look up to you as a "veteran host" (that's Airbnb speak), love reading all your comments and will keep cheering you on.

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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Aw thanks Judy, that's made my day! I don't blame the guests generally - they are simply following the guidelines that say a 4 is 'Great'. My place does have limitations and I'm still amazed that anyone gives me 5 stars for everything. The less than 5 stars for accuracy and communication bother me the most because those are areas I really do try to excel. Also value and arrival, I guess.

Deborah


Deborah6 months ago
Andrew and I definitely dont' get paid...and what's more we (or at least "I", not sure if Andrew has gotten one...) sometimes get the yellow warnings too! And, like others who get those, "We" (now I"m using the "royal we") are sometimes quite annoyed by not only the yellow warning lights but the whole gosh darned star ratings system that admittedly is based on a rather weak premise -- namely that guest's ratings of us always are reliable.

Well humans being what human beings are and all, these star ratings are sometimes quite subjective and arbitrary -- not to mention the cases brought up by Evelyn and Ines and Steve, where guests simply refuse to follow instructions or consider context, and have decided in advance that you, you humble host, can't possibly be a 5-star place because you're not the Hyatt Regency or the MGM Grand!

So I concur with Dajana, let's have tutorials for guests. Let's have how to get better groups for guests.

Now we here on the groups certainly do help hosts do better in a lot of ways, but those aren't things that are necessarily all appreciated by guests, or even noticed by guests. For instance we help hosts do better in removing that stain that the guest left, but what does the guest know about that, they left us 3 stars because there was a fly in the house and then a stain to remember them by and try our darnedest to rub out. Sometimes we on groups help hosts improve at things that help guests, such as clearer house rules, better photos, more refined technique...but no matter how we help hosts, we aren't going to be able to help you add a jacuzzi, swimming pool, and tennis court to your humble abode, and without that some guests will just say you aren't a 5.

So if you come to groups -- it's not to "get fantastic" -- it's because you already are fantastic. Now Airbnb just needs to believe that.

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Alan


Alan6 months ago
Bravo Deborah (standing ovation)

Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Great post, Deborah I think the fundamental problem is Airbnb pushing for consistent 5 star ratings. It's just silly. If we all have 5 stars the whole rating system is meaningless. 4 stars is good enough. We shouldn't get a warning unless it's 3 or less, in my opinion.

Evelyn
Evelyn6 months ago
Well said Deborah. The reality is you have over 8k members in this group but we only hear from a few, very active hosts. We want to improve our homes, our lives and be better hosts. This isn't a hobby.

One of the reasons I don't hike up my prices to the suggested Airbnb price is because I don't want to be dinged in value. What would you want for an over $350 a night apartment in NY? I don't have a dishwasher, washer, dryer and a lot of amenities you expect for that price.

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Lisa
Lisa6 months ago
Ya know, I've been thinking about the whole problematic star ratings (haven't we all?!) I think it would be much more helpful and keeping things balanced is to have Airbnb itself to give us all an overall star rating and have guests book on that premise, just like hotels.
A few months ago I stayed at a B & B on the beach. No Airbnb properties available so I used booking.com and booked into a regular B & B. It was rated a 3*property and was in budget and written reviews were good. I didn't expect the Taj Mahal, I expected somewhere that was clean, friendly and a few steps from the beach. The furnishings were outdated and a few glitches but the caretaker called Ellen was such a sweetheart and went out of her way to make sure you were taken care of, as most of us do with our guests. I had a marvelous relaxing time and spent the mornings chatting with Ellen, it was really great! I'm always happy to book a commercial place that has been assigned a star rating based on industry guidelines and to go with written reviews left by guests. It's just not fairm to leave it to Joe Public with no hospitality qualifications to be assigning a star rating to our homes that we love!
I fear lots of Edinburgh hosts are moving to get dinged this month on value because Festival is on. Yup, we all put our prices up for August but it's monumentally better value than even the Travelodge which marks up to £200 per night in August. Even the Hostel around the corner is going for £30pppn in a 8 bedded dorm! Airbnb is an official sponsor of Edinburgh Festival this year and it is making Festival more accessible and affordable to some folk that maybre couldn't afford to come before. I've just gotten the congratulations email that my last 4 reviews were all 5*, to which next week I'll get a warning. It's all very psycho of Airbnb! And reminds me of an ex boyfriend of mine!
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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Yep! I've come to expect lower ratings for value in August. I just think fondly of the money.... Many guests have no idea about the Festival and so I always tell them at the time of inquiry that prices are higher at this time and that they should consider this when considering value for money. It helps a bit I think. As for Airbnb providing the ratings , I see what you mean but can't think how it would actually be workable? But you're completely right about the comparison with hotels & regular B&Bs on star ratings. As you say, you don't think twice about booking a 3 or 4 star place because it's within your budget. Why do Airbnb listings have to be so special?? [tentatively waves olive branch, by the way......]

Ines and Steve
Ines and Steve6 months ago
Totally agree Lisa , toy can do so well and then someone decides to only give you four stars so it's not only a set back on your ranking but also personally

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Fiona


Fiona6 months ago
I've just stopped scrolling down the page to read the star stuff. My reviews are good, I'm getting bookings and that's all that matters.

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David


David6 months ago
Way to wind up host?! Is there anything more patronising than receiving one of these 'slap on the wrists' alerts from Airbnb? To me Airbnb is now starting to veer towards becoming a tyrant. It has a feel of a cult sometimes which is extremely worrying. Wish there was a way - en masse - we could object to these policy changes, and the host/corporate juggernaut dynamic. Because in my option it is starting to become severely out of sync?

Reply Like 1 reply•3 likes Delete
Judy
Judy6 months ago
A cult - like IBM.... or Scientology??? Nah, just California dreamin'.

Raymond & Elaine


Raymond & Elaine6 months ago
Since when has GREAT not been er....great ? If the slightest bit goes wrong, a niggle with ones partner, bad weather, headache, anything that would stop the experience from being fantastique. It might have nothing to do with us. I love Deborah's last line "So if you come to groups -- it's not to "get fantastic" -- it's because you already are fantastic. Now Airbnb just needs to believe that."

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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Exactly! This is what is annoying me most of all. It's crazy to think that hosts can deliver a Fantastic experience 100% of the time. Just unrealistic and ultimately makes the rating system meaningless.

Drew


Drew6 months ago
airbnb has always, and continues, to operate in a vacuum vis-a-vis Host policy. I've mentioned to them (Chip and his group) ad nauseum that this horrible corporate culture will circle back and bite them in the proverbial arse. Seems I'm a sage and should be putting down some on the lotto.


Along the same lines, I've also made suggestions that airbnb put greater effort towards onboarding new Guests (on how to actually *read* a Listing, ins/outs of Homesharing, reviews and, yes, expectation setting). I'm just amazed that this company, now valued at a ridiculous $23B, continues to operate like a 3 year old riding a bike on training wheels. They should be well beyond this sort of 'hey, we're a startup' dipshittery.


And, not to toot my own horn, but these things were clearly detailed to Chip and his group over two years ago in a meeting I had with him/them at HQ, fyi. It's time airbnb broke out Hospitality and actually created a cost center *explicitly* for Hosts - and more importantly, leadership with some actual teeth to enact policy & changes. As it is, Chip's group (Hospitality - which 'owns,' both, Guests and Hosts) has a built-in conflict of interest rendering it utterly USELESS for the Host side of the house. This is just terrible business and, again, I maintain an artifact of aibnb's troubled and insular corporate culture.

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Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
"I'm just amazed that this company, now valued at a ridiculous $23B, continues to operate like a 3 year old riding a bike on training wheels. They should be well beyond this sort of 'hey, we're a startup' dipshittery. " Absolutely brilliant summary, Drew! I don't know what you mean about a 'cost centre', though. Sorry if it's annoying and I'm being stupid but can you explain it ?

Drew
Drew6 months ago
A cost centre is simply a separate department within a corporation responsible for it's own budget. Owning a budget tends to raise the visibility and priorities for a specific corporate function. Hence why it's acutely necessary for airbnb to parse out ownership of Hosts and have it operate 'independently' from the other cost centers. The fact that Hosts/Listings remain without an advocate 'on the hook' (being that Hosts/Listings are the only real 'product' airbnb has to offer) reveals very much about why so many problems persist within the Host community. It's just mind-blowing that the company continues to operate so inefficiently and...frankly, so poorly.

Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
Thanks Drew. My background is in the public sector so business practices are sometimes a mystery to me. However, some things are important no matter what sector. I worked for many years as a network coordinator and, frankly, if our communication with members was as poor as Airbnb most of our projects would have failed outright. There is a huge mismatch between the marketing stuff and the reality in Airbnb. Eventually it's going to blow up in your face if you keep talking about 'community' but do nothing (in fact negative nothing!) to foster that in real practical ways.

Rachel


Rachel6 months ago
Well so far I haven't had the naughty girl email telling me that I am not up to scratch but also I have not had a good girl email telling me that I am amazing. Yes, all my recent reviews have been solid 5 stars but the pressure to maintain that level is totally unreasonable. I have two guests arriving next Thursday from S Korea who are upset with me already. They touch down at 6.30pm at Heathrow and also at 6.30pm it is almost certain that the second London tube strike in a week will start. The tube strike is, of course, my fault. I am responsible for this - not the bloody drivers. "So" they ask me. "how will you get us from Heathrow to your house?" "What will you do?" I've given them as much info as I possibly can about buses, the Heathrow Connect train link to Ealing, but still they moan. I think they are angling for a lift, but they're out of luck as I have no car at the moment. I even suggested a cab but that is too expensive and now they are angling for a discount on my agreed price. So for the first time I am dreading the arrival of my guests which is not the way I want to feel, I'm supposed to be happy and welcoming for heaven's sake, not cross and snappy. So I'll get marked down on arrival, marked down on value, and God knows what else. To add to my woes, this is a father/daughter combo who are sharing a bed, which makes me feel uncomfortable anyway. I just wish I had declined them straight away. Ah well, have had my little rant, am just going to go and kick something!

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Evelyn
Evelyn6 months ago
I feel you Rachel. We could feel that bad guests/ review coming. I know I became all defensive and not a great host with some demanding guests. I have a client who was feeling the same way about an upcoming guest and he made them cancel and go somewhere else. He felt their demands were excessive. He already felt a bad review coming. It was a lot of money, but as soon as the guest cancelled he felt the weight lifted from his shoulders.

Raymond & Elaine
Raymond & Elaine6 months ago
Avoid the dog please.

David
David6 months ago
External events can shape reviews so much. A recent guest fell attempting to board a London bus which were crowded due to last tube strike. She literally HATED everything about her visit, hated London. my house, the stairs, sharing a bathroom. Left negative reviews and in private feedback 1 thing she liked - the location , then a list of 20 things I need to improve on! 20!

Another failed to keep me informed of 4 hr delay, so I sat waiting like a fool thinking he would arrive any second. No response to my phone calls, text, messages via airbnb. He apologised in his public review then gave me 4* stars for arrival and communication - the 2 areas he deserved a 1* for.

Friday 2 hr Eurostar delay, no update I only found out whn I phoned them to check something. They then decided to go for lunch whilst I sat waiting and waiting. I then phoned and said look you need to arrive in next 15 minutes because I need to get to other guests. So due to their utter selfishness arrival was "crap'. And yes I could just get a lockbox but I would prefer not to host unless I meet the strangers coming into my house and check them out and ensure I go over,house,rules in person. Because odd,times I have left a key it has resulted in major issues.


I try to convince myself I do not care about the *'s but when you see a filter for guests to select visa 'superhost" amd airbnb pushing everyone to use the app (a platform guests cannot read any response you leave to negative reviews) it does make me a little frustrated.....

Another guest failed to mention

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Dajana
Dajana6 months ago
I wonder why we don't have an option to star guests on arrival, too. Although it doesn't seem important considering their stars are invisible. I would really like to see some improvement on that field, too.

Rebecca
Rebecca6 months ago
I don't really mind when the odd guest (odd in all senses!) leaves a strange rating for some unfathomable reason. What I DO mind is being told to improve by Airbnb just because I got a 4 instead of a 5. That pisses me right off. Also, if someone leaves a very low rating (3 or less) and you don't get information on why, how the hell are you supposed to fix it?

Deborah



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older version w/o commenter names


Hosts being directed to the Groups to get tips on achieving 5* through warnings

Is this a new thing? I've just received another yellow warning of 'Room for Improvement' because my latest guests only rated me 'Great (4)' instead of 'Fantastic (5)'. Among the asinine tips there is one, with a direct link, advising me to go to the Groups to get tips on how I can become 'Fantastic'. Leaving aside the nonsense of 'warning' guests that they are only 'great' and that, apparently, is just not good enough, I am mightily pissed off that people like Andrew and Deborah and many others who dedicate their time to helping other hosts are now being incorporated into the machine with no thought. You don't get paid, right? So how dare they just assume your time and energy is free? Maybe I missed a memo. A memo? What am I thinking.... they tell us nothing until months after the fact when we get a lovey dovey newsletter about all the things they already implemented. I'm mad about this. It's not right. Unless you guys ARE being paid for your time, in which case fair enough.

Reply 1:
I would love to see guests being directed to groups for improvement on how to be a better guest and on how to review.

Reply 2:
Yes you're right that the groups are a great source of advice and information (mostly, not always) but my point is that they are being used as an "official" resource for hosts. I'm questioning the fact that help and advice is being outsourced with no recompense with just a hey, we're so cool, it's a community, we don't have any responsibility (email hidden)c etc. People post some really serious problems on these groups and often it is because they are not getting the support they need from Airbnb. I'm sure it's difficult to manage that grey area between between being a touchy-feely Mankind is Good enterprise and a billion dollar company that is, let's not pretend otherwise, intending to go public.

Reply 3:
I will be mad too ... but really, what else can we do here.. We know that we are doing our job to make sure we will be rated a fantastic 5 but these lovely guests of ours are somehow improperly bizzy bone drunk rating us host..
What the hell is wrong with these guests I am so sorry I feel your pain... let's go snorkeling and cool off a little bit.. you're still doing a fantastic job IMHO .. 330 guests and 41/2 stars on value, cleanliness and location.. and 5 stars with all the rest .. I really believe you can work on those 1/2 stars ... You can do it !!!

Reply 4:
You know where you can shove those 1/2 stars, don't you? LOL!


Reply 5:
LOL .. Shove it on their A's or AirBNB ?

Reply 6:
Straight up the Belo.

REply 7:
From a guests mouth.. I don't give 5 stars.. And I was.. That's what I strive for.. as I held him by his toes over the lava.

Reply 8:
No matter what some guests refuse to give 5 stars which is very disheartening when you try so hard

Reply 9:
Unbelievable - you're one of the earliest hosts, taking on all the changes over the years. and that is an offensive thing to receive. I would take it as an insult as well, and no doubt will, as you're probably in the test area and it will "roll out" to the rest of us as well.
Is it a superhost warning perhaps, to let you know you''re falling below par? Whatevs, you shouldn't be threatened for not being perfect in the eyes of a single guest who more than likely was an Airbnb virgin anyway!!
And I agree that the groups shouldn't be expected to act as coaches, giving free advice to other 'humans" about how to be touchy feely, leave chocolates on pillows and cook meals for these people who are being given such high expectations by all the fluffy new advertising.
I look up to you as a "veteran host" (that's Airbnb speak), love reading all your comments and will keep cheering you on.

Reply 10:
Aw thanks Judy, that's made my day! I don't blame the guests generally - they are simply following the guidelines that say a 4 is 'Great'. My place does have limitations and I'm still amazed that anyone gives me 5 stars for everything. The less than 5 stars for accuracy and communication bother me the most because those are areas I really do try to excel. Also value and arrival, I guess.

Reply 11:
We definitely dont' get paid...and what's more we (or at least "I", not sure if Andrew has gotten one...) sometimes get the yellow warnings too! And, like others who get those, "We" (now I"m using the "royal we") are sometimes quite annoyed by not only the yellow warning lights but the whole gosh darned star ratings system that admittedly is based on a rather weak premise -- namely that guest's ratings of us always are reliable.

Well humans being what human beings are and all, these star ratings are sometimes quite subjective and arbitrary -- not to mention the cases brought up by Evelyn and Ines and Steve, where guests simply refuse to follow instructions or consider context, and have decided in advance that you, you humble host, can't possibly be a 5-star place because you're not the Hyatt Regency or the MGM Grand!

So I concur, let's have tutorials for guests. Let's have how to get better groups for guests.

Now we on the groups certainly do help hosts do better in a lot of ways, but those aren't things that are necessarily all appreciated by guests, or even noticed by guests. For instance we help hosts do better in removing that stain that the guest left, but what does the guest know about that, they left us 3 stars because there was a fly in the house and then a stain to remember them by and try our darnedest to rub out. Sometimes we on groups help hosts improve at things that help guests, such as clearer house rules, better photos, more refined technique...but no matter how we help hosts, we aren't going to be able to help you add a jacuzzi, swimming pool, and tennis court to your humble abode, and without that some guests will just say you aren't a 5.

So if you come to groups -- it's not to "get fantastic" -- it's because you already are fantastic. Now Airbnb just needs to believe that.


Reply 12:
Bravo Deborah (standing ovation)

Reply 13:
Great post, Deborah I think the fundamental problem is Airbnb pushing for consistent 5 star ratings. It's just silly. If we all have 5 stars the whole rating system is meaningless. 4 stars is good enough. We shouldn't get a warning unless it's 3 or less, in my opinion.

REply 14:
Well said Deborah. The reality is you have over 8k members in that group but we only hear from a few, very active hosts. We want to improve our homes, our lives and be better hosts. This isn't a hobby.

One of the reasons I don't hike up my prices to the suggested Airbnb price is because I don't want to be dinged in value. What would you want for an over $350 a night apartment in NY? I don't have a dishwasher, washer, dryer and a lot of amenities you expect for that price.

Reply 15:
Ya know, I've been thinking about the whole problematic star ratings (haven't we all?!) I think it would be much more helpful and keeping things balanced is to have Airbnb itself to give us all an overall star rating and have guests book on that premise, just like hotels.
A few months ago I stayed at a B & B on the beach. No Airbnb properties available so I used booking.com and booked into a regular B & B. It was rated a 3*property and was in budget and written reviews were good. I didn't expect the Taj Mahal, I expected somewhere that was clean, friendly and a few steps from the beach. The furnishings were outdated and a few glitches but the caretaker called Ellen was such a sweetheart and went out of her way to make sure you were taken care of, as most of us do with our guests. I had a marvelous relaxing time and spent the mornings chatting with Ellen, it was really great! I'm always happy to book a commercial place that has been assigned a star rating based on industry guidelines and to go with written reviews left by guests. It's just not fairm to leave it to Joe Public with no hospitality qualifications to be assigning a star rating to our homes that we love!
I fear lots of Edinburgh hosts are moving to get dinged this month on value because Festival is on. Yup, we all put our prices up for August but it's monumentally better value than even the Travelodge which marks up to £200 per night in August. Even the Hostel around the corner is going for £30pppn in a 8 bedded dorm! Airbnb is an official sponsor of Edinburgh Festival this year and it is making Festival more accessible and affordable to some folk that maybre couldn't afford to come before. I've just gotten the congratulations email that my last 4 reviews were all 5*, to which next week I'll get a warning. It's all very psycho of Airbnb! And reminds me of an ex boyfriend of mine!


Reply 16:
Yep! I've come to expect lower ratings for value in August. I just think fondly of the money.... Many guests have no idea about the Festival and so I always tell them at the time of inquiry that prices are higher at this time and that they should consider this when considering value for money. It helps a bit I think. As for Airbnb providing the ratings , I see what you mean but can't think how it would actually be workable? But you're completely right about the comparison with hotels & regular B&Bs on star ratings. As you say, you don't think twice about booking a 3 or 4 star place because it's within your budget. Why do Airbnb listings have to be so special?? [tentatively waves olive branch, by the way......]

Reply 17:
Totally agree , you can do so well and then someone decides to only give you four stars so it's not only a set back on your ranking but also personally

Reply 18:
I've just stopped scrolling down the page to read the star stuff. My reviews are good, I'm getting bookings and that's all that matters.

Reply 19:
Way to wind up host?! Is there anything more patronising than receiving one of these 'slap on the wrists' alerts from Airbnb? To me Airbnb is now starting to veer towards becoming a tyrant. It has a feel of a cult sometimes which is extremely worrying. Wish there was a way - en masse - we could object to these policy changes, and the host/corporate juggernaut dynamic. Because in my option it is starting to become severely out of sync?

Reply 20:
A cult - like IBM.... or Scientology??? Nah, just California dreamin'.

Reply 21:
Since when has GREAT not been er....great ? If the slightest bit goes wrong, a niggle with ones partner, bad weather, headache, anything that would stop the experience from being fantastique. It might have nothing to do with us. I love Deborah's last line "So if you come to groups -- it's not to "get fantastic" -- it's because you already are fantastic. Now Airbnb just needs to believe that."

Reply 22:
Exactly! This is what is annoying me most of all. It's crazy to think that hosts can deliver a Fantastic experience 100% of the time. Just unrealistic and ultimately makes the rating system meaningless.

REply 23:
airbnb has always, and continues, to operate in a vacuum vis-a-vis Host policy. I've mentioned to them (Chip and his group) ad nauseum that this horrible corporate culture will circle back and bite them in the proverbial arse. Seems I'm a sage and should be putting down some on the lotto.


Along the same lines, I've also made suggestions that airbnb put greater effort towards onboarding new Guests (on how to actually *read* a Listing, ins/outs of Homesharing, reviews and, yes, expectation setting). I'm just amazed that this company, now valued at a ridiculous $23B, continues to operate like a 3 year old riding a bike on training wheels. They should be well beyond this sort of 'hey, we're a startup' dipshittery.


And, not to toot my own horn, but these things were clearly detailed to Chip and his group over two years ago in a meeting I had with him/them at HQ, fyi. It's time airbnb broke out Hospitality and actually created a cost center *explicitly* for Hosts - and more importantly, leadership with some actual teeth to enact policy & changes. As it is, Chip's group (Hospitality - which 'owns,' both, Guests and Hosts) has a built-in conflict of interest rendering it utterly USELESS for the Host side of the house. This is just terrible business and, again, I maintain an artifact of aibnb's troubled and insular corporate culture.

Reply 24:
"I'm just amazed that this company, now valued at a ridiculous $23B, continues to operate like a 3 year old riding a bike on training wheels. They should be well beyond this sort of 'hey, we're a startup' dipshittery. " Absolutely brilliant summary, Drew! I don't know what you mean about a 'cost centre', though. Sorry if it's annoying and I'm being stupid but can you explain it ?

Reply 25:
A cost centre is simply a separate department within a corporation responsible for it's own budget. Owning a budget tends to raise the visibility and priorities for a specific corporate function. Hence why it's acutely necessary for airbnb to parse out ownership of Hosts and have it operate 'independently' from the other cost centers. The fact that Hosts/Listings remain without an advocate 'on the hook' (being that Hosts/Listings are the only real 'product' airbnb has to offer) reveals very much about why so many problems persist within the Host community. It's just mind-blowing that the company continues to operate so inefficiently and...frankly, so poorly.

Reply 26:
Thanks. My background is in the public sector so business practices are sometimes a mystery to me. However, some things are important no matter what sector. I worked for many years as a network coordinator and, frankly, if our communication with members was as poor as Airbnb most of our projects would have failed outright. There is a huge mismatch between the marketing stuff and the reality in Airbnb. Eventually it's going to blow up in your face if you keep talking about 'community' but do nothing (in fact negative nothing!) to foster that in real practical ways.

Reply 27:
Well so far I haven't had the naughty girl email telling me that I am not up to scratch but also I have not had a good girl email telling me that I am amazing. Yes, all my recent reviews have been solid 5 stars but the pressure to maintain that level is totally unreasonable. I have two guests arriving next Thursday from S Korea who are upset with me already. They touch down at 6.30pm at Heathrow and also at 6.30pm it is almost certain that the second London tube strike in a week will start. The tube strike is, of course, my fault. I am responsible for this - not the bloody drivers. "So" they ask me. "how will you get us from Heathrow to your house?" "What will you do?" I've given them as much info as I possibly can about buses, the Heathrow Connect train link to Ealing, but still they moan. I think they are angling for a lift, but they're out of luck as I have no car at the moment. I even suggested a cab but that is too expensive and now they are angling for a discount on my agreed price. So for the first time I am dreading the arrival of my guests which is not the way I want to feel, I'm supposed to be happy and welcoming for heaven's sake, not cross and snappy. So I'll get marked down on arrival, marked down on value, and God knows what else. To add to my woes, this is a father/daughter combo who are sharing a bed, which makes me feel uncomfortable anyway. I just wish I had declined them straight away. Ah well, have had my little rant, am just going to go and kick something!

Reply 28:
I feel you Rachel. We could feel that bad guests/ review coming. I know I became all defensive and not a great host with some demanding guests. I have a client who was feeling the same way about an upcoming guest and he made them cancel and go somewhere else. He felt their demands were excessive. He already felt a bad review coming. It was a lot of money, but as soon as the guest cancelled he felt the weight lifted from his shoulders.

Reply 29:
Avoid the dog please.

Reply 30:
External events can shape reviews so much. A recent guest fell attempting to board a London bus which were crowded due to last tube strike. She literally HATED everything about her visit, hated London. my house, the stairs, sharing a bathroom. Left negative reviews and in private feedback 1 thing she liked - the location , then a list of 20 things I need to improve on! 20!

Another failed to keep me informed of 4 hr delay, so I sat waiting like a fool thinking he would arrive any second. No response to my phone calls, text, messages via airbnb. He apologised in his public review then gave me 4* stars for arrival and communication - the 2 areas he deserved a 1* for.

Friday 2 hr Eurostar delay, no update I only found out whn I phoned them to check something. They then decided to go for lunch whilst I sat waiting and waiting. I then phoned and said look you need to arrive in next 15 minutes because I need to get to other guests. So due to their utter selfishness arrival was "crap'. And yes I could just get a lockbox but I would prefer not to host unless I meet the strangers coming into my house and check them out and ensure I go over,house,rules in person. Because odd,times I have left a key it has resulted in major issues.


I try to convince myself I do not care about the *'s but when you see a filter for guests to select visa 'superhost" amd airbnb pushing everyone to use the app (a platform guests cannot read any response you leave to negative reviews) it does make me a little frustrated.....

Another guest failed to mention

Reply 31:
I wonder why we don't have an option to star guests on arrival, too. Although it doesn't seem important considering their stars are invisible. I would really like to see some improvement on that field, too.

Reply 32:
I don't really mind when the odd guest (odd in all senses!) leaves a strange rating for some unfathomable reason. What I DO mind is being told to improve by Airbnb just because I got a 4 instead of a 5. That pisses me right off. Also, if someone leaves a very low rating (3 or less) and you don't get information on why, how the hell are you supposed to fix it?