New Extensive Review Process

[Lisa367]

I am a superhost on Airbnb and recently rented an apartment as a guest.  Has anyone else noticed the new very extensive review process that Airbnb has implimented?  As a host, it's really frustrating because this is where people get the most passive aggressive.  As a host, you're already scrutinized over everything, but to really allow the guests to dig deep into each individual aspect of their stay (ie:  "smells" and "sounds", REALLY??) is really problematic.  For example, our last guest left a private review that there was a "nauseating smell of burnt meat" on the "cleanliness/smells" star.  First of all, we didn't cook at all while this guest was in our house, she must have smelled one of the neighbors cooking, and second of all, we're in Sicily, so there are definitely going to be food smells coming in from all angles at certain times a day.  This feedback really bothered me because it was unnecessary and obviously had nothing to do with us since it wasn't even coming from our house.  I would've preferred these guests just keep these types of thoughts to themselves and enter it in the private feedback to me, rather than giving them the option of selecting specific things to complain about.  As a host who has new guests almost every 2 days, the last thing I need to hear is random complaining from guests about very little things.  Obviously as a superhost, I do my best to make sure their stay is 100% comfortable.  My feelings are also important and I don't need to hear every two days something really small and meaningless that I can't control (like food smells in Italy).  Reading passive aggressive feedback actually makes me really upset and I'm getting to the point where I really just don't want to bother hosting anymore.  I'd prefer going back to the basic rating system.  It's faster for the guest to leave reviews and much less harsh on the host.

[Huma0]

@Marc46, that is a very good point. It's not a situation I've had to deal with yet. All I can do is make sure I am on top of things, but it has sometimes been tricky to constantly clean up the bathrooms so that one guest's mess won't bother another. Smells are another issue.

I probably should have done something myself about the cheese as soon as I noticed it instead of asking my housemate three times to deal with it, but I didn't want to throw away her food either! Luckily she was not offended and threw it away herself, but by that point, it was too late.

I've also had to tell guests to keep the noise down so that they wouldn't wake up another guest, but luckily, I've only had the one set of really noisy guests so far.

[John498]

@Huma0 I have a couple of levers that might work for you in my humble opinion. I like to play the percentage game and if you want to lessen four star reviews you could try my ideas. You won't get 5 star reviews all the time but you will increase your percentage of them.

Firstly there is a famous restaurant sign which says "If you don't like my place, tell me. If you like my place, tell others." You could make this part of your walkthrough and also put it in your house rules (for those who read them).

I also offer them anything they need. I rarely get requests but was asked for a Wok for example so I bought one and offered it as a gift for Chinese New Year. He didn't take it with him but left me a great review. If you can find small souvenirs like a mug with London taxis etc it is always nice to give. Sure it cuts into your margins but people love something for nothing and it is the thought that counts.

I sometimes explain to them about the five star ratings and guests misconceptions that airbnb places are supposed to be five star hotels. I also explain to some guests about the impact the rating has. This line is a bit tricky because you can invoke inverse psychology where they become more aware of issues and mark accordingly.

Avoid teachers if possible as guests as not only do they tell you not to run in the corridor but also they mark lower. History teachers are not so bad as they want to know who stayed before them and geography teachers ask about the location but maths teachers haggle about the price even though they can't work out £240 plus £28 cleaning /3 when they are a group. Sorry the last bit is my joke for when teachers come to my place.

Remember it is the hospitality industry and not the hospital so make it a place of welcome and not of dread.  Each new guest is a challenge and an opportunity. A challenge and opportunity to do better.

And if you can't please others, please yourself 🙂

[Huma0]

Hi @John498, I like your suggestions. I do really try to take care of my guests. One thing they often mention in their reviews is that I was kind and helpful. I also almost always get five stars for communication and welcome.

But, perhaps instead of asking if they need anything, to which they usually reply, no everything is fine/they have everything they need,  I should, like you, find little ways of improving their stay without them having to ask. Mmm, time to get the thinking cap on!

[Gina32]

@Huma0 @John498 I too offer when checking in the guests " if you need something please come and ask" they very rarely do.  John, I think I will start doing what you suggest and leaving a little extra with a note, and I love your sense of humour.

We often give our guests trip tips, and are very helpful towards them all, our dog even takes them for walks to the river..... Most think this is a real hoot.....but very rarely mention it in the reviews on Airbnb, but guests through other booking systems do....go figure?

The benefit of this discussion around the reviews is that we can share what is going on around the world I value that.

[Huma0]

@Gina32 That is very funny. A recent guest told me when checking out that everything was great EXCEPT that my cats had totally ignored him. "They wouldn't even look at me!" he said.

Might have to find a sneaky way to lace cat loving guests with catnip or something...

Who knew getting good reviews could be this complicated?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@John498 LOL 😄 for teachers and tnx for "If you don't like my place.." it's genious :))))

[Marianne67]

The problem with the one bad guest is that they can prevent or take away Superhost status. Perfect reviews and one crazy loon and I don't get superhost. Why doesn't Airbnb take this into account if you have all perfect reviews,  especially right before and right after that guest?

 Why should one statistically off the chart review out of 26 affect your status. Does anyone know anything about  this? 

[Dunny0]

Hi Marianne,

I was thinking about this point exactly - that one loonie guest can skew the SuperHost

prize. We've been hit by it, from a guest who seemd to suffer from Alzheimer's! 

Crazy, crazy world we're living in. 

I've spoken with professional programmers, and such systems are indeed perfectly within the power and control of 

sponsors - in this case the AirBnB investors - to tweak any way they wish, for all, for selected regions, specific cases,

and any other combination. Really, this means there are reasons for aligning the software and the reviews to produce

results like this. Employees cruise these forums and report, so nothing is a mystery. 

All we have to do is put our heads together and deduce why this may be happening and what constructive

measures we can take to handle this.

I suggest a first step is to discuss among as many hosts as are sincerely interested - off these boards and out of these forums.

I think that will produce some good. How about you and other folk?

@Dunny0

[Margherita29]

@Dunny0 

this is not a  software issue! 

what happears to me is that:

1 - the different rating procedure points out that  guests are priviledged users 

2 - the rating system is rough so that a bad review screws your overall  status - in my opinion, as I already pointed out- this should be weighted to take care of the crazy ones or those who are confused by 5 * meaning service comparable to 5* hotels (although I think this is thricky, 5* rating is used all over the web, maybe a simple statement from airbnb would be sufficient to avoid any of these misunderstandings)  

3 - the consequences, e.g. messages from airbnb that you are at risk and you should take care of odors and so on are not in the direction of supporting hosts 

4 - as a consequence the super host status is more difficult to obtain/keep maybe we should simply ignore it 

Discussing among us is important, but even more important would be to bring our discussion and concerns to airbnb board 

[Huma0]

@Margherita29 it would be interesting to know how man of the folk at Airbnb who implement these stupid kinds of changes have actually tried hosting guess themselves (and being reviewed by guests).

It is a shame that all Airbnb employees, or at least those involved in decision making, are not required to experience being both a guest and a host. I know for practical reasons, this is probably impossible, but imagine how different their decisions would be if they had tried themselves to reach superhost status!

[Robin4]

@Huma0 These people are just call centre staff!!! Most of them would not know the diference between a bedroom with a private bathroom and a private bedroom with a bathroom!!! They are just paid to answer the phone and the infornmation they provide would be what they can 'glean' off the Airbnb 'How can we help you' screen which they would scroll through as you ask your question.

It's no good being tough on them, they don't know any better!

You are right Huma, all staff who have to deal with the public should have first hand knowledge of what they are talking about, but in reality it is like trying to explain the operation of a car differential gearbox to a primary school student....they are not competent to give an answer, and that's all there is to it!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Huma0]

Hi @Robin4, I was referring more to the people who make the decisions rather than the call centre staff, i.e. whoever came up with the bright idea of prompting guests to feed back on odours and noises!

[Margherita29]

@Huma0 

that is one issue, the other more treatening one, which is emerging also in this thread, is about Airbnb  value proposition. This new Airbnb vision appears to be shifting from the original "live like the locals" towards a more traditional customer satisfaction approach where the customer is always right. This emerging atitude gives space to guests that prefer to complain rather that enjoying the experience. 

Luckly I had the chance to meet some very interesting and nice people.

[Dunny0]

@Margherita29

I completely agree that the 'issue' in this problematic situation is not the software.

The software works as it is designed to work. 

Its present design orientation is to produce the results that we see. I don't know why this

orientation has been decided - but at this level of business - billions of dollars - and sustained period 

of time - many many months approaching a full year - with constant feedback, complaint and mention on

these forums, one must conclude that this direction is DELIBERATE. It has been chosen, designed, implemented

with purposes in mind.

The problem isn't software, it is the planning and values, goals of the people who control the

corporation called AirBnB. It's their corporation, not the hosts' or the guests' company. Individually, each of us is

a tiny piece of their graand puzzle. Collectively - maybe more. Who knows? 

So, in my humble opinion, as hosts our first option is to challenge the owners to re-orient their goals.

They will do so if it is to their benefit. I think Robin is working well on that, appealing to the executives.

At the same time, hosts are stopping altogether, moving to other corporate platforms, being creative.

Us too.

There is also a clear generational or behavioural divide. Older folks used to communicating in discussion like

to have prior contact. They don't require so much automation. Younger people who have grown up in the Internet age

using the minimized language of Twitter, uncomfortable face-to-face, depend upon computers, buttons, automation.

Instant Book is for them. We do all we can to avoid the latter, attract the former.

All the best to all of us.

[Huma0]

Hi @Dunny0, I think you are absolutely right in that there is a generational divide. I encounter it all the time in my job, where I try to brief the 'youngsters' on a task. I give them all the information that they need, but they obviously don't read it because they seem to ignore at least half the things I ask them to do. I could send a simplified version, but it irks me to have to then respond to half a dozen emails asking for more details!

There are some very commendable exceptions, but the majority of very young guests send me the minimum of information about themselves, have no info on their profile etc. They may be trying to save time, but it just makes everything so much more time consuming in the long run when you have to email back and forth asking for more info.

However, as it happens so often, my saved messages are a god send. I am starting to get weaning information out of them to a fine art!