New Review Flow for Guests

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

New Review Flow for Guests

New Review Flow

 

Hello everyone,

 

I know many of you have already noticed that Airbnb launched a new review flow, simplifying the process for guests to send more detailed feedback to hosts. There are already a few threads talking about this here in the CC and so I am really pleased to provide an overview of this product change for you.

 

We believe that detailed guest feedback is invaluable—whether it’s a rave review that encourages you to keep providing standout hospitality or a gentle reminder on how you can improve next time.

 

If a guest gives you less than five stars in any one category (cleanliness, accuracy and amenities, check-in, or communication), they can now choose from different focus areas in each category to help you know exactly why, and what to improve for the next time around.

 

To see what this process looks like, take a look at this Airbnb Blog article.


I hope this information will give you more insights around the new review flow. What do you think? Have any of your used the new review flow yet? Also, feel free to share any questions you might have on this.

 

Thanks,

 

Lizzie


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

183 Replies 183

Bravo!  I agree completely! It’s easy to get sucked into reading how amazing you are and believe it with all the glory of constant 5-Star reviews, until I go lurking about in other Hosts space pages. That is when I suddenly become deflated and start to believe I’m not worthy—a mere low rung in this community of hosts. 

 

I suppose at my price point I am attracting mostly people who live at or below my standard, and for them, it may actually be a 5-Star stay? (Which is a little sad and unfortunate for both of us.) Groucho Marx once said famously, “I would never belong to a club that would accept people like me as a member.” It’s along this principal that I’m suspicious about people who rave about my spaces—I admit, I am guilty of occasionally thinking they should probably get out a little more—

 

How can I possibly compete with a restored 19th century villa on the waters edge with an infinity pool, private sauna and west-facing piazza off the master bedroom? Are we both 5-Star worthy? Was the stay at the first Airbnb rental a 5-Star stay? Was the bathroom spotless? Were the sheets 800-thread count and smelling of bleach and a field of non-gmo, organic baby lavender? Was there plenty of free or off street parking? Was there a basket of French milled soap and tiny bottles of personal hygiene products, or espresso made from freshly ground beans, served with cream that was milked from a grass fed cow, this morning? Please.

 

The new Review Flow standard is fine, as long as it defines that a guest generally agrees that the scale is based on the value of how it was priced, presented and how they (the guests) accept responsibility for what they freely chose. Just for grins, maybe they should be asked before they review the host, “On a scale of 1-5, how do you feel you were as a guest?” Now that would certainly change the complexion of the responses, eh?

 

I accept the new standards, but I also accept who I am and where I fall on the scale of grandiosity—You know what they say, “In the land of the blind…”

 

Always struck me as odd is that the only people not reviewed are AirBnb, you would have thought it would be easy enough to include in both Guest and Host reviews.

David

@David126, but there is an airbnb review, the question if you would recommend the service after the experience. The answers are just not included in your information 😉

@Cormac0, I think you underestimate your guests. Your apartment looks comfortable, clean, no frills  but not spartiate and it sleeps 6 in 3 different rooms at a very good price.  Why would that not rate 5 stars to people who seek exactly that? 

When I saw it, I remembered holidays with friends, when I was young. When the holiday is defined by the people you are with, by the interaction and exploring, the place where you stay is not so important. But if there are couples and others, kids or friends, it's a luxury to have privacy, your own room, at a low price. 

I guess people, who visit cities, have far less need for a pool. Personally, I'd like some nice objects to look at or touch, like your lamp, some paintings would be even nicer, but I would not pay a cent more for the most luxurious pool or chimney. The pool would not bother me, but a chimney would irritate me, as it's a lot of agitation till there is a fire, no smoke in the room and then everyone is staring stupidly into the fire. There are many luxury equipments, that are not desirable for different guests. 

I show a lot of art work and plants in my pictures, as I have encountered many people, who prefer not to have any of them.

If you get the five stars, it means that you get the right guests for your offer 😉

 

 

Robin129
Level 10
Belle, WV

I am a new host and my first guest feedback is just perplexing. 

Private Feedback:
Robin, thank you for being a great host! We enjoyed our stay 🙂

Cleanliness feedback:
Your guest suggested that your space could be cleaner in the following areas: odors.

Location feedback:
“This house was lovely, but about 10-15 minutes away from the downtown area. It is a bit secluded.”

"Odors" does not explain what I need to fix. Was it pet odors, as I have two Boxers, and house cats. Was it food odors, because I was working on sourdoug bread starter. Was it body odor? I tried requesting more information, politely of course, on this but my guest has yet to respond.

On the location feedback, my listing is VERY clear that I am 15 miles from Charleston, where the guest was going to a concert. The map shows the same information. Why was I dinged one star for this when it was front and center in the listing? The guest did not understand the map and it is my fault? And "secluded" is relative. The guest was from a major city two states away. We are not "secluded" as we are just a couple blocks from a major US highway, and less than two miles from a major Interstate. 

I'm okay with the star rating. Like others, I request there be some way to get more details so I can address legitimate issues within my control.

[edited spelling]

---> That's how I look at most guests, like cousins. And you know, some of those cousins are kooks.
Cari3
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

I wish I had time to read everyone's comments but alas I don't.  But here was what I felt when I received it....Airbnb heard and addressed my major concern which was that whatever the review process is I feel that as hosts we need to understand and be privvy to evey step of it as it affects us....and for that I'm grateful.  I feel that communicating to us makes us in this way makes me feel like valued partner rather than just unimportant cog in the airbnb machine.  As for the review process itself...I do belive that airbnb are constantly working to try to improve it, so it's an evolving process and for now, as long as I know what the goalposts are, and I have absolute clarity about what my guests are being asked that's good enough for me.  I'm going to do my lvel best to be a great host regardless.

Sam163
Level 7
Herstmonceux, United Kingdom

I just wrote several hundred words and the system deleted the lot due to a verifiaction issue! Arrgh!

That happens to me too, when I'm not logged in. Most times, you can go back and copy the text, then log in, find the original thrrad and post again. 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello everyone,

 

I just wanted to thank you all for your comments so far, you have highlighted some important points here. I do hope as you gain more and more insight from your guests around how this works, you will continue to share your thoughts here too. 🙂

 

I am relaying all your feedback and suggestions back to the team working on the new review flow, so I really appreciate you taking the time to share this.

 

Thanks,

 

Lizzie


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

@Lizzie

Thank you Lizzie - and thanks for letting us know that comments and observations here will be passed on to the Review team!

Best Wishes.

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Thanks @Rachael26 🙂


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Helga0
Level 10
Quimper, France

What strikes me in this discussion is people saying to be afraid to leave a thruthfull review, as a horrible guest could come back and get them. 

Principally, it's not a good idea to take locals or family members of locals. I do that only, if they announce a good reason with the booking.

Someone from another town or country is less likely to come back.

I wonder how you can host, if you fear your guests, whilst they are here or even later. After a while, you have a dozen potential revenge seakers out there. That must be a very scary way of life. 

 

On the other hand, accepting airbnb's offer, profiting from the better evaluation through peer teview, means also an obligation to the community. 

If you do nothing, if you encounter a dangerous guest, you allow him to go on. If you call the help line to discuss concerns about a strange booking, they can look up the history and may tell you, that the guest made a few more trips with no incident - that should be reassuring. It should not mean: no incidents or hosts scared witless. 

 

You should at least write a review, give the thumbs down sign and write half a line very neutral text. That way he cannot instant book with hosts asking for reviews, you wrote nothing offensive and another host can imagine that there was nothing positive to say. 

In the airbnb feedback, you should write what scared you. The guest sees neither the thumbs dosn nor the airbnb feedback. If another host has a real problem and calls the gelpline, they will see those remarks   It may lend credibility to a fellow hosts claim. 

I give the thimbs down rarely, after asking myself, if the behaviour provoked only me or will be horrible for most hosts. 

If someone is so dangerous, that revenge seems probable,  I call, flag the profile, write feedback. I see that as parr of my obligations in using a service like airbnb in contrast to a simple ad on Craigslist. 

(Sorry for the spelling, I can't edit on the phone)

@Lizzie   Suggestion.  Would be far better if negative reviews are not from years back because many hosts have updated, renovated, improved their spaces and yet the old complaints still show, It makes for confusion.  If that is not in the cards, how about allowing hosts to respond to the negative reviews with  upgrades/repairs they have made:  "have renovated room", "bed is now Queen Size",  "have repaired xxx",  have bought new xxx".   For example I have a 'lowest review'  whereby the guests thought the bed too small,  it has since been replaced with a Queen, but anyone reading the review will wonder "what is the truth" ?  

Plus, how about them stars?  In all honesty this is lowest star ratings NOT lowest reviews, there is an enormous difference.  My 'lowest reviews' are for the most part stellar and have guests waxing lyrical and saying they would come back in a heartbeat. Confusing to a potential guest?  If this new feature is aimed at honesty, building reputation and trust, the way it functions with these glaring disconnects, is hardly a plus in that direction.

Lizzy, good one here.   We had no idea that the box springs was noisy and when our guests were here they never said a word.  We would ahve replaced it that Day !  Of course now the bed has a brand new mattress set sealed in a hgenic matress cover as well but does that show ?  Don't know.  

Mala0
Level 7
Torquay, United Kingdom

Hi.. 

 

Sure i am stating what others may already have but not had time as yet to read the reply to this post.  

 

I will look into the new changes shortly, not sure i have even noticed they had changed!..lol

 

Ok so i am super accurate in my listing and every possible details as to where I am and the location surrounding. I put exact distance to the nearest town, bus stop and even add more to the time and distance etc.

 

When i mail someone and my "other" section of details I ask the potential guest to look at the area they are booking (by the woods and local coved beach in a very quiet, scenic and conservation area) to make sure this is the type of accomodation wanted.  

 

SO WHY is it that as a superhost i get mostly 5 stars for all the other area and fall short more so on the location?  if they put 5 as accuracy why can they then put lower on location if that is what they wanted and booked?  Makes no sense to me.  They seem to want my location with a hypermarket and city/down right next door.. ahahaha!.  I cannot move my home! so i dont really like that section and should only be included to give full details as to why they score how they do.

 

I asked for feedback from some and 1 guest informed me she loved the area and for her it was not a problem but she took star off because some may come without a car!..  I wanted to say to her the feedback is for you to state how you found my listing not for you to think about non car users, those in wheelchairs, walking impediments, those who want to be near a church, or railway etc. I  even put my listing is best for those using a car.  

 

It is a very subjective how one leaves reviews, star rating.. 

 

Warm wishes

 

Mala x