Introducing Catherine Powell, our new Global Head of Hosting

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Introducing Catherine Powell, our new Global Head of Hosting

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At Airbnb, we started out with a close working relationship between our employees and hosts. Lots of our best ideas came directly from you, and we’re returning to that type of collaborative partnership that can help make each other better. 

 

Today, we’re excited to share a video featuring our new Global Head of Hosting Catherine Powell, who outlines her plan to rebuild our business around hosts like you. Her main focus: more transparency. 

 

 

Once you’ve watched the video, we’d really love to hear from you. Please let us know what you’d like us to cover in future Host Updates with Catherine. 

 

Thank you. 

278 Replies 278

Curious how they pick the 100 hosts. Real users who actively manage their listings, or 100 investors who own multiple properties and have zero ties to the communities their listings are in.

Just wondering. Because right now I'm fed up with the inability to look at profiles before someone books. The lack of vetting of new guests (including credit card verification in cases of black market theft). I'm fed up that they teased host assistance when I was ineligible for PPP or PUA because I file on schedule E and my refund for the cancelled reservations that I did at their request was $55. Then there's the constantly changing TOS with no notice.

I'm feeling so fed up with the videos talking about "we care." This just felt tone deaf. We've identified the top 5-10 problems with the Airbnb hosting relationship for several years and she could have done some research to address them. Not hopeful. Just tired.

@Christine615 

Curious how they pick the 100 hosts.

 

My guess would be that they're already chosen. They will be chosen from the hosts who received the SuperHost Grant.

 

They wouldn't want any disruptive influences on there requesting :

1. To hold a physical damage deposit

2. To abolish the EC Policy

3. To address retaliatory reviews

4. To provide Guests' physical address to avoid anonymity and damages

5. To insist guests use their 'Add guests to itinerary' tool.

6. To add the SuperHost telephone support line back.

7. To provide evidence that guests have paid before granting access

8.... those sorts of things. would they?

 

 

I agree Ian-and-Anne-Marie0. I would add give host more time to file damage reports. If a guest checks out at 11am and another checks in at 3pm it is not reasonable to expect host to be able to find the damages, clean the house for next guest, and report them online with proof of purchase or other evidence needed in 4 hours. Then to blanket deny all the claims that are submitted after 3pm. I have lost THOUSANDS of dollars of these stupid rules. 

Also to enforce your own house rules. Had a guest check in with a dog without permission. We have a strict no pet policy... They even checked into the office in person and signed the house rules stating no pets and $250 fine if caught violating that. Well, guest had a dog, the dog chewed a hole in the couch armrest and when I filed for the damages Airbnb told me the host guarantee doesn't cover pet damages so they could not pay out. They also don't enforce house rules so they wouldn't collect the $250 pet fee either. They also told me they can't charge a guest on their deposit without their permission.... Why do you even allow a deposit to be added if you can't collect on it. These crappy guest come in with no reviews and a new account created that month. Violate the rules and you don't enforce the deposit when we request it? You also prevent our companies from collecting money outside of Airbnb so we can't hold a guest credit card on file for damage deposit like any other vacation rental management company would. 

I would like to see airbnb offer options for background checks and perhaps credit scores - for both hosts and guests - as part of profile verification. Care.com recently required that for a small fee of everyone using their platform. Sorry, too many criminals, trashers, scammers roaming around the internet. As a host, having only 1 booking from such category of "guests" is enough to make you quit hosting. I hope airbnb does not degrade to become a Craig's list cesspool of unvetted guests.

Hi @Pat114,

 

Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding guest verification. I hear your concerns--it is of utmost importance for our hosts to feel confident when booking with a new guest, and vice versa. We have received a lot of useful feedback on this subject over the past few months and improving it is high on our list of priorities. I look forward to sharing more updates on these policies soon.

 

Thanks again, Catherine

Here is another suggestion, mandate a clear photo of the guest, only, for identification. I have had a totally different person show up at my home (where I live alone) and there was nothing Airbnb would do. Airbnb ask me to prove it????!!!

Not a pic of there dog or of a sunset or of a character they created. You require ID why can't we see a pic of the person that is staying in my home?  NOT SAFE!!!

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

"More transparency" - nothing plus nothing equals nothing.

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

Finished the message.  Had to look out the window while it was on, not sure why lol.

 

Three things:

 

1.  Brand.  Okay, good, stick to that.  Airbnb disrupted the travel industry and COVID-19 has handed it a free pass to keep doing that.  Amazing opportunity to solidify the brand and take it to a new place.

 

2.  Storytelling.  Is it really?  Storytelling?  When travelers stay in others' homes?  This is knotty.  Too much of the host's personal story will put guests off.  They need to inhabit the space and feel as if it's their own.  They like being in a space that's not a sterile hotel room, a space that's been loved and the scene of happy times, but houses become the possession of the people who inhabit them at any given moment - and that's as it should be.  I want my guests to make their own stories when they're in my place.

 

3.  I can't remember what 3 was.

 

There are great possibilities ahead for Airbnb, but less twaddle and patting yourself on the back (we got online experiences up in 14 days during a global pandemic!  yeah, okay, but literally everyone was home in front of their computers 24/7 so how hard was that, really?), less paternalism (plenty of people, hosts and non-hosts, were not surprised that bookings of vacation homes rebounded as quickly as they did), and more respect for, as @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 said, "all the money...hosts generate."  Know which side of the bread is buttered.

.

@Ann72 

 

I think "3" was that we are partners.

 

 

Hello Ms. Powell,

 

You seem like a very nice person and I for one am very excited to see and hear this video as it gives me hope for Airbnb-Host relations.  I too worked for the Disney as an Architect/Designer for many years at Disney Imagineering in California. So my Mickey ears off to you for your success.   

 

I have been hosting for 11 years and have a good size portfolio of properties that I own and manage as full time vacation rental homes.  One of my biggest challenges I have experience hosting on Airbnb has been my many experiences with guest whom don't respect our properties and cause damages.  Other platforms such as VRBO / Homeaway allow us to have control over our business as the culture there started out as the platform with VACATION RENTALS BY OWNERS.  This platforms has always allowed us to control our set security deposits. Yes there has been some changes however, we still remain in control over this aspect of the rental process.

 

On VRBO when a damage is caused by traveler, we have, first the right to file a claim if guest purchased additional insurance offered by them.  If incident is not an insurable claim or claim is denied due to an uncovered clause, we then have a deposit to fall back on.  VRBO does not get involved in this process unless it's a complain about an illegal practice or wrongful action by owner.  For the most part all travelers admit to the wrong doing or damage and pay either from deposit or claim on insurance.

 

On the other hand, here on Airbnb the culture is polar opposite.  When we suffer damages from an Airbnb Guest (which is often more so the case under Airbnb travelers than any other platform) we must file a claim within 14 days.  It is understood that the deposit we are permitted to list in our booking page and supposed to be collected by Airbnb, should protect us up to that amount by guest. In the event that damages exceed the deposit amount, then Airbnb Host Guarantee kicks in to save the day..... Well that has not been the case in any of my claims.  What actually has been occurring is we file a claim and request the payment for damages on the Airbnb Resolutions section of the site.  The guest then has the option to accept or deny the claim.  Of course for the most part all are going to be denied by guest regardless if they accept fault or not.  They just feel like they don't have to accept it… Why would they be willing accept and pay any amount if they are given the option not to.  So then the struggle begins.  They deny it and in the process of this ordeal they have time to come up with reasons or excuses as to why they either did not do it, it was existing or whatever reason they feel is appropriate to back up their decision.  We are then left at the mercy of the so called Claim Specialist. These claims specialist hide behind their computers and never make a phone call and seldom ever do they reach out to us for further evidence before making a decision.  Rather they make decisions in a vacuum based on the claim received and the response from the guest. The decisions are all over the place as I guess it all depends on who reviews it.  For the most part they make a decision is most commonly the result against paying any part of the claim and they deem it reviewed, resolved and final.  Then that is it. We have no recourse or resources with Airbnb, because the buck stops there.  So we either take the loss, or take the guest to small claims. Small claims are often never the truly worth it unless it is in the thousands. So we basically almost always just take a loss.

 

It seems to me that it is very clear that Airbnb has taken the stance for many years that it is in their best interest to protect the guest/travelers and not the host. That seems to me to be the most important piece of this partnership, the guest and not the host.  You specifically called out on your video that one of the highest of importance to Airbnb is the relationship between Host and Airbnb.  However I am not convinced that truly exist today.

 

So I ask the following. When are we going to be treated fairly and give us back our freedom and lawful rights to protect ourselves from horrible guest that do not respect our properties?  Allowing us the opportunity to control the security deposits would make a world of a difference to our bottom line as we would no longer be spending our profits on repairs or replacement on damaged goods, rather we would invest on property improvements and alike.

 

Currently I feel that Airbnb is promoting a culture of irresponsible travelers due to the lack of responsibility they are held to.  If they have nothing to lose like a security deposits, then they simply take a different attitude and treat our properties like a cheap hotel where you can throw a huge party and go wild. On the other hand, if they have a sizeable deposit they fear to loose, well then the attitude changes and they respect the properties, are kinder and almost always follow all the rules. Why? Well it's obvious they want the deposit returned.

 

I hope that my experience is helpful in even a small meaningful way. Maybe it's too late for all my loses in the past 10+ years with Airbnb with damages experience, but If I can help someone down the line, especially a beginner host, well than this time of sharing has been well worth it.

 

I truly hope you read this and take it all in.... I have so much more to share with the many different aspects of this business but only have time for this one.

 

Best wishes in your new job,

Julio Preciado

Dream Home Vacation Rentals

 

 


 

Currently I feel that Airbnb is promoting a culture of irresponsible travelers due to the lack of responsibility they are held to.  If they have nothing to lose like a security deposits, then they simply take a different attitude and treat our properties like a cheap hotel where you can throw a huge party and go wild....


I agree with everything @Dream-Home-Vacation-Rent0 says;  

I fully understand why Airbnb favors the guest but indeed many policies do indeed seem constructed to promote bad guest behaviour:

- security deposit as explained above
- discouraging hosts from getting ID and personal info of guests - these are people who will be living in your home for goodness sake you have a right to know who they are
- discouraging hosts from meeting and greeting guests, promoting self check in - hosts do not see who is coming, if it is same person as booked, if the number of guests corresponds, if they bring animals..
- hiding profiles and photos of guests until booking
- lack of transparency on guests who have received a "thumbs down"
etc

@Dream-Home-Vacation-Rent0 

 

Hi Julio

thank you for your message and your comments. This is an important issue that I have heard from many hosts. It is something i am looking into.

best wishes

Catherine

Thank you for taking the time to read my message and looking into this issue that plagues all host here on Airbnb.  If you need any additional input on this topic, examples as I have many or ideas on direction on where this can be improved or at the very least considered, please reach out to me.  I am more than willing to lend any help in my part to make a positive difference for us all.

 

Look forward to seeing some positive changes.

@ catherine-Powel

I'm quite a new host (july 2020) but already I have had 2 bookings where the people on my doorstep were not the Airbnb members who booke

Being a single 60yr old lady I wasnt happy to have them in my home, but on both occasions I couldnt find how to get immediate support or how to report the booking person online

Thank you for any help with this issue

Sue

Hi Sue! I am an experienced host. Once you have a confirmed booking Airbnb releases phone numbers for that transaction. you can find the phone number in your email inbox under that particular booking or go to your calendar and push those particular dates and your guest info will be on the right hand side. you just have to scroll down to find phone number.