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

Hi @Huma0 

Thanks for your comments here, many of which I agree with.

One clarification on our Review policy related to your example -- If a guest never checks into your space (for a documented reason unrelated to you as the host or your listing) and leaves an irrelevant review about their experience, this review can be removed because they contain irrelevant information.

We have a lot of different areas to focus on with regards to the changes we plan to make and the improvements we'd like to implement, and I hear your suggestions on retaliatory reviews, star ratings and the EC Policy. I am taking stock of all of the issues which are being brought up within the CC, and I will come back to these issues in the next few months and provide more information on the steps we are taking to tackle them.

I also understand your worry that you've not seen a big enough impact from previous workshops, and it is my hope that we can change this perception, if you'll allow us a little time to get going.

On a final point - these workshops are also giving me a chance to meet hosts while I am unable to travel. Something that is important to me 🙂

Thanks,
Catherine

@Catherine-Powell 

 

Thank you for responding. It's good news that guests who did not check in can't leave irrelevant information in the review, but will they still be able to leave individual star ratings for individual categories such as check in and cleanliness, which are also clearly irrelevant, or even location, if they didn't go to the listing? It's never happened to me, but many hosts have reported on the CC that guests who cancelled their trips left low ratings in some of these categories. Clearly that's not very fair.

 

I think though that retaliatory reviews are a more common issue. I once had one removed (including the ratings). Actually, it was the CS rep's suggestion because, while helping me with a technical issue, he spotted this very incongruous review amongst my glowing ones. After reading the message thread and checking my listing and house rules, he concluded that it was obvious that the guest was lying, e.g. she gave me 1 star for communication, but there was a long thread of polite and speedy responses from me. She said my house rules were 'tedious', which he did not think was a valid reason for her to break them etc.

 

I know that it is not always that clear cut and that telling hosts that retaliatory reviews can be removed could open the flood gates, but the strategy that Airbnb has since employed of simply telling hosts that "it's the guest's experience," is not okay. Perhaps publishing some clear guidelines that set out what evidence is required to have a retaliatory review removed, which the CS rep could send to the host in the first instance, would help to reduce requests from hosts who are simply disgruntled with the review.

 

Reasons to have a review removed could include:

 

The guest claims that something was not mentioned on the listing or communicated to them, when in fact it clearly was as evidenced in the message thread.

 

The guest claims the host was unresponsive or did not help with a situation, when in fact the message thread clearly shows they were  not.

 

Even with damages, every time I have a guest turn hostile after I mentioned they damaged something (and they can turn hostile even if you don't ask them for reimbursement and no matter how polite  you are about it), it has been clear from the message thread that the guests were completely happy with the stay and confirmed as much (I always check with them) until the damage was mentioned. Then, all of a sudden, your lovely listing and hospitality turns into something substandard in the review. They bring up 'issues' that were never mentioned, let alone reported. 

 

There is no need to get into a 'he said, she said' situation if it's clear from the message thread. The thing is, most guests don't even realise that Airbnb can read the messages, so you'd be surprised how often they incriminate themselves!

We are excited You are on board! With time and patience, I believe the out come will be very positive! Being a Host should, I believe, be a personal and memorable experience.  Story living, as you say. We are very passionate about our airbnb. When COVID-19  hit hard, we ( like others) reservations canceled. I remember the last reservation being very impersonal. Therefore we decided to snooze (after lots of thought)our Airbnb.  Thats not what we are about. If we cannot give them a personal and memorable experience, we were not at peace with that. We are now off the snooze button, and decided that even if we had to meet our guests through a glass window, walkie talkies, it would work! Its been a journey! I have learned alot about people, and myself through COVID-19.  Don't quit, Keep the faith,  Don't let COVID-19 Destroy your journey, and passion! Have a Blessed day! Theresa & Rick

@Theresa-And-Rick0 

hi Theresa and Rick,

thank you for your motivating message! I so agree with you that hosting is about providing a personal and memorable experience. And our hosts are the best in the world at this! Thank you for your spirit!

Best,Catherine

Eileen172
Level 2
Huntington, NY

As a superhost I have always put my guests first and I bend over backwards to please them -however- I recently hosted a "guest from hell" a manipulative scam artist who claimed my immaculate house was "filthy" and sent bogus pictures in order to get a free vacation. Airbnb sided with her and gave her an $1800 credit at my expense. Why would they do this without coming to me first? I  have called three times and they are "looking into it"- I am appalled at this treatment particularly as a host who checks on her cleaning people every time after they leave and before guests arrive! 

Eileen172
Level 2
Huntington, NY

@Eileen172Airbnb needs to take better care of their Superhosts, ones like me who bend over backwards for their guests- two weeks ago I had my first terrible guest in the 2.4 years I have been hosting. A minipulative scam artist who claimed my 5 bedroom luxury cabin was "filthy" . she sent airbnb bogus pictures and they immediately credited her $1800 at my expense. I am fighting it and they keep telling me "they are looking into it" after a 15 minute hold , and am yet to get a call back! This is upsetting and shameful!

Ann27149
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Hi Catherine

 

 At Last – somewhere us hosts (your primary income providers) can have a few words and I really  hope you can pass on my comments to 'the powers that be'.

 

Please make potential guests  read the hosts FULL listing + house rules before enquiring and maybe check a box to confirm they have done so.  We are plagued by enquirers probably using smart phones who don’t read even the most basic information that we cannot accept children, pets etc.

 

Please make all enquirers fill in at least 30 words on their profile BEFORE they can contact hosts. Nobody should be able to make a ‘request’ when we do not know who they are and cannot even see a photo (they can see mine). Many new members don’t bother to fill in anything at all on their profile then make a request to stay and all I have is their first name. I often don’t even know if it is a man or a woman.

 

Regarding the messages you send out to hosts ‘reminding them’ that guests will arrive; ‘tidy up, clean pillow cases, get some OJ (Simpson???) etc etc. –  We don’t need this! It’s insulting to be treated like children. Please treat your hosts as educated adults with common sense.

 

Please don’t harass hosts to Accept or Decline and threaten with consequences (you may lose your response rate status) if we don’t reply within a certain time limit - WHEN THE POTENTIAL GUEST HAS NOT ANSWERED MY QUERY AND I’M WAITING FOR A REPLY! I want to know who is staying in my house where I live myself and want to feel safe! Enquiries often come in in the middle of the night and before I have had a chance to reply I am receiving reminders to reply from Airbnb with the accompanying implied threats.

 

STOP constantly trying to make hosts switch to Instant Booking. It indicates you couldn’t care less who is coming to stay with your hosts and you are just a money making machine. I know of at least three hosts who have now left Airbnb to run their own successful B&B’s simply because Airbnb was acting like big brother.

 

You say you are going back to basics? In that case please differentiate between commercial and private home hosts (like the original Airbnb used to be). If a person owns an apartment block all rented out through Airbnb who NEVER meets guests and uses a manager - please make absolutely clear that it is a COMMERCIAL listing/rental – and the same should apply to hotels who you allow to advertise on the platform.

 

Provide a checkbox for searches that clearly states if the host provides a REAL breakfast which consists of more then a cup of coffee. B&B means Bed and BREAKFAST. Airbnb  definitely has a B too many when hosts do not supply breakfast. 

Ann-Kathrin, UK

Anna9368
Level 1
Walmer, United Kingdom

Hello Catherine

 

A few things, first I do believe that your introductory video is too long. Three minutes is about the length many people will listen too.

 

Of greater importance 

1.  I would like Airbnb to introduce a grading system for recycling / green issues.  Our planet is heading towards disaster and everyone needs to do their bit even when on holiday.  Airbnb does not appear to have green credentials or encourage hosts or guests to be go green.

 

I provide all the necessary recycling bins and yet guests still continually throw food into the domestic waste. I cannot point it out / explain it with greater emphasis.  You could say that it fits under the heading adhering to house rules - I don’t believe it does. It’s more important as it impacts on the entire planet.

 

2.  I would like to designate seasons, for example the summer season as a minimum of 3-nights and some bank holidays whereas the rest of the time 2-night minimum. The calendar does not have this flexibility.

 

3.  I’m experiencing considerable problem in getting guests to respond with an arrival time. I often have to message thee times before I get an answer. The situation is a lot worse since the lockdown. I look forward to hearing your suggestions on how to deal with this.

 

All the best in your new role

Anna

@Anna9368 If you enable Professional Hosting Tools you can use the rule sets to add any minimum night stay you would like on your calendar

 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2499/how-can-i-use-professional-hosting-tools

Anna9368
Level 1
Walmer, United Kingdom

I know that I can set a standard minimum night. The current set up only allows a seasonal adjustment for 2 nights which is not helpful when you want to adjust the minimum night for 3-months in the summer. It is clunky and cumbersome.

Am I mistaken, or do you charge extra for hosts to use the "Professional Hosting Tools"? If I'm correct about this, I find it outrageous that I would have to pay extra commission to AirBnb to be able to set my calendar the way I prefer to...which I can do on competing sites at no extra charge.

Andria13
Level 2
San Diego, CA

Hi Everyone,  

I wanted to share with everyone my recent and unfortunate experiences with AIRBNB in regards to their protection of hosts, the guests' security deposits, their "host guarantee."  Let me begin by sharing that the security deposit for this property is set at $5000 per each AIRBNB reservation (through AIRBNB, not something I take on my own) to deter guests that have any ill intentions.  My thought process was that whoever could afford a $5000 security deposit would be a financially responsible adult that will take proper care of our home. Sadly, I have learned that AIRBNB DOES NOT take or hold $5000 as a deposit on behalf of the hosts from guests' credit cards, and the security deposit (whatever yours is set to) is utterly worthless to the host as it is 100% uncollectable when damages are incurred.  For instance, one of my guests made a reservation for my property with a credit card that had a $1000 limit, and the total for his stay for 643.00, ZERO security deposit was taken. Read on; this gets worse.

I have been hosting on AIRBNB for more than 8 years (probably more like 10 and the majority of those years as a "super host"), and up until the last month, I can only remember one other time that I have had damages to my property.  Needless to say, my experience with the process of recouping the costs of damages from guest/Airbnb was limited at best. Sadly, I have had the unfortunate experience in the last month of having 3 different guests cause significant damages to our property. With each incident, the total cost of the damages increased significantly, starting at 1000 with the first guest, 1800 with the second guest, and then the grand finale, a house party, and a whopping 15,000 worth of damages with the last guest who came with positive referrals from other "hosts")As I am sure you are all aware, AIRBNB is being used by young kids to secure a location for them to host house parties. Many of them are even going to the extent of charging an entry fee and using social media to promote their parties. This leads to an absolute disaster, which, in my case, included street fights, police, and ambulances.  Two of the three of these incidences I referenced above involved very young adults using the property as a party house.

Due to my limited experience with damages/claims, I misunderstood AIRBNB's policy on submitting claims partially due to the unrealistic/absurdity of their policy and partly because of naivete.  It is AIRBNB's policy that for the host to recoup any damages from the guest/Airbnb, you have to submit a claim before the next guest check's in. In the same day check-in/check-situation, Airbnb expects the host to complete all of the following between the hours of 10 and 4 PM, the same day the guest has checked out and BEFORE the next guest checks-in: clean/turn over the house for the arriving guest (minimum 5 hours), gather/upload the evidence/pictures, provide individual descriptions of the damages, and determine replacement costs with supporting documentation (i.e., quotes/estimates for repairs to tile, plumbing, appliances, stucco and provide links/receipts to replace the damaged physical property).   Yes, that means if you have a same day check-in/check-out, you must schedule same-day appointments with contractors, receive their estimates, and submit the claim to be reimbursed by the guest or to be covered under their "HOST Guarantee Policy." Impossible.  Unrealistic. Predatory.

In the case of the same day check-in and check out that policy, it is absolutely impossible.  For instance, with one of my claims, the guest ran into my garage door.  I contacted the guest immediately when my neighbor, who witnessed the entire incident, called me.  I have text messages from the guest apologizing profusely (admitting). He said his security deposit should cover it but asked me to email him 3 different quotes/estimates for the damages but that he would take care of everything.  The day they checked out, I had another guest arriving, so I took the pictures of the damages to the garage and made appointments with 3 different garage repair companies to inspect the damages and give me estimates, which took me almost a week for me to compile.  Well, according to AIRBNB's policy and despite the admission of guilt, proof/pictures, and an eye witness because I did complete and submit the claim the same day the guest checked out (because I had another guest checked in the same day), they have denied my request for reimbursement.  Translation, the $5000 security deposit that I have required to stay in our property that AIRBNB is supposed to be holding on my behalf meant nothing, AND their "1,000,000 host guarantee" meant nothing; it is all smoke and mirrors.  The message that Airbnb's policy is sending to hosts is that our future guests' safety, security, and ability to trust and rely on Airbnb to provide them with the accommodations they have reserved is of zero importance.

Furthermore, hosts should cancel the reservation of the guests arriving the same day and leave the guests arriving THAT DAY stranded without accommodations. In fact, according to Airbnb's policy, for a host to be reimbursed for damages, even undisputed damages, hosts should cancel all of the upcoming reservations of future guests arriving within the next 14 days, so you have the time to gather the estimates and submit the claim. In our case, the cost of the damages FAR outweighs the income from the next two weeks' worth of reservations. Still, unfortunately for me, my moral compass didn't allow me to cancel the reservation and leave the family with young kids traveling from the East Coast STRANDED for my financial gain.   

@Catherine-Powell Please, please, please help your hosts from being subjected to immoral policies that seem predatory and advantageous on Airbnb's behalf.  

Angela403
Level 2
Brisbane, Australia

Hello dear Hosts.... hope you are all doing well during this very strange time...

Welcome Catherine and good luck in your role... 

I have barely had the time to join this community as have been busy making MEGA bucks for AirBnb since late 2015 ... just looked it up and over $750,000 in payouts since that time... 

(not bad for a solo Mum of 4 working from my bedroom/office) 

I want to rant but will try not to do so... ha... but I have LOVED Airbnb and I am not a bloody super host by the bizarre definition (impossible having multiple properties under your name to maintain)

However I don't need the badge to know that indeed I am.........

I embraced the amazing platform and my personality and life experience and travel experience combined with my get up and innovative brain and off we went..and I thought that WE were a team of sorts. That my consistently great hosting with an intimate personal approach was valued and meaningful to Airbnb .. and yet on the odd occasion when my easy going / benefit of the doubt / non confrontational /  laugh at the madness / don't sweat the small **  / be kind / solve the problem / have empathy approach DID not get the desired result..... well Airbnb have been disappointing by always favouring the guest and never me the host.... 

I would have so appreciated the next level of customer service that perhaps focussed and acknowledged a host that has seen and done it all and dealt with every bloody thing you can imagine with a smile on her face ...all the while championing the Airbnb ethos of connection and belonging and humanity... 

So Airbnb rethink the way you deal with loyal long term $$ producing hosts.... 

Have different levels of customer service to look after those hosts... 

The guests will be loved if the hosts are.... it's a given.... 

Terry604
Level 2
Mysterton, Australia

Hi All while I believe that Airbnb think they are doing a good job and think they listen to their Hosts and Super Hosts - it is a far cry from reality.  Airbnb have procedures for almost everything EXCEPT there is no appeal system for Hosts in real time to challenge Airbnb decisions.  I know I tried for almost a month to get someone to listen to me and I was completely blocked and stonewalled by staff who were very well trained at  deception.  It stands in the way of justice and a fair hearing for all.  The system is arbitrary and autocratic  and is the antipathy of partnership. 

Unless and until you (Airbnb) give Hosts the right to present their case you will lose us the first glimmer of someone else offering a similar service.  

Terry

Your IPO will only be supported by the ignorant - wouldn't it be much better to have all the hosts on side and then offer them a slice of the business.  

Sorry - That might be too simple for the management to understand.

Jeanine26
Level 2
Alabama, United States

I have a hosting/co-host question issue that I cannot get an answer to.  I cohost properties and each has their own payout. Air has just started collecting local tax for us in the area. The issue is that air collects and then instead of paying out to the property payout like the rent pays and is directed to, it pays to the primary account which is mine.  Why would they deposit all taxes into my account and not direct them to the payout account associated with each property.  Seems like a simple software fix to me.  Is there a reason for this? I have to write a check to each owner at end of month to reimburse them for collected taxes which they are responsible for paying. Thanks for your help and assistance.  @Catherine-Powell