Introducing Catherine Powell, our new Global Head of Hosting

[Airbnb]

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. 

[Catherine-Powell]

@Shawn-and-Francie0 

hi Shawn and Francie

thank you for your welcome and your comments. I have mentioned in a couple of other messages that  I completely agree we  cannot accept poor guest behaviour that violates our policies and codes of conduct. This is something we are very focussed on at the moment. The party-ban is one example, but I know there is more to be done. We will keep working on this,

Best

Catherine

[Brian883]

Hi! I am an experienced host from north of Toronto in cottage country. I don't believe we as hosts should be paying a fee at all as it's like working at a hospital and management wants parking fees to work there!! We make them $ with our hard work. They provide the platform. They receive their income from the guest....As far as extra guests and parties, I personally don't rent to guests that are within 1/2 hour away. If they are booking from 30-45min away I find out their agenda for being there to alleviate any concerns I might have. Also with the majority of guests I try to find out where their company is from. If one of them is within those parameters I just mentioned then I am hands on with phone conversations with the booking guest to alleviate those concerns. It works! Hopefully this can be of use for you. Customer support can't or won't properly direct you. 

[Bruce-And-Patti0]

Hi Catherine,

Welcome to Airbnb! I understand that in your new position with the company, you're faced with abundant challenge in helping to balance host and guest satisfaction. I wish you all the best with Airbnb, and I'm looking forward to learning from you and others in the company on how to better develop and run my hosting business. Feel free to contact me if you're looking for feedback or more hosts to participate in focus groups.

All the best, 

Patti

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi @Bruce-And-Patti0 

The special connections we want to keep offering to both hosts and guests represent a very important element of our special storytelling. We do that thanks to you, your optimism, resilience and ideas. My promise is to rebuild our business around you and your ideas, so please keep sharing them. It's very important.

Catherine

[John4901]

Please can you explain why you impose a $50 penalty when I had no option but to refuse a booking as there was no time to turn the house around due to the strict cleaning rules in the current Covid Climate. We have to leave the property free for 4 Hours until the next guests arrive. 

I have sent 3 messages to support with no response.  789....10 

[John4901]

Make that 24 HOURS ....

[Kevin472]

Hello john,

Due to Covid, I have allowed for 72 hours between bookings. This allows for a good deep clean of the area + 24 hours where there has been nobody in the area, prior to guest arrival. Thanks : Kevin

[John4901]

Hi Kevin

So why are Air B & B hitting me with a Penalty when I am unable to allow a guest in the property, due to the deep cleaning regime & time frame needed ? Totally Unfair !   

[Stephanie946]

John, sorry that happened to you. My messages to support are going unanswered also. My property was double booked because of a calendar glitch.

[Sally456]

Thank you for your message Catherine! We recognize that this is a partnership and we look forward to developing and strengthening this relationship for our mutual benefit.

We also recognize that the great advantage for both the hosts with sharing their life experiences. We have found our guests have greatly enriched our lives with opportunities to “host private operas, enjoy the company of Juno award winning composers and international doctors, as examples.“ We like to believe that given the feedback from our guests we have also enriched their lives.

Consistently this is one of the greatest advantages over other forms of accommodation that our guests mention. We would love to capitalize on this for ourselves and others in the Airbnb community.

We look forward to your input on these areas and welcome your expertise to our endeavours.

It was indeed a pleasure viewing your video.

Sally and Cliff [Surname hidden]

[Bev55]

I must have morphed into Mary Poppins through all your

Negative moments. I did have two bookings

cancelled at the beginning of Covid . My guests contacted me ,understood and liked how things were handled by Airbnb. Since then I have been busy NON stop. Busier of course doing my disinfecting etc but excited about all the new families I have met. If I reread the reviews I believe we as Hosts do write the story. How we welcome them, a treat of baked goods for the hungry travelers and an expensive but fun treat for the children to discover .I am 85 ,live next door to my Airbnb cottage. I refer to it as my part time job (far more fun than a Walmart Greeter)  I’ve learned so much about States I’ve never been too. I say Welcome young lady . I am looking forward to your enthusiasm. Disney is an indisputable success so I,m sure you’ll bring a lot of Joy and success to our Hosting tables. ****

*[Personal information hidden for safety reasons–in line with the Community Center Guidelines] 

[Joni43]

LOVE this, you are welcome as our personal guest any time you come to Omaha!  Way to go, you inspire me Bev.

[Lizzie]

I agree @Joni43, lovely post @Bev55 you sound like a lovely and very kind host. I wish you well with all your bookings. 

(I hope you don't mind as you post is publicly visible, I've removed your email address)

Hope to speak with you more.

Lizzie

[Catherine-Powell]

@Bev55 

Hi Bev - i hope my enthusiasm can match your enthusiasm! How lucky we are to have you in our community! Your guests must love you!

thank you for truly embodying the spirit of airbnb

Catherine 

[Karen2642]

In moving forward, Airbnb needs to change up its algorithms when it changes a policy.  For example, if you allow hosts to cancel during COVID-19, you need to stop blocking their calendar if they do this.  I had to comp a recent guest 2 days in order to acquire a 2 month stay because my calendar was blocked when I canceled due to COVID.  By the time customer service got back to me, I would've missed the reservation had I not acted on my own!  So, if you do anything in future, please look at what you might need to change in your computer generated responses to make that change possible.  Thanks.