@Airbnb thank you for sharing this update.
I'm overjoyed to see some movement and improvement in the right direction. Getting this element is crucial for the continued loyalty of hosts, especially ones who know their true worth. I know my true worth and I must say I'm not thrilled at the prospect of receiving continued 4 star reviews because "New Zealand is much larger than guests realise"... it has to stop somewhere. Guests are running amok.
Whilst I don't believe any system can be idiot proof (someone will simply make a better idiot), I think the obvious changes, like the ones this update is addressing, very much needed to happen.
I do, however, have some suggestions for additional improvements to the review system...
Changes to solve revenge reviews from last minute guest cancellations
Once a last minute cancellation request is in the hands of Airbnb, there should be no ability for guest or host to review each other automatically. Allowing a guest to review encourages them to act unethically. However, I accept that some last minute cancellations are becuase a guest arrives at the property on check-in day to find it is unacceptable.
To ensure a minimal protection, a benign automated message should be generated against both the host and guest to say "[Host Name] received a last minute cancellation from [Guest Name] on [Date]".
The reason this approach works is becuase, if all past reviews are positive, future guests will read this automated message as an "opportunity to book", as in "oh yay, the place is free at the last minute! Lets book!". However, if some or all past reviews are... questionable... or if there are a series of these automated messages in a line... guests will know this isn't a good place to book.
Likewise, if a host can see a string of these automated messages against a guests profile, it will indicate that this is a guest who cancels often.
Hence, with this suggestion, both sides of the issue are covered in a fair and reasonable manner.
Changes to solve revenge reviews from resolution centre dispute
When a dispute is escalated through the resolution centre to Airbnb to seek damages, refunds, mid-booking cancellations... anything at all to do with money... an automatic "lock" should be placed on the ability for host or guest to give a review. This lock should be removed, however, if both host and guest agree to it in advance.
The reason this works is because, generally once a disute over money is raised, most often neither guest or host are objective from that point on, even if Airbnb resolve the case.
On a rare occasion, a guest may cancel their active booking a few days early for perfectly valid reasons. In that instance, if both host and guest part ways happily, they should have the option of agreeing to an ordinary review, hence remove the lock.
In the instance that neither host nor guest agree to an ordinary review process, however, they should both receive an automated message in their review history similar to one of the following:
- "[Host Name] received additional funds from [Guest Name] following their stay on [Date]" - or
- "[Guest Name] received additional funds from [Host Name] followoing their stay on [Date]" - or
- "[Host Name] received funds from Airbnb Host Guarantee following [Guest Name]'s stay" - or
- "[Host Name] received funds from Airbnb Host Protection Insurance following [Guest Name]'s stay" - or
- "Airbnb were unable to resolve differences between [Host Name] and [Guest Name]"
In the above senario, again if a host or guest have good past reviews, then the automated message will not be taken in the wrong manner, so I believe it is a relatively benign solution to a complex problem.
That's all my brain has for complex problems today...! โค๏ธ
~ Ben