Customer service updates, payments, and more in the latest Host Update with Catherine Powell

[Airbnb]

The past few months have been a tough time for all of us, especially hosts and guests. We’ve been listening closely to your feedback in all its forms and working tirelessly to create solutions because we know that encountering delays—especially when it comes to customer service or payments—is incredibly frustrating. 

In the latest Host Update, Catherine Powell sits down with Tara Bunch, our new Global Head of Operations, to offer transparency about how we’re strengthening our customer service team and to explain more about our payment process for hosts. Once you’ve watched the video, we’d really love to hear from you. Please let us know what you’d like covered in future Host Updates with Catherine. As always, thank you for sharing the topics that matter to you.

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[Katie]

Hi @Anna-Magdelena0, welcome to the Community - I'm Katie, one of the Community Managers here 😊 I've had to remove your email address I'm afraid - for your own safety it's not permitted to share personal details publicly. I've also just checked in with the Support team about your issue though, so I will send you a message now with more information.

[Russell243]

My main concerns are:

A) A phone # I can talk to a Person when I need a question answered NOW!

And B) Not being contacted 4 hours before a guest  plans to arrive to approve a booking when I've repeatedly requested a 24 Hour advance booking requirement.

[Katie]

Hi @Russell243, thanks for your post and welcome to the CC.

I can see that you are a Superhost - this means you have priority routing when calling CS, meaning you should move up the queue faster and get a quicker response than other hosts.

I know that more recently, due to heavy call volumes, phone support had to be restricted to hosts and guests that had reservations with check-ins within 72hrs or check-outs in the past 72hrs, but this restriction has now been dropped for Superhosts.

I hope this helps to give some insight 😊

In terms of the advance booking requirement, this could be related to the settings on your account, so do double check them, and if not then please get in touch with Support and they should be able to help you get to the bottom of it.

[Louise882]

Hi there!  I am just looking for a space where I may post my thanks to Airbnb.

You cannot imagine how much help (and encouragement!) it was to receive the no-strings-attached once-off payment from the Airbnb team somewhere in April/May after all the guest cancellations due to COVID19. It gave me the space to breathe and find a way to carry on while all the lockdowns and restrictions were/are in place.  THANK YOU!!!!

[Nick1988]

It has been impossible to connect with anyone at Airbnb effectively to resolve my refund.  I thought this was about human to human interaction and having a great travel experience according to, @Brian-Chesky.  There has been sporadic email communication which is ineffective and extremely frustrating way to solvie issues.  We have come to a settlement on a refund and you are publishing on  my account that you have activated a refund but you are now you are telling me that it is my problem with my bank and I have spent hours on the phone with my bank confirming that my account is 100% acceptable to all transactions.  Below is quote from your case managers which is extremely frustrating.  I have been at this refund since the end of March. 

"As per checking on the reservation, We have processed a refund based on the approved amount of the host amounting $710.10, However the refund was put on hold by your bank due to charge back, as you choose to file a chargeback you will need to work directly with your financial institution and Airbnb will no longer be able to assist."   This is an absolute false statement and seems like you are scaming me and not willing to work out the refund.  @Catherine-Powell 

I have sent numerous emails asking questions, explaining details on why it is on your end and not on my end, I keep getting "bot" responses.  Please get this refund executed.  

Nick

[Katie]

Hi @Nick1988, welcome to the CC, and I'm sorry to hear about the issue you've had with this refund. I have checked in with the Support team to ensure they have your query, and they confirmed they did, so fingers crossed they should be in touch with you soon. 😊

[Nick1988]

Hi @Katie, thanks for the quick response.  The refund was initiated on August 14th and still has not been sent.  They need a little of your responsiveness.  I've already acquiesced to 1/2 the refund, which was frustrating in itself,  and now they have been sitting on this refund for over a month and threatened to stop helping because it is on my end. I've sent numerous emails with supporting documentation that is needs to be resolved with you and your bank.  Please let me know who else I need to talk to.  All your help is appreciated. 

[Bay-Will0]

Good day, 

I am Bay Will. I am new here and have hosted a couple of guests but yet to be paid by Airbnb even though I have added my payout Method. 

How much longer do I have to wait please?

[Katie]

Hi @Bay-Will0, welcome to the Community Center - great to have you here 😊

If the payment is your first then it might be slightly different to the usual timeline, as you will have added a new payment method, so it's worth checking if it has been approved - take a look at this article for more info. If this isn't the case, then the best thing to do is to get in touch with Support.

[Maggie93]

Hi Katie. You seem to be the only person interested in our problems with payments.

i posted below re: payments and customer service!

i,m originally from the UK 

airbnb always has an excuse and the answers don’t match the questions"...just anything to quieter the host.

This last year I have had increasing anxiety about guest visits! 
ive been with Airbnb for four years and am a Superhost, but I’m getting fed up with Airbnb favoring the guest over the host.  They expect one to host anyone who can pay and I have a slew of bad experiences that sadly dim the mostly great ones.

there are some crazy people out there.  As with a host below I’ve had abusive and destructive guests..... too gross to mention here.  Airbnb tells guests to “ treat the home like your own”.

BIG PROBLEM here is that these days a LOT of people have NO idea how to behave in another person’s home!  My home is immaculate, newly refurbished and I have very high standards. even more so during the Pandemic.  I expect normal wear and tear but I am not running a homeless camp.  Airbnb expects me to “ lower my prices to attract more guests”.

I usually get all the guests I need and normally booked up all year.  The only way to sift out deadbeats is to keep prices as they are, only accept guests who have good reviews and reserve the right to refuse unsuitable bookings.

My last experience with Airbnb customer service last Saturday was awful. the rep was rude to the point of being abusive and lying to me! 
 I did have a satisfactory conversation today regarding this, but I shouldn’t have had to waste time making a complaint.

airbnb needs to buck up and truly appreciate How hard the hosts work.  Not just pay lip service to it.

thanks

[Katie]

Hey @Maggie93, thanks for posting here, and welcome to the Community Center 😊

I'm really sorry to hear about the issues you've had with Support lately. You mention a lot of things which others have echoed, both here and in the earlier host updates, and I know that Catherine and Tara are working on things like guest education, pricing prompts and the service levels in Support.

I know the team appreciate your comments and even any suggestions you have on how you think best to improve things, so please do keep contributing to the Community with your experiences and ideas as it's really helpful to hear them.

[Tina567]

Customer service is so poor and now issues with payments!  I have always received my payment 24 hours after check in... no matter what day if the week it was.  (Although a few years back they paid you on check in day). Now I am being told it can take up to 3 days through PayPal!!! I am not getting money for the rental until after the guests leave????? NOT ACCEPTABLE especially since they have had the money for weeks.  I am a super host and ready to cancel all upcoming reservations if this is the case!  There are many other platforms and Airbnb just keeps getting worse! 

[Angela459]

Been a superhost for 3 yrs now, first time I have noticed I have not been paid on time.  Usual time is 24hrs after guest arrive, it is now 48hrs.  I can not even click on the guest details to see why or ask Airbnb where my money is.  Earning also show not paid yet.  This is a first, and our payment details are set up, it just states Airbnb have not paid.  WHY?

[Katie]

Hi @Angela459, I'm really sorry to hear about the issue you've had here. I've just sent you a DM with some more info on your case - take a look when you get a minute 🙂

[Monika-And-Domingo0]

Hi Angela,

we have not been paid here in Chile since 25.08.2020 - Airbnb does not call us, lie to us, we have nothing left to pay rent, bills and buy food. They remove my posts with updates. Each night we get a message from Airbnb support - we are sorry, we are investigating and thank you for understanding. I have messaged Catherine Powell- she just does not care. Airbnb needs high figures to show IPO great results. They hold all my money and I am sure other hosts in Chile. After begging, calling, asking- we are not talking to national TV and radio to reach farther. Horrible, horrible people.