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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[Jason1350]

I’m beginning to think there is not a light at the end of this tunnel!!! THIS IS SO UNACCEPTABLE, I was told that an Airbnb Plus representative would be in touch in 24hrs, over a month to hear from someone. Then I’m told a supervisor is only available to speak to me between the hours of 11pm and 8am EST—FYI I live in CA so that’s just a tad inconvenient. Is someone going to address these issue or am I going to have to follow in the steps of many of my hosting peers and leave this platform? I’ve invested 9 years of time and energy into Airbnb and the disappointments are compounding like wildfires. Leadership really needs to stop blaming the pandemic for the lack of authority, take some accountability and solve the problem because frankly, these issues were kindling long before Covid. Sincerely, An Unhappy Super-host. 

 

[Katie]

Hi @Jason1350, I've just had an update on your case, so will send you a DM now with more info 😊

[Monika-And-Domingo0]

Jason, we have not been paid since August and we have 3 apartments - calling each day, begging , asking - no payment , with lost jobs , this is only income we have , two kids, bill to pay - one month and no payment! Horrible , horrible , Monika 

[Julieanna0]

@Jason1350 , @Monika-And-Domingo0, @Super47,  I've tried several times to reply to this post, but Airbnb keeps removing it.  I think they don't like what I have to say, so I've just moved it to my personal blog.  It's worth reading and especially listening to what the Head of Airbnb Ireland, Aisling Hassell has to say in her interview.  The link is posted in my blog.  Listen closely at about 18:30, it's very enlightening and the words "Ponzi Scheme" are used:  https://www.julieannacline.com/is-airbnb-a-ponzi-scheme/

[Carrie-and-Cory0]

@Airbnb @Catherine-Powell it would be great if hosts could upload a video or post a link to YouTube for example to showcase a virtual walk through of their listing.  And to have it displayed to people searching for a rental as one of the first things they see when clicking on a specific listing.  Lots of discussion on the community about this and Vrbo has found a way to make it work (although their solution needs some fine tuning IMO).

[Georgina-Yazmin0]

I am a first-time AirBnber and made a reservation and paid half up front and scheduled the other payment for 30 days from my date of booking.  I now try to make that payment in advance and AirBnB keeps saying "there is an error, let's try again" and no matter what card I use, it is the same result.  After looking around for a location on which I could tell anyone in Customer Service/Support, I get a chat windows with someone called Carnevalli who after posting a KB article that was not related to my problem, he/she went silent for 20 minutes and only after me raging about the lack of respect, he/she came back with "I will release this question to someone who can help you".

This really makes me not using airBnb anymore, cancel this reservation and go elsewhere.  But afer reading all the issues with people getting refunds, I am now afraid that my initial payment's refund will be purposely delayed.  What a downer! particularly for hosts who are trying to make a living and here's the platform who is supposed to enhance their business, is tearing it down.  What a shame.

[Sarah977]

@Georgina-Yazmin0  I didn't think a guest could "schedule" the second payment. As far as I'm aware, Airbnb tells guests when the second payment will be charged, there's nothing for the guest to do except make sure there is enough money in their account to cover the second payment. And you can't decide to then pay it earlier than that. I think that's why you may have been getting that error message- trying to do something which isn't how it works.

And before you go cancelling the reservation, you'd best make sure to thoroughly read the cancellation policy for the listing you booked. If it's a strict cancellation policy, you'd only get 50% of the entire nightly fee back, and since you've only paid 50%, you would not be due any refund at all.

While I'm well aware that dealing with Airbnb can be extremely frustrating and angering, raging at a customer service person is the best way NOT to get help.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Georgina-Yazmin0 

This really makes me not using airBnb anymore, cancel this reservation and go elsewhere.  But afer reading all the issues with people getting refunds, I am now afraid that my initial payment's refund will be purposely delayed.  What a downer! particularly for hosts who are trying to make a living and here's the platform who is supposed to enhance their business, is tearing it down.  What a shame.

Very perceptive !!

Regarding your scheduled payment.. Being 'helpful' by trying to pay into the Airbnb system doesn't work. It works at its own pace and cannot be interrupted. You need to let it 'take' payment instead.

The amount of times guests have wanted to make a payment and have not been able to is unbelievable! No manner of communication with them works, they just say "its an automated system" and they can't change anything.... Frustrating guests like this is a common occurrence, then you become part of the CS problem because of a problem created by them they can't override... Welcome to Airbnb!

[S--Elizabeth0]

I am disappointed by the how the payment issue in July was minimized. I reached out over 30 times via phone and by chat. I never got a resolution to understand what happened, why it happened and information to explain why it is not going to happen again. 

The "small payment issue" was a  monumental hassle for the me and the guest. 

The failure to communicate and follow up was a violation of trust. 

[Daniel7643]

We notified the guests within 14 days of additional charges after there vacate.  They did not pay those charges, so we involved Airbnb.   They came back and denied saying we did not notify soon enough.  This is very very wrong.

[Daniel7643]

I do apologize as this is on another account.  Each platform that I host has a different layout and options available.

[Fodere-In-The-Port0]

Dear Airbnb. I noticed that the superhost host referral plan has started again in the US. When will it start again in Europe? I was told a few weeks ago very soon, but months later nothing. Can you please explain to us your Superhost what the plan is. Many thanks 

[Andrea4565]

@Catherine-Powell  I think the push to get guests to get refunds through travel insurance is the right one.. but be careful, having just gone through this with our small accomodation company, many of the insurance companies required their guests to make a credit card claim.. so if guests started making chargebacks to AirBnb, does this leave the hosts liable? 

[Steve-And-Tara0]

Recently, since about 9/20/2020, the notifications emails from Airbnb about payout disbursement have become sporadic. Although payouts are still being sent to my bank account, I am no longer being notified with the information of the guest/reservation numbers and the amount for each stay. There have been continuous notifications of all other Airbnb functions as usual; the only thing missing is the payout emails. Why?

[Katie]

Hi @Steve-And-Tara0, welcome to the Community Center, and I'm sorry to hear you're getting this issue. I chased this up with the team for you and I have an update from them, so I will send you a DM now with more info 😊