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. 

[Raylene6]

@katherinePowell

Welcome Katherine,

Delightful introduction,  warm and friendly, content transparent and relevant to 2020.  Pleasantly supported by background reflections from Airbnb 's unique beginnings to future goals , opportunities coated with real host experiences a good recipe for story telling. As our local Airbnb  community holds onto hope together we will find the confidence and creative thinking to grow during  these difficult times because we are not alone we are all in this together no matter where we live or host.

Thankyou for your beautiful smile... and for warming my day -0 from Artjahr Place airbnb host ray

[Catherine-Powell]

@Raylene6 

thank you for your warm welcome! I love your positive and optimistic attitude. Something we all need at the moment! 

Best, Catherine 

[Graham-and-Lorna0]

we have 2 gites on with you ,but feel that you are catering more for hotels and bed and breakfast or minimum stays less than 4 days .this year so far has been hard for all involved in tourism due to virus.

But from beggining of june  booking .com have taken over with nearly 85% of our bookings ,but there commision charges are high .we look forward to doing more business with you in near future,.wishing Catherine Powell all the best in her new job .

graham &lorna  BELLE VUE GITES BRANTOME DORDOGNE FRANCE

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Graham-and-Lorna0 Why do you think booking dot com is expensive. I thought it worked out the same when you take host and guest charges into account

[Graham-and-Lorna0]

Well Airbnb charges alot less?,Have a customer at moment who did not realise airbnb did gites ,again they thought they was bnb or hotels so much confusion out there.

[Louise0]

I do wish everyone would calm **down.  This is the biggest, boldest 'mea culpa' we hosts have received from Airbnb to date,  and the message it sends is pretty clear.  Many of us have felt let down by Airbnb's business model and their responses.  They've got it, in spades.  So let's just sit back for a little while and see how it translates into action. 

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[Emilia42]

That's my plan. To sit back and see how it translate into action. Just like the last 4 incentives over the last 3 years (Host Advisory board, Host Q&A, Laura Chambers, Listening sessions ... ) We can see where those got us. 

[Ann72]

@Emilia42 😂

[Louise0]

@Emilia42 Agree.  Airbnb have made many, many promises to consider and include hosts in their decision-making processes and each time they've reneged on those promises. 

They know it, we know it and we each know the other knows it; but this is the first time Airbnb have publicly acknowledged it.  This gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, they actually mean it.

Of course, if no action ensues, then may the forces of hell rain down on their pitiful heads.  Failing that, should they actually list, a 'please explain' from the Governance Committee may just do the trick.

[Joni43]

This is exciting news.  I'm looking forward to the opportunity to participate in these workshops.  I am always evaluating and crafting our airbnb to be improved and welcoming to our guests.  I am encouraged that Airbnb will recognize exceptional hosts and give recognition to superior hospitality and commitment to quality.  Thanks Katherine!

Joni and Mark from Papillion, Nebraska

[Daniela-Vincenzo-Skol-Ma0]

If only it were true...

They say the listen to us but the only things they do is cash in and always stand by the guests, even if they're** trying to take advantage of the situation, brats that trash our places and abuse us.

but hey, we must go above and beyond to give them the unique experience!

however the worse is the cancellation policy, on the super strict guests can cancel for free up to 14 days before,  for us hosts, if we cancel even 24 hours after the booking is made and is  a year ahead we get fined and penalised

Starting from this, all their business is based on guest first

AirBnb is a small side of our business but it pisses me off big time when things go wrong and they're never there on our side

**

**[Inappropriate content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Maria2527]

Hello Catherin, 

Welcome to the Partner Community and wish your experience can give us all great guest experiences!!!

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Catherine, please share with us if your newly-created role as Head of Hosting assumes any/all of the duties and responsibilities of either/both recently departed Head of Homes, Greg Greeley and soon to depart VP of Community Support, Aisling Hassell, and whether or not the company has any plans to replace either of those key executives in the near future?

Also, please outline how it will be at all possible for you to find the time to devote to your dual roles as Head of Experiences (Online and Offline) and Head of Hosting. (The previous Head of Hosting, Laura Chambers - whose only responsibility was to oversee the "Core Host" division - had a dedicated team of 100 staffers to assist her, yet little to nothing improved for hosts during her tenure). One would have to wonder then if these new and exceptionally challenging positions and responsibilities you have been tasked with, are altogether too much for one person to possibly be able cope with, let alone adequately accomplish.

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0,

As Global Head of Hosting, my role means that I will work on creating a supportive environment for all hosts, whether you are a private host, a professional host, or an Experience host. I know that there is a large range of hosting journeys and styles on Airbnb, and we'll look at ways and tools to empower all hosts going forward.

You mentioned a few leadership roles and I wanted to provide some clarity, as there have been many wonderful executives who have connected with many of you here on the Community Center. Community Support falls under our operations team led by a new leader, Tara Bunch. My new role combines both Homes and Experiences. I also have a separate Community team run by @Dorothy who is closer to Laura Chamber's prior role. Stay tuned, we'll have her in the Community Center soon, among others on my team that I've asked to jump in and provide more regular and specific updates.

I'm lucky to have a talented team surrounding me, and we'll be working together to move forward with the plans I've laid out here. I'll keep listening with my Mickey Mouse ears and leverage our Community Managers to share your feedback, suggestions, and thoughts so we can incorporate these signals into the changes we make. To help ensure that our vision is aligned with what our host community needs, I'll also be posting frequent updates on what we have heard from you and how this has shaped our plans.

Thank you,

Catherine

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Thanks for the reply @Catherine-Powell.

Three weeks for a reply illustrates how long these things might take.

Call me a cynic, but when Laura Chambers only had one role, that role was to look after “core hosts” and she had a department of 100 employees to do it with. In the 18 months or so she was in the role she couldn't manage to bring about a single positive change for hosts, so what little chance might you and Dorothy have to bring about any change when you don’t have that department strength at your disposal?

Not just that, but you’re heading TWO departments, “Core hosts” and “Experience hosts” (including “Online Experience Hosts”).  You will also have  Pro/Commercial hosts to look after too. Firstly, how can your reduced department, ever hope to provide any positive change for hosts in any sort of timescale with that multiplied workload? And how are you going to prioritise either hosting an experience or hosting a stay? Both are complex and different undertakings. Focusing on one or the other is more than a full-time mission and like history repeating, it will be Core hosts who again will be passed over with already the preferential treatment of Experience hosts being noted.

I, along with multiple other hosts who have already provided a skeleton list of requirements on the CC here for you to start with, would be extremely happy to be proven wrong in seeing some action on those rather than any worksop procrastination to result in the same issues.