March: Host Advisory Board Spotlight‌‌

[Stephanie]

Hiya everyone!

We've been seeing more of the Host Advisory Board members in the Community Center and it was great to meet some of them at our social meet-up the other day too.

It's time for us to share the March Spotlight member and their update from the Host Advisory Board’s activity: the wonderful @Merrydith0  from Tasmania, who is representing the group this month. Take a look at this article in the Airbnb Resource Center for more details of her journey to Hosting, joining the board and what the board members have been up to last month.

So you are able to start a conversation, we made this thread so you can reply below. 

Many thanks,

Stephanie

[Helen3]

Welcome to the community @Merrydith0 . It would  certainly be useful to have The HAB members become more involved in these communities.

It would be helpful if you would give tangible examples of ideas your 'belonging committee' have shared with Airbnb re disputed guest reviews 

For example, have you addressed the issue of why Airbnb is  automatically suspending all host listings for at least five days if a guest lodges a safety complaint with no prior discussion with the host or proof being provided by the guest. @Bez8  @Merrydith0 

the implications for hosts and guests is horrendous hosts lose money and disappoint guest who suddenly find their long awaited stays cancelled without warning or explanation often at short notice

another example is that Airbnb refused to remove a review where a host was racially abused and sworn at 

how can this be right 😢😢😢

@Merrydith0

[Colleen253]

Hi @Merrydith0,  nice to meet you, and read your story. This is a quote from you “I want to find out the biggest problems that Hosts face and try to solve them.” 👍 😊 Thank you.

I noticed that on the list of things that the Advisory Board has been discussing recently, there is no mention of work on the development of the formal process for gathering ideas from the host community. Can you give us an update on that? Thanks!

[Merrydith0]

Hi @Colleen253  

I believe the formal process is something that needs to be talked about by the CC moderators. I am unable to answer your question or another question on similar lines. Sorry, but please know I am listening to all of you.

[Colleen253]

In this Airbnb article

https://www.airbnb.ca/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-were-giving-hosts-a-seat-at-the-table-283?locale...

it says about the HAB

• For the inaugural group, they’ll also determine the selection process for future Advisory Board members and develop a formal process for gathering ideas from the host community.

This is what I'm wondering about. Can you clarify? Thanks @Merrydith0 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Colleen253 It appears the HAB have had similar training to that given to politicians.......

[Colleen253]

@Mike-And-Jane0 Frustrating. The HAB is supposed to give hosts a seat at the table but it feels more like a game of musical chairs. I don't think I've seen a single post from the HAB on the CC so far that hasn't been straight up regurgitation of Airbnb's usual placating classics, such as 'we are listening, you are #1, trust us, we are working on making it better'. The same stuff hosts have been hearing ad nauseum for years. 

Slightly amusing that the intro to this post ended with "So you are able to start a conversation, we made this thread so you can reply below." There apparently is no conversation allowed.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Nick @Stephanie@ Some would call @Merrydith0 's post a hospital pass but would the CC moderators like to answer @Colleen253 's very valid question?

[Tonyia1]

Another thing I am very interested in this board discussing is hosting remotely. I live in one state and host in another. Sometimes this can raise a number of difficulties so if this is on your agenda I would love to hear about it

[Helen3]

Could you not get an update for us @Merrydith0 

your response feels rather like buck passing particularly given that it was announced this function is part of your Boards role 😁😢

[Mary996]

Hi all

We could leave the matter of how we prioritise subjects arising in the CC to the Moderators.... or we could take control of this process ourselves by agreeing on shortlists and timetabling as well as representation, on a rotated basis, to match the HAB.

I'd like to see us organising our methodology around the issues we put forward to HAB.... but also to include Policy Proposals where this is possible.

For example @Mike-And-Jane0  got a very comprehensive response from many Hosts in their recent post. I'd like to tentatively propose that we take this further. For the sake of setting up an experimental model if we were, for example, to see M and J as being this Month's Representatives, of Hosts active at the CC (should they be willing), then it might be their role to tease out say one issue (or as we agree) to put together all the points and considerations made by participating Hosts... and then Mike and Jane, on our behalves for this Month, might summarise a proposition, invite approval from us on a Draft Policy Proposal which we would all like to get behind, and then pass it on to HAB  either for further discussion or to be passed, as is, for ratification and implementation by the Exec. subject to their processing and any wider considerations.

@Colleen253 @Stephanie @Mike-And-Jane0 @Merrydith0 @Ute42  and to all Host participants at the CC.

Hoping this might be a small contribution to further discussion about how we organise ourselves for best effect. This might include how we 'elect' each month's lead representatives... which might simply take the form of each of us taking it in turns to perform the role...  and further defining that role which might be one of assembling multiple perspectives through a topic put up in the CC and then  selecting and summarising the one of most appeal to that month's leader or the one most pressing deemed in most urgent need of being taken forward.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Mary996 Please don't waste your time and energy on this. If Airbnb want the HAB to succeed they will arrange for prioritisation of host needs. If they just want a PR exercise they will ignore any output anyway.

I find it amusing that Airbnb appear institutionally incapable of having a grown up discussion with hosts (and guests). There are many host suggestions that just will not work or would overly benefit hosts over guests - Why they can't say this is entirely beyond me (but then I am not worth billions!)

[Mary996]

That's ok @Mike-And-Jane0 . I get it...I just don't have the standing here to make suggestions. Its ok. Not taking it personally. But I do think that we could make a difference. Its why I suggested you as a possible Rep (for this month) because you have taken a lead. And you have put forward suggestions (albeit without conviction cos I get that you're side off...!!). But could it be that the tone here is alienating and therefore unpersuasive? 

Sorry if you don't want the craic but I sincerely meant it as a compliment and I think you would make a good job of it as so many Host members responded to you.

Hope you might reconsider....!!!!?

I'm still going to be making suggestions as to how we fit in with the HAB. I think its doable and I'm not up for just moaning (sorry to be harsh)... 

xxxxxxxxxx

[Dale711]

@Mary996 ,

I’m totally agree with you,

        “ I'd like to see us organizing our methodology around the issues we put forward to HAB.... but also to include Policy Proposals where this is possible.” 

[Helen3]

@Mary996 

it wouldn't in any way be representative of the millions of hosts world wide to have one host on the community forum unilaterally decided by you and a handful of others as their appointed representative on a particular topic.

these forums tend to obviously only attract English speakers in the main from wealthier countries who are white so are not terribly representative. 

with the greatest respect to Mike people responded to his topic because it's one that resonates with us rather than because we felt he should represent us on this issue 

yes Airbnb do need to find a way of listening to and acting on host and guest feedback but this is not it. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Mary996 Sadly I don't think you quite get it. The HAB does NOT need another group advising what it should take to Airbnb. The HAB needs to do this themselves. The fact that the HAB have been set an agenda around talking and not doing is the issue. Sadly this issue, and the fact they have been muzzled by Airbnb's confidentiality agreements mean they are unlikely to achieve much. 

On a separate subject it verges on the hilarious that they are being held up by Catherine Powell as the group that encouraged Airbnb to relax the Superhost rules!