AIRBNB is Successful Because We Opened Our Homes.....

[Michelle1588]

No, this is not a hater post. I'm pleased to know that some folks had a great idea and were able to gather the resources required to execute it and it worked out well. They took off! And now this company is perched atop the tallest, strongest oak tree in the forest - looking forward to their next adventure  -and completely overlooking and dismissing the tiny little trees (us) that helped them get there. 

Lest we not forget, Airbnb found its success because millions of people opened their homes to total strangers to be a part of this crazy, fun idea.

That's cool Brian, Joe and Nathan, but it's getting kinda hectic down here in the trenches for us. I read an article (probably a bit exaggerated) that stated, in California & the UK, the rate of live-in hosts to corporate managed properties on Airbnb dropped drastically to look something like this: 69% corporate management companies to 31% traditional hosts. Hmmmm.

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2022/09/airbnb-hosts-are-sick-of-airbnb-too.html

Now I don't know if those numbers are real or exact, and it could just be a total exaggeration to stress us about the direction this company is going in - but it's important to consider the information anyway. Especially, when we compare the awful back office processes for hosts (& Superhosts) who are confronted with extreme difficulties trying to solve problems with their reservations through the CS system, and how it seems to be in alignment with this report. 

I'm encouraged to grow with Airbnb, and not because they are growing - but because from the very beginning I planned to develop some land I own into a homestead of tiny & tree house experiences for writers and other remote creators. I'm working on the funding 🙂

But many hosts who found a new way to make an extra income doing something they enjoy - are going to be crushed .... right out of the experience. That makes me sad. 

Do you think Airbnb will improve to show itself wanting and servicing independent hosts with one or two listings, or not?

Michelle

[Fred13]

^^^ "Do you think Airbnb will improve to show itself wanting and servicing independent hosts with one or two listings, or not?"

   The answer is Yes, if an individual host proves to be dependable, committed to excellence, profitable and pleasant to deal with; meaning proves to be 'Low Maintenance' vs. 'Drama Central'.

    No different than what we hosts normally expect and wish from our own guests; those without those same qualities we do not want to even hear from. We are also not interested running a nursery or an asylum for the mentally unstable.

    At one point Airbnb was at the 'Vacasa' level (still dealing in the trenches), now it rather be at the 'wholesale level than at the retail level'. It's easier, less minutiae, dealing with people that know business, more profitable.

    This is nothing new, it is how most businesses evolve for the same reason (i.e. human nature).

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

Sorry, I have to disagree. You only have to read the numerous threads regularly posted here from hosts with excellent track records and lots of bookings being suspended by Airbnb for no reason/erroneous reasons and then being given the run around by CS. 

Many of these hosts are exactly as you describe, i.e. 

---

   dependable, committed to excellence, profitable and pleasant to deal with; meaning proves to be 'Low Maintenance' vs. 'Drama Central'.

---

and yet, they are treated like poop. They are turned from profitable to dead in the water, waste their time, energy and money (all of which could be put into hosting) trying to get the mess that Airbnb has created sorted out, but can't even get a response from CS, and that's where the drama begins...

[Fred13]

Different experiences usually lead to different opinions. No need to be sorry, since we do not have to agree. 

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

Very true, but I am trying to factor in other people's experiences (the above has not happened to me yet, thankfully, and yet could happen to anyone as far as I can tell) and be empathetic to others. It's not just about what I personally experience that matters...

I thought the whole point of the CC was that we help each other out, not be judgemental towards those that have problems when we do not. But maybe I am being naive.

[Fred13]

@Huma0  Stating one's principles like dependability, aiming for excellent or being a pleasure to deal with is one's particular person's opinion how to succeed (vs. the exact opposite) in business and is not being judgemental, but suggestive. It is simply a personal idea that may help the reader. The reader is free to form their own consensus that strikes their fancy.

  I am not that concerned whether someone else's opinion conforms with mine and certainly with 'group think'; in fact the more different they are the more interesting I find them and oftentimes the more I learn from them.

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

But how do you know that the small scale hosts being treated badly by Airbnb are not dependable, don't aim for excellence and aren't a pleasure to deal with? I gave suspensions as an example because the majority of hosts posting here about mysteriously being suspended and getting no answers from CS have an amazing track record and many, many happy guests. 

You may have all of the qualities that you listed. However, I suspect that your experience with Airbnb is possibly better also due to your listing, which fits into the OMG type categories that the company is pushing above the more standard type of property. I might be wrong. I know you've been doing this a long time very successfully and it's not ONLY that, but it might be a factor.

[Michelle1588]

@Huma0 

I did see Fred's listing and I meant to mention that it's beautiful and does fit into the OMG category. There's literally not much that can go wrong with a property like that so the experience as a host is going to be different, without question. 

I'm off that because being able to see past one's own experience is an inherent skill, though not activated in every person. 

Thanks for sharing info on the way you might handle a returning guest or an extension. I'm going to have a look into the legalities where these sort of things are concerned. Happy Saturday!  

[Fred13]

@Huma0You are thinking of all the ways my opinion of being so positive about Airbnb is flawed and that it needs correction, because I am of a myopic view. Please.

   No, I don't agree that Airbnb's intention is to treat anyone badly, nor do I believe every victim posts made here by some hosts are remotely credible.

   Like I have said a thousand times - Airbnb still is  a Godsend to millions of people, despite the fact their CS Department has many shortcomings and continuous to make stupid mistakes, which I have also pointed out a million times.

  If you find that so intolerable take it up with them, but meantime I am of a totally different opinion (and approach) as you and because something tells me we never will agree, I will not waste another nano-second on this circular conversation.

  /last post

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

Whether you choose to engage in this conversation or not is of course totally up to you, but I will continue to engage in it if I feel it's worthwhile and therefore respond to what you post. You do not need to reply to me if you don't want to.

Is Airbnb's intention to treat people badly? No, I doubt it, and I never said that. It depends really on what you mean by treat people badly. Some people might think that pushing out the hosts that helped to build the business IS treating people badly but, like you said, business is business...

Sure, there are people posting on here claiming to be 'victims' who are maybe not credible. However, with many (and I mean, really many) of the posts on here about suspensions, the moderators or even @Catherine-Powell keep stepping in to try to help get the mess that CS have created sorted out. Do you think they would be doing that if those cases were a load of nonsense?

Yes, CS has become a bit of a shambles, but that is no small deal considering they are the ones seeming left to make many of the most important decisions (in terms of how it effects individual hosts). Until Airbnb starts to sort that out, well, then they are failing both hosts and guests. 

[Robin4]

@Huma0 

Huma, I do have to agree with @Fred13 , he was simply offering an opinion. Airbnb has been a godsend to me, sure it's not perfect but, to many of us it is more than adequate provided we realise the limitations and put the effort in. What you have to realise, Airbnb are not here to be our fairy godmother, they are here to make money and in the process of making that money they are going to tread on our toes at times.

Huma I really value your input and I would hate to see you force-ably removed from the CC as you have hinted you might. If ever I get the opportunity to be in London again, you would be on my must contact list!

I would ask you to  perhaps back away from comments like CS being a shambles.....it's not great and we have certainly experienced better in the past, but your experience and professionalism is useless to other users here if it's no longer here.

Don't be too hard on Fred, he has fashioned an entire island out of nothing, just low water coral........one of the most amazing feats I have ever witnessed. We learn from you but equally we learn from Fred, and the way things are going I would miss you like hell if either of you weren't here!

Cheers.........Rob

[Huma0]

@Robin4 

Thanks for your kind words. I certainly don't mean to offend Fred. I have enjoyed reading his posts over the years and I respect him as a host too. 

What annoys me is that we are seeing so many of these unwarranted suspensions, often happening to hard working, dedicated hosts with many happy customers. I think we could show some support and sympathy rather than implying that hosts that experience problems with Airbnb must be unprofessional and their listings below par, which is what I have seen some members of the CC repeatedly doing recently.

That's like saying, "I am rich, so if you are poor, it must be YOUR fault," or telling someone who has been assaulted, "Well, it's never happened to me, so YOU must have done something wrong." Sure, it's an opinion and everyone is entitled to one, but then we are also entitled to disagree with that opinion. It's a discussion forum after all.

I do not expect Airbnb to be my fairy godmother and I am often trying to dispel others of that misconception, but suspending the listings of a long standing, high performing host without even telling them why and then subjecting them to radio silence for days or even weeks, is more than stepping on toes. It is sometimes ruining someone's livelihood in already difficult economic times.

Also, you know I don't criticise or complain just for the sake of it. A few years ago, I created a thread defending Airbnb CS because, from my experience at the time, I found them to be very good. That is no longer the case and Airbnb knows it, even they don't want to admit it in a public forum. 

We can't pretend it's not a problem. If we have to censor our comments to that extent, then I'm not sure this forum will be worth participating in. 

By the way, I think another member has been banned and silenced. I am trying to find out for sure if that is the case.

[Robin4]

@Huma0 

Huma, Airbnb are into self promotion and they do have a weird way of going about it!

Here in Australia we have just had the Australian 'Host of the Year' awards announced with considerable fanfare. I think this is a great initiative but, the way they go about selecting entrants for this award is somewhat puzzling.

Of the 75 finalists, not one has been hosting for as long as I have! Not one has within 100 guest reviews as I have. Some of them have as little as 19 reviews. I chalk up 19 reviews every 6 weeks and have been doing so since 2016, I have never cancelled a guest booking and never lodged a damage claim against a guest.....but I don't fit the criteria to be an Airbnb host of the year finalist!

I don't care, I am just busy doing what I do and I am thankful to Airbnb for keeping my booking calendar full....but lets get real here, it appears that hosting awards are not selected on results that have promoted the company faithfully year after year. Us nuts and bolts hosts who have held the company together through thick and thin like about seven I can think of in my area, we seem to be left on the outer looking in!  

These awards are a sham, who ever compiles them is not looking at performance data, some of these finalists are not even Superhosts for goodness sake. It is just another useless waste of company resources but, the top brass thinks it is great for business and keeps the 'we love you hosts' banner flying high, so we just let it go and get on with our hosting lives!

I know you meant no ill will towards Fred, and I hope you are wrong about  another of our number getting the chop, I guess time will tell!

Cheers........Rob

[Huma0]

@Robin4 

All of those finalists might be amazing hosts. I have no idea and I don't want to knock them. However, from the screenshot you've posted (I think you managed to sort out your issue with posting images here?), it looks to me like they were chosen more for the listings than anything else. They've managed to get a good range of categories in there, including a tiny home and a yurt! Like the OMG fund, it basically looks like a PR exercise, which is what most competitions are anyway.

OMG or quirky listings get press/people's attention. Hardworking homeshare hosts don't. Our reward is the income and, hopefully, appreciative guests. That would be fine, I guess, as long as Airbnb let us do what we do best rather than screwing with the search algorithms and our livelihoods!

[Basha0]

@Huma0  Oh, no, please share who that is that is banned if that is true.