Airbnb CS did good job....

[Emiel1]

Today I needed to contact Airbnb CS. Which is very rare, as i useally can solve issues myself.

But due to mistake from a guest the system was disturbed (short: the guest wanted to extend reservation 2 days before it ends,  but let the extension sent to him expire. Then guest paid the money via resolution centre (besides this strange action: at that moment room was not available anymore). I could have used "change" option to change guest to other room and then extend, but then guest would probably be charged again "normally" by the booking system.

Discarding some silly robots thinking they could help me , i ended up in the chat system and after determinating my issue i was rerouted 2 times to another rep. This rep investigated the issue, then called me for some additional info and a proposed solution.

Then rep contacted the guest and within about 15 minutes everything was resolved :

Airbnb changed guest to one of my other (cheaper) rooms , resolution payment was internally reverted to pay for booking, the difference refunded and calenders updated.

[Sarah977]

@Emiel1  Excellent. We really should have a way to let Airbnb know which of their CS reps are efficient, helpful and competent, and which are completely useless.

[Emiel1]

@Sarah977 

After the contact with Airbnb CS i received an invitation to rate the contact with the (named) rep with mostly multiple choice questions. So it seems they are measuring performance.

[Sarah977]

@Emiel1  I have also gotten those CS feedback forms, but not always.

My problem with those is the way they are worded. It really isn't about the rep, but about Airbnb.

The first question is something like, "Based on the service you received from XX, how likely would you be to recommend Airbnb to a friend?"

Well, I wouldn't recommend or not recommend any company based on my interaction with just one of their reps.

I would much prefer a rating of the CS reps themselves. Categories like "Quick responses", "Grasped the issue without extensive explanation", "Helpful", "Polite", "Familiar with Airbnb policies and procedures", "Followed through in a timely fashion", etc.

[Emiel1]

@Sarah977 

I do not remember all questions, but there were not all like "based on the service you received  bla bla...", but also asking to rate the service received from the specific rep involved. Also questions like "do you like to be helped by this rep again in future (or similar wording)".

Should have made screenshots....

[Angelica-Y-Jorge0]

@Emiel1 So great to hear a good news story on here. Thanks for sharing.

[M199]

@Emiel1, @Sarah977 , @Angelica-Y-Jorge0 

Want to learn how the "platforms", "CS" and maybe even bots work?  Watch the movie "The Circle" starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson.  It puts it all in perspective!

[Sarah977]

@M199  Thanks. I'll put it in my movie list.

[Robin4]

@Sarah977 

Sarah, we do seem to have a way to let the company know which reps were helpful and which ones were not.

When I look back on my interaction with CX as a user in the past, the only times I have been offered the opportunity to fill out the feedback questionnaire is when the rep has been helpful to me and I have told them so......it's possible the rep concerned triggers the feedback form when they close the ticket.

The few times they have been ineffective and unhelpful I never receive the email offering me feedback.

These feedback stats are compiled somewhere in the system and reps who receive a poor ticket to feedback ratio would sooner or later be on notice. Their performance can be tracked.

At least that is the way I got rated when I was in support....

Those stats were available to me, so they are available to whoever runs the show.

Cheers......Rob

@Emiel1 

[Sarah977]

@Robin4  So you're saying that those forms are triggered to be sent by reps to whom we indicate that they have been helpful? Because they figure we'll give them kudos in the form?

If that's the case, then it's not very valuable feedback on CS performance, because reps who were told by users they were incompetent or haven't helped, would never trigger that form. 

What we really should be sent is a short feedback form on every rep's handling of every issue. That would help to rid CS of all the useless, rude reps. But of course that would presume that Airbnb actually cares. Which I imagine they do on some level, but not enough to make necessary changes.

[Robin4]

@Sarah977 

Sarah, you are of course right but, you got me to thinking with your post about not always receiving a feedback request after using CX. I have been aware that I have not always received a feedback request but had not really paid any attention to it before so, I went back through my support contacts and the only ones that I received a feedback request are those contacts that ended with a successful resolution. Those where I have told support we were not getting anywhere and to close the ticket......I did not get a feedback request.

You would be aware that when the rep wants to close the ticket you will receive in the message stream an option box ....'Do you still need help/ No I am done'.

I have no idea if individual reps have any control over who gets to offer feedback but, it just seems a bit coincidental that they only seem to be offered when there has been a pat on the back involved! 

Cheers........Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4  Yes, I haven't gone back and looked, but I seem to recall the same- feedback forms after I told a rep that I was done. 

That didn't always mean I got the help I needed, just that I was done dealing with that particular rep 🙂

Gee, wouldn't it be nice if hosts had the same sort of option- that we could trigger the opportunity for guests to leave a review if we thought they'd give us a pat on the back, and if they were pain in the butt guests who we think will complain, no review form. 

[Robin4]

@Sarah977 

You have brought up an interesting point so that is why I have done a bit of checking.

My last unsuccessful dealing with CX was on the 21st April over Airbnb's incompatible updated phone app with my mobile. I of course won't put the contents of that last contact here but, I instructed him to close the ticket (which is the important bit) and he complied with the 'No, I'm done' option box.

Subsequent to that I received no feedback email.

Here is the list of emails I received on April 21 currently still in my inbox.

And here is the list of emails I deleted from my inbox relating to April 21

No feedback email was received relating to that support Sarah, so I did a bit of checking on both my previous  successful CX contacts and my unsuccessful ones and the same pattern followed on each occasion.

It could just be random Sarah, but it does seem highly coincidental.

Thanks for bringing up an interesting point!

Cheers.......Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4  It had never occurred to me that the particular outcome of a CS interaction was related to receiving a feedback form, I just always assumed they were generated randomly. 

It is interesting- how you can peel back layers of Airbnb doings and figure out something new that they never willingly share with users. Like Ute's research into what really triggers the search placement and what is just myth.

[Trude0]

@Sarah977 : I too would like the opportunity to let Airbnb know which reps actually help me, and which are a total waste of time and source of frustration. 

But like @Robin4, I noticed quite a while ago that the feedback forms only seem to come when a rep has been able to help me. I cannot know for sure, but I’m convinced the forms are triggered by someone (rep/supervisor) only in cases when there is reason to believe  the feedback will be positive. I’ve been sitting here several times, frustrated after dealing with a not so great rep, waiting for the form, to give my honest opinion. No form.

So I stoped rating quite a while ago. I’m not interested in rating if I’m only asked to do so when I’m happy - not very productive. Which is a bit sad, if course, because the great ones don’t get the credit they deserve.