Are You or Airbnb to blame?

[Larry339]

I view Airbnb is an incredible global marketing platform and a broker getting a fee for matching hosts and guests. They have seen exceptional growth in the 12 years since inception, and there are things that I would like changed. But as I read the community forums, it seems that some hosts blame Airbnb for many of their problems and do not take enough responsibility for their listing.

I think some hosts believe that Airbnb will do all the due diligence for a host, and if a host makes a mistake, Airbnb will do a host's dirty work.

Here are my notes that I would tell a new host.

1. A host needs to due diligence on guests before they arrive or decline the booking. Trust your spidey sense its too late once they are your guests.
2. Instant bookings without your criteria being met are annoying but get what you need before the guest arrives and cancel it if you are not satisfied. No reservation is worth the aggravation of a lousy guest or damage to your property.
3. Learn the difference between a booking inquiry and an actual booking and how you should respond. Use the search function.
4. Ask a guest why they are reserving your listing. Does it make sense? Be particularly wary if they are local; it could be their party house.
5. Use community forums and the community search function. Most questions asked by hosts and answered by seasoned hosts are here. In my experience, this is a better, broader channel than calling Airbnb. You never know who is going to respond at Airbnb and their level of expertise. Here the knowledge is extensive and tested.
6. Use the save message function and set up your house rules and share your house rules again with the guest before they arrive and ask for an acknowledgement.
7. Make sure you use outside video surveillance so you can monitor your guests and for uninvited guests.
8. Meet your guests on arrival to reconfirm that the person booking is the same one who arrived.
9. If a party starts or house rules are broken, confront guests immediately.
10. If problems arise, immediately speak to the guest. You can call Airbnb and advise them, but the dirty work is yours.
11. If all else fails, with unruly or unresponsive guests, then contact the local police.

After you have done all of the above, then go ahead and blame Airbnb.

[Chill-and-Relax0]

You clearly didn’t read too many posts, and don’t have a grasp on what most of folks here complaining about. 

[Larry339]

@Eduardo811 Thanks for reading the post and sharing your thoughts. This is a great forum for ideas and comments and its wonderful that we can agree to disagree.

[Ange2]

@Larry339   I disagree,  some hosts may expect a degree of hand-holding that is unrealistic, but Airbnb do encourage that through their branding and "we've got your back", etc.  From what I see hosts object to being forced to be de facto travel agencies,  charities for free vacations, punching bags for guests, data generators, product, etc.

[Larry339]

@Ange2 I agree it's not easy being a host, and we do have frustrations that we have to deal with every day. My perspective is that it is my business, and I hire Airbnb to do my marketing, drive bookings, book my calendar, collect payments and then deposit to my bank account. For all that, I agree to pay a 3% fee from the revenue that I receive. I am probably in the minority, but I think that is fair. After all, in the old analog world, I would pay for advertising upfront to promote my business with no guarantee of any revenue.

I do think it is about expectations and from my paradigm, while there are frustrations, I am getting value for my dollars sent to Airbnb.

[Emilia42]

@Larry339 There is no doubt that your rental is your business and it should be treated as such. I also look at Airbnb as solely a method of advertising (and a good one at that.) I try to involve them as little as I can. My biggest concern is that when you sign up with Airbnb, they have a ton of control over your business! Let's say there is an area wide internet outage due to storm. As a host, I will make right by this situation by offering a bottle of wine or a gift card for breakfast. But if this guest were to contact Airbnb, they would be refunded an astronomical amount of money for an unprovided amenity, even if they are without it only for a few hours during their 4 night stay. I used to work at a hotel and refunding guests was unheard of. Sounds like they have a lot more control over my money then just an advertising/marketing company.

[Larry339]

@Emilia42 excellent point and you are right. In your scenario, I do believe that hosts should have more input and say in the decision-making process, especially when it directly impacts the hosting revenue. Thanks for your comment.

[Sarah977]

@Larry339  I think that's a good list for new hosts to read. Too many new hosts start out with stars in their eyes, thinking it's just going to be like having Aunt Mabel and Uncle Fred come to visit, but that they will make all this money and already have it spent, in their minds. They don't realize the hard work involved, all the skills needed (including being some sort of amateur psychologist) and believe all the company's rhetoric about the million dollar guarantee and how they are there for us. As we know, they mostly aren't.

Every host is an individual and are comfortable handling things in various ways, but there are definitely some general guidelines and your advice will hopefully be valuable to hosts reading it.

[Larry339]

@Sarah977 Experience is a great teacher, but there is so much in the community center to help out hosts. Unfortunately, until something happens, it may not seem relevant or have an impact on a new host.

It's also a great forum to ask precise questions and get feedback from seasoned hosts with no bias. Sarah, thanks for your comments.

[Manasui0]

@Sarah977@Larry339

The more you experience .. the stupid -er you are .. you really don't know what going to happen.. it can go 180 + double 360 in a bleep of a moments and a smile. Then two weeks suffocation by heart pumping of my chest waiting  for a review.. and nothing is ok, is cool.. or some thing, not ok, and your in trouble, yet you still have to pay up.. 

\or a total chaos because your sick, discriminated, and depreciated.. but that just you .. what about the norm sees it, how would it governs.. 

luckily is still evolving.. like a baby smile as it grow and made mistake..  

creativity.. and the thirst/ hunger/ desire..  that help us drive our self a head of the crowd

[Shaun69]

@Larry339  Good list Larry, totally agree however would mention software issues which are beyond the control of hosts and drive old people like me bananas!

BE HAPPY Shaun.

[Larry339]

@Shaun69 as an official old person I agree with you that technology and software issues can be a problem for us all.

[Cormac0]

@Larry339 

That quite a list Larry,  most of which I agree with, but under the circumstances that you describe, do you honestly think that Airbnb deserves a circa twenty per cent wedge of the booking fee! on assets, they neither own or maintain?

I don't, three per cent is nearer the mark in my estimation 

[Larry339]

@Cormac0 interesting comment.

Airbnb is an industry disrupter in the accommodation industry, much like Uber in the taxi industry. It is not the real estate in Airbnbs case or the cars in Uber's case; it's the global online platform and the marketing machine that creates the value.  The market determines the net worth ( estimated $30 billion) is and what prices people will pay.

As a host, my 3% service fee, I think it is a good value for the exposure and bookings I have received. The guest's service fee is equivalent to taxes they would pay in my area for hotel rentals.

Airbnb has its growing pains and issues, but if there were a much better platform at lower prices, everyone would be there. We are not at the end game, and as competition increases, prices and costs are squeezed. Who knows where the next ten years will take the industry?

[Eduardo811]

It is a real estate transaction and it should be consider as such.  You got it right Cormac.