Are the Standards to be a Superhost too High? And other Thoughts...

[Kevin-s0]

I am a Superhost and have been for a long time now. So this is not coming from a sense of bitterness.

But it is coming (I guess) from a sense of stress at having to maintain this standard.

We just got a 3/5 rating as a bathroom had a spider web in it.  Does Airbnb do anything to educate

guests that a 3/5 rating is basically death?  I think not.  Occasionally we all get a 1/5 and yes now we can

dispute that, but 6 years ago when I started, we could not.  Everyone gets the occasional 1/5 if you host long enough and

that can really hurt your ratings!  And hurt your livelihood!

It is a pandemic and we are doing our best to clean to a very high standard.  It is also rainy season in Japan,

so little critters can find their way into guest houses unfortunately.

Airbnb seems like a very caring company.  In my YouTube videos about it, I emphasize that.

We have navigated through a pandemic, my whole family is still alive (at the moment), but having to contend with

extra things like getting a 3/5 rating for a small spider web seems over the top.

What do others think? Is 4.8 reasonable to be a Superhost? Or should it be lower.

Would 4/5 be more realistic, or 4.5?

Would Brian Chesky score a 4.8 as a CEO.  What would you give him? Is he a Super CEO?

I digress, but I think you can see my point.  It is very difficult to be a 4.8 CEO.  It is also very difficult to

be a 4.8 host.  We are 4.9.  ( I say We, because it really is a team effort).

Mr. Chesky,  I would probably give you a 4/5. Because some of the promises you have made over the years, have not

been kept.  "Guests will be required to have a proper profile picture." and things like that.   Brian, one of my guests

had a paper bag over his head as a profile picture.  I also have read many disturbing posts about Airbnb not keeping its promises

of paying hosts for damages.  "Airbnb fights like hell not to pay." - wrote one poster on a Facebook forum for hosts recently.

Airbnb should bend over backwards to help hosts when the shxx hits the fan.  We are the backbone of your company. And yes it 

is your company now, as you made the ruling that we are independent contractors. I felt that decision was a mistake, but I am

not the CEO.

If you are going to hold Superhosts to such high standards, really you should hold yourself to them as well. Or cut hosts

a bit of slack as we cut slack for Airbnb for not being perfect or not keeping its promises at times.

Curious to hear what other hosts think?  I feel at this forum, many people hold back, so it will be interesting to see how honest

others can be on this platform, even though big brother is watching.

[Kevin-s0]

I am interested to know how you do this! ?

[Sarah977]

@Kevin-s0  I assume you're asking me? (Tagging posters helps to know who you're addressing)

I just look at the guest's review page, then click on the profile photo of the host who left a review, which takes me to the host's profile page. Then scroll down to look for a review from that guest.  It's tedious going back and forth to each host's profile who reviewed the guest, and you can download an extension called Air Review, which shows the guest's review, the host's review and any review responses all in the same place.

But I found Air Review was glitchy for me and often said one or the other hadn't left a review, when in fact they did.

[Jean5812]

@Sarah977 is right this is an excellent way to see lots of info.
- you can see how they reviewed other hosts and call them out on it
- you can also see where they stay and get a feeling if your place will be a good fit
- finally, you can compare their reviews of their prior hosts, to other peoples reviews and see if they seem harsher or nicer than the lot.
Very good tip I love it!

[Ann72]

@Kevin-s0  

Why stress?  There is no data that shows that Superhosts get more bookings or make more money than people who aren't Superhosts.  I was excited to get to Superhost in 2015 until I discovered how little it meant.

As for spiders, you have to practice the art of making your guests feel guilty before they even arrive.  I say in my house manual that they will be staying at a house in the Maine woods and sometimes a bug decides to die in the bathtub after it's been cleaned, but Mother Nature is the ultimate authority and we have to work with her as best we can.  You undoubtedly get a lot of self-proclaimed eco-travelers or whatever and they have to be guilted into tolerating a spider every once in a while.

My other tried-and-true, never-fail guilting practice is for people who want to bring their pets to my no-pet listing.  "I'm so sorry, but I need to keep it pet-free for travelers with severe pet allergies!"  

They always, always, always back down.  Because honestly what a**hole is going to prove that he or she is an a**hole by saying You have to accommodate me and my Emotional Support Animal?

I'm sorry you had such an emotionally healthy childhood that you don't know the power of guilt-tripping.  🙂

[Jean5812]

@Ann72  and @Kevin-s0 

Ann I looove your post not sure if the entire passive-agressive irony in the last sentence was intentional second degree or not, but that phrase is priceless!

Here is what I do to calm myself down after an inconsiderate guest:

the "Most People" guilting strategy.

"Most people leave the apartment more similar to the way they found it on arrival".
"Most people answer my messages before arrival, so they know where the lockbox is".
"I'm so sorry you had more issues than most people working the air-conditioning, despite the youtube video and explicit instructions in the guidebook."

"Most people realize that in remote areas of Japan we can have bugs and creatures of all sorts."

I also have in my house rules:  We live in a warm climate, there are bugs.  The community frequently provides treatment as do we.  Finding a bug on the property is not a reason for a refund or discount.  The home is provided with ant traps and ant spray, if there is none left please buy at the supermarket 5 minutes away and we will refund you".

[Ann72]

@Jean5812  Ooohh, the "most people" strategy is brilliant!  And come to think of it, I used a version of it the other night.  Two young guests messaged me that they were lost.  They were using only GPS on a private dirt road and hadn't read the written instructions.  There are 5 houses on the road and they stopped at the first one they came to and said, "The GPS says we're here, but this doesn't look like the place."  I directed them, then said, "You are the first guests in 6 years to get lost!  But well done on finding the place!"  5-stars all the way in the end.

Now I've added the song-and-dance about GPS not being accurate and the need to read the directions for the last bit.  And guests complain that our rules/manuals/directions are too long.  

The irony was intentional if not the passive aggression!  I stuck the smiley face in there to show no hostility or hard feelings.  🙂  

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  One of my pet peeves is people who insist on disregarding the directions of the person who knows the best way to get to their own house and instead insists on using Google maps and GPS.

I  got held up for 2 days once waiting for a woman I had arranged to caravan down through Mexico with, because she ignored the route I had told her to take, which I had driven half a dozen times, and insisted on following Google maps recommendations, which took her through twisty turny mountainous terrain, her cat in its carrier projectile vomiting the whole way.

[Laurelle3]

@Ann72 and @Kevin-s0 I have had to say to the people who have booked on my no pet policy as I have instant book. They then proceed to say their dog is good and they wont leave them by themselves. I explain that my guests after them may be allergic dogs and cats and could have anaphaltic shock which needs emergency care and I have logged this issue with Airbnb Company. They apolagies and say they didnt see the no pets policy and theyend up canceling.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  🙂 🙂 🙂

I do much the same thing when it comes to the prolific insect life where I live, but it isn't something I mention in my ad, or in pre-arrival messages.

As a home share host, I do it when they arrive. I just casually work it in to the orientation, when showing them where the light switches are, mentioning that it takes a minute for the hot water to work its way up to their shower, so that they would feel rather foolish freaking out about a spider. 

Also there is a mosquito net over the bed, so the insect phobes can at least feel protected in bed at night. 

It's kind of funny- those who are insect phobes have fears not based in reality.

One guest who asked me to deal with a spider on the ceiling over her bed (she wasn't freaking out, just said she had a spider phobia and was fine about me just vacuuming it up), said she was afraid it would fall off the ceiling onto her. I assured her that spiders don't "fall off" of the walls or ceilings, but of course dealt with it anyway.

[Ann72]

@Sarah977  I made my peace with spiders when I lived in Florida and learned they ate all the other insects I didn't like.  😄

[Kevin-s0]

Japan has been invaded by the Huntsman Spider of Australia.   They can be huge and look like tarantulas.  I saw one the other day but did not kill it nor did I move it out of the house.  They kill the cockroaches which are a problem.  So I like the Huntsman.  The Huntsman stay away from people, they are very fast and shy.

[Sarah977]

@Kevin-s0  I've heard about those Huntsmans. Guess some hitched a ride from Oz with travelers.

We have a similarly horrific bug here- called a false scorpion, whip tail scorpion, or vinegaroon. Not related to scorpions at all, they're an evolutionary mutation of a spider- 6 legs, and 2 super long antennae, with pincers, like a crab. Move sideways, like a crab, too. They can get as big as a dinner plate, including the legs.

Have no toxin, also quite shy, like the dark, and eat other insects.

I usually keep a dead one around in a jar, to show guests and visitors, so they don't have a screaming meltdown if they see one.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  That's in fact one thing I say to guests- that I don't fumigate because

A. I don't want to risk my health or that of my guests by spraying toxic chemicals around, and

B. It upsets the balance of nature and kills the adorable geckos and other insects which keep the bad insect population in check.

I also let them know that they are just as likely to encounter a scorpion or a spider in an $800/ night beachfront mansion, as in my modest home, because this is the tropics and bugs don't make accommodation distinctions 🙂

[J-Renato0]

I see your point Kevin-s0!

However, my comment is pragmatic.

Yes, the standards to be a Superhost are considerably high. 😥 

That is why they call it "Superhost" 

If it was easy, it should be called OkayHost  

[Jean5812]

True, but it is also very unfair that someone like Kevin with nearly 500 reviews should have to be worried about one idiot who gives him 3 stars.
Superhosts should be allowed to zap one in 50 or one in 100 reviews, to get rid of  the very worst crazy

outliers.