[FESTIVAL] What to do if you lose your Superhost status

[Stephanie]

This topic is part of the CC Hospitality Festival.

The original topic was posted on the Italian-speaking Community Center by  @Alessandro877 and we have translated it below. 

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Retiring after so many years of intense customer service, I found a way to create another 'intense business' at the service of my guests! I subsequently renovated an 18th-century building in the historic center of Alghero.

My aim from the outset has been to offer maximum comfort in a pleasant and welcoming environment, and I have managed to combine the charm of the old with the benefits of the modern.

Right from the start, guests rewarded me with good reviews. By October, I had already been awarded the title of Superhost. 

With the 2020 summer season, despite the pandemic, I have welcomed many guests, all very satisfied.

Except for one... which resulted in me losing my Superhost title by a few hundredths of a point. I won't hide the fact that this caused me a lot of bitterness and disappointment, because I really didn't deserve it. I was very hurt, but as I am used to doing, I responded immediately and didn't lose heart.  It only took two great reviews, and at the next walkthrough (three months later), I immediately got my Superhost title back.

I have, therefore, learned from this experience that:

• A negative review may happen, but it is not a disaster;
• Analyse the reason for this negative review and make corrections if necessary. I went through all the 'details' and eliminated 'any dangers...!'

I am very happy with this work because it is a constant incentive to do better and better, and the appreciation of my guests is very gratifying. I accompany my guests from the booking until the end of their holiday by maintaining constant but discreet communication.

Superhost status is a lovely acknowledgement that I'm happy to get back. 

I won't hide the fact that I get anxious about each arrival. I always hope that everything will be to the guests' satisfaction and that they will notice and enjoy the care and attention dedicated to the house to make their holiday in beautiful Alghero a pleasant one. 

[Laurelle3]

Alessandro, @Alessandro877 thanks for your advise on negative reviews. I received one in my first month Dec 2020. I worried about this thought about it and was new and didn't realise the "red flag " warnings being asked before they arrived which they talked about on Community Centre.

Your pictures look inviting worth putting on the wish list when we can travel.

[Cathie19]

Thank you @Alessandro877  for you viewpoint and positivity. I hang on to my SH status with a bit of vain pride. Why? Because I worked hard for it and to maintain it!

I hope I don’t have that outlier negative review that knocks it out of reach, for my tourist season is not 52 weeks of the year, which can make it tricky to make up.  But a bit of a cyclone (hurricane/typhoon) philosophy is “If it blew away, would it really matter?”  In life's scheme of things - no. So thanks for the reminder. 🌻

[Solveig0]

Wow @Alessandro887  I just want to travel to Alghero straight away! I love your approach to negative reviews and how you always care about each new arrival. 

I teach public speaking, and we always talk about nerves as not being something bad, but showing you care about your audience and your message, I think its the same with hosting. We care! 

[Jenny349]

I enjoyed reading your post @Alessandro887 and admit I also feel nervous before new guests arrive….and whenever I get that notification to say so-and-so has written a review ! Not sure that ever goes away entirely. I also have to say that at times, I find the constant flow of reviews, and especially the ever-present threat of a bad one, justified or not, rather draining. I wish you happy hosting and many kind guests! 🌸

[John5097]

@Solveig0 

I'm a host with very high reviews, but just got back from my first stay as an Airbnb guest. It was just a last minute get away 2 night trip up to the mountains, and booked a cabin that had 4.8 overall and 4.8 for cleanliness and value, but all very good recent reviews.  Upon arriving it was hot and humid inside and no instructions on how to operate the ductless AC that the host had turned off and impossible for anyone to figure out without instructions. Had to message host who dropped by and showed me how to put it in AC mode, said she must have turned it off. I thanked her, told her not to worry about me,  but she was very defensive when I was just trying to be helpful. Then I had to message her again because there weren't any blankets as the guest guide claimed and the bedspread was like a sheet. She just dropped some off on the porch and dind't hear from her again. However, I started noticing how dirty things were, and I'm not a clean freak at all. There were some kind of mouse droppings all over the shelf where the dishes were stored. I'm a host so I checked behind the couch, a love seat, that had never been cleaned. There were ants crawling all over the pace, and, above all there was something positively disgusting about the entire place. There is no need for me to leave a review because she already has a 4.8 for cleanliness and I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and never hear from this person again. I think the reviews are the only way for a host like this to make any attempt at improvements. You could not spend less on anything in that listing. I have never seen sheets of that low a quality. There were hairs under the sheets, on the bathroom sink. I will never stay in a place with a 4.8, not worth the risk. She better not try and leave a review for me at the last minute either. It being my first guest experience I would just rather move on, but she has been a host for a long time and will only do bare minimum to maintain a 4.8, and wouldn't be surprised if the place gets delisted.  

[John5097]

I think I tagged the wrong person. Please ignore tag above. 

Anyway, sorry to all the host who got an unfair review. I was in disbelief at the condition of my first time as a guest. This is a pic of the shelf with the insect or rodent droppings. I can't understand how this place even has a 4.8. I couldn't give away anything in that place. The bedding was the worst, and that says a lot when there are rodent droppings by all the plates. I'm really not sure what to make of it all but this was my first guest experience, and it was over $100 a night. 

I just got a message from host who thanked me and said would leave me a 5 star review but I responded that I would rather skip the reviews this time as we are both host, and this was my first stay. I only noticed the poo droppings on the last night, otherwise would have canceled. 

Also with the AC she had just cleaned it before I arrived. Requested TOA from me, and in this kind of climate you really have to have the AC on when guest checks in, or at least instructions for guest turn it on. 

[Christine615]

@John5097  I'm both a guest and a host. Things happen when the weather turns. Sometimes ants come in when there were none the day before, following a scent trail. Sometimes a random mouse. But not to this extent.  To have this much debris implies the unit wasn't cleaned appropriately and you did future guests, and the host a disservice by granting professional courtesy when it wasn't warranted. It allowed the 4.8 to stand.

However, having said that, I recently got a three from a guest who said there was dust on the baseboard (she'd have to be on her hands and knees checking because we clean them between guests) and burnt out light bulbs. We found one bulb out - in a breakfast room - that had been loosened. But we also had a guest early one who left a mediocre review and complained about things that weren't true, but left our apartment filthy. Those types of reviews, after many all 5's are the ones we ask Airbnb to look for as outliers. And to note that a "3" is classified as "as expected" so a guest might believe they are leaving a fair review.

What struck me in your case was the host's attitude. There are so many who are great hosts and get unfair reviews. There are others that jump into Airbnb thinking that they'll get rich in the gig economy and don't have the ability to do the work properly. Her place should have been properly stocked, with instructions and extra blankets.

Don't give up on the hosts who have 4.8's. It only takes one bad review to drag a host's overall rating down. I'm often suspicious of the hosts who have perfect scores - I recently cancelled one when my suspicions were raised that the reviews were faked to boost the profile (i.e. had friends and acquaintances book the space and review the places in the same way a lot of Amazon reviews are now found to be faked and gamed.) I booked another with a less than perfect review but that host felt more communicative.

Either way - thanks for posting the photos. I could understand if something were missed beneath a counter or in a remote place. But this on a counter would give me pause.

[John5097]

@Christine615 This host was so frugal that its hurting her.  It wasn't just the ants, although they were even crawling on the bed stands, bed, and on my stuff, so I was also worried what other kind of insects might be in the place. I've never gotten that bad a vibe off of any place. 

You are right, though, she berated me when I just mentioned it was very humid. I had asked her when she dropped by if she thought it was hot and muggy inside, and she said yes, that she must have turned it off and forgot to tell me the operating instructions were in the drawer. But then I just mentioned that it was humid to be helpful, as it takes a long time to extract humidity, she said that it was almost a tropical forest and that places used to not even have AC, so it was a clear indication that she purposefully didn't want me to use the AC. Also this is an area I visit a lot and everyone has their AC on in August. Things just don't dry out, like even a towel. I even ask cashiers if they use AC up there on previous trips and they said yes, because of the humidity. 

I felt like I was being the host, and thanking her, and trying to keep it all positive. I'm very agreeable in person. I had to let her know in the app about the AC and some kind of bed spread, as it did get chilly in the morning because the place had no insulation. 

This is a host with over 2,000 reviews, with 4 properties, all with 4.8. As far as I'm concerned she is dishonest and I don't know how wacky. Let her guest rate her. My approach to hosting is totally different. I love and appreciate my guest, and don't berate people. Leaving a review is optional wether other host like it or not. She already has lower occupancy because of her approach. 

I did learn that I can't be compatible with everyone. I gave her enough feed back. 

I'm sure its difficult when guest leave a 3 star review for minor dust or something, but almost every review I get mention its super clean. All of my guest are also really clean.

This was a pic behind the love seat. I'm just glad to move on away from this host. I think its fair to let her own guest review her. 

 

 

[Christine615]

 @Alessandro877 Such a great post. THANK YOU! (And thank you @Stephanie  for having it translated)

[Ann72]

@Alessandro877  Great piece and a great reminder to all of us to stay positive and move on!

@John5097  After all your time on the CC, I'm completely baffled by your statement that you wouldn't review that host.  Reviews hold all of us, hosts and guests, to standards.  You don't have to do chapter and verse in a review if you don't want to - you could just say "cleanliness was a concern" and give low stars - but give her the list in your private feedback.  She will obviously push back, which will be stressful for you, but she needs to be told.

@Stephanie I think @John5097's discussion should be a separate post...

[John5097]

@Ann72 After all the time I have spent here I thought I would have earned a little respect. She has over 2000 reviews, so mine won't matter. I hated this place so much I would have to rate it at one star and leave a review that would just be the worst. That would be an honest review and just don't think its fair somehow. You are making it like I"m the only guest she has when she already has over 100 reviews a year for each place. What I've actually noticed here at the CC is how despotic and controlling other host can be. I don't want any kind of review from her, even though she said it would be 5 stars. My review would just be 1 out of over 2000 with her,  but I don't want some like snide remark, so think its just best for everyone to avoid reviews this time. I'm actually posting this to be helpful. Being a despotic control freak will only get you so far. I think I gave the right amount of feedback, and met this person face to face, and everyone is different. This was my stay, and I have to use my own judgement for whats best for host and guest and future guest. 

I'm also need to move on. Just wanted to share an honest account. I've also read other post who say first time guest shouldn't leave a review, and considering all the factors really think its best for everyone that we just skipped it this time, for reasons I already mentioned. I don't jump through hoops for anyone and always do what I think is right. 

[John5097]

PS.. just wanted to add I think there are also a lot of great host here, but still a lot of ones I’m not compatible with as I’m not controlling and just honest. I thought of staring a new topic but as I said it was a last minute trip. I could have asked what other host look for when traveling. This one did have a 4.8 which I thought was good with all great recent reviews. I also understand that a lot of host get unfair reviews, or retaliatory review. However from my first stay I can’t trust a 4.8 with over 2000 reviews. maybe getting rid of one review a year would help host who had an outlier. Or a breakdown like Amazon that shows how reviews are distributed. This isn’t a zero sum situation and not just about one thing like ants. I think reviews from guest are the only thing keeping host like this in check. I also learned most guest probably want to avoid host. My guest never need me for anything because I do my job. I’m also not sure every host can put as much effort into hosting that I do. It also already had 4.8s so kind of knew it wouldnt be perfect but hoped for the best. Totally not worth it and will gladly pay a little more than have to be in situations like this. 

[Ann72]

Totally wasn't criticizing @John5097, I was just confused, since you are a seasoned, experienced, and hard-working host.  I'm still a little confused because you say "reviews from guest[s] are the only thing keeping host[s] like this in check."  But I totally support your position now that you've laid it out!  You kind of knew it wouldn't be top-notch and you want to move on.  Caveat emptor.  It's interesting to me that we as hosts know that a 4.8 isn't great but many guests do not know that.

I stayed at a London flat a couple of years ago.  As soon as I checked in I noticed the dingy carpet, the worn sofa in the front room, the tiny kitchen.  By the time I checked out I didn't care, because the beds and linens were ridiculously comfortable, I had the best nap of my life on that worn sofa, and that tiny kitchen was all we needed for our trip.  The whole thing had a kind of lost-in-time charm about it that would be impossible to find in a hotel.  So I gave five stars across the board and a rave.  As you point out, we can only review or not review based on our own experience and can't think of every other guest when we do so.

[John5097]

@Ann72 thanks for the comment and understanding. In part as @Christine615  mentioned, it was seasonal, so there was a lot going on. The cabin itself would need a complete renovation IMO. There was also a ton of rain recently. It was less than 30 miles from where 30 people were missing from flash foods, so maybe not usually that musty. She also said she just got the AC installed so I think was still just in the mindset of guest not using it, and only did so because they complained in the reviews, and also said it was freezing when she was cleaning earlier, and that other guest had turned it down to 62 degrees. I told her I just kept mine at 72-73 and mentioned it in the listing, as she is wasting more energy turning it off for a few hours then having guest turn it way down. But it thats how she likes to host, have at it. She likes guest to just call her for everything and not have any instructions or suggestions. I'm sorry I'm just not explaining things well enough. Any of us could be victim of scammer or retaliatory review, or even someone leaving wrong star by mistake, or unfair review.