Host Advisory Board members

[Mike-And-Jane0]

Interesting to see that some board members who haven't posted here since 2017 are suddenly posting multiple times. The cynic in me suggests that Airbnb have asked them to do so to find out what is going on in Airbnb land.

Perhaps they should have just invited some of the more prolific posters on the community centre to be on the advisory board!

[Sharon1014]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

I'd be interested to know exactly what was in the job description, i.e. what are these ppl expected to do exactly, and also what form of "compensation" they are receiving and in what amount.

I'd also like to know what the selection criteria were.  Was listing(s) exclusive to Airbnb one of them?

Some transparency around this is rather important, especially since hosts were told more details would be available in the new year, and here we are 30 days in and it seems not even the basics of communicating with these folks have been put in place.

Had thought for a while now that they may be levered into taking over the running of the CC, so  no surprise there.

[Sarah977]

I would also like to know what criteria was used to select the board. So far, from those that have started posting here, none have been participants in this forum up til now. It seems like Airbnb considered the folks who are regulars on this forum to be tainted and chose hosts who wouldn't be aware of all the ongoing distrust and disgust with the way the company does business.

This host advisory board has been as non-transparent as all the rest of the company's attitude and practices.

[Bez8]

@Sarah977 

There will be a lot more updates coming. Just be patient. That I can promise you. I am not your enemy. I want to help. That's honestly all I want. 

[Sarah977]

@Bez8  I don't consider you my enemy, not sure where you got that idea. It isn't the actual people on the board that hosts here have issue with, we don't know you at all, as you have never been active here before (which an issue in itself-your Facebook groups are a pretty narrow focus compared to this international forum). It's the manner in which Airbnb announced it, and how non-transparent, as with all their practices, they have been about it.

Here's a question-are there any home-share hosts on this advisory board?

[Emilia42]

@Sarah977 

There are actually a few home share hosts: 

Ningyi from China, Norma from Spain, Nutth from Thailand, Pascale from France, Samuela from Pennsylvania, Till from Germany, and kind of (whether guests read his listing or not) Peter from California.   

https://www.airbnb.com/d/hostadvisoryboardintl

[Anonymous]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Some of the CC regulars were initially nominated, but there were conditions attached.

I don't think any were included in the final selection. But presumably, the executives don't need to recruit spies to get a read on what's going on in Airbnb land, since they already have a huge database of the most vocal hosts' opinions right here.

[Ute42]

.

@Anonymous 

What were the conditions attatched - to work from a script?

Like

• There is one thing that I can promise you:

• It's the fact that Airbnb is listening to hosts just like you.

• It may not seem like it right now but just give it a bit more time.

• As part of the host advisory board it's my goal to be your voice.

• Airbnb is listening and has already made a lot of changes based on feedback.

• As you know nothing gets done quickly.

• But I assure you that @Airbnb is listening to you.

• This is a beautiful community

• there are millions of hosts just like you.

• You are not alone.

• I just want you to know that

This is what advisory board member @Bez8  in Vancouver wrote in the other thread.

Do You know if all 17 board members are getting the exact same script or do they vary?

Do they already have these scripts in german? We got some strange language in the german CC recently.

cc:  @Mike-And-Jane0 @Emilia42 @Sarah977 @Sharon1014 

[Bez8]

@Ute42 

What were the conditions attatched - to work from a script?

Like

• There is one thing that I can promise you:

• It's the fact that Airbnb is listening to hosts just like you.

• It may not seem like it right now but just give it a bit more time.

• As part of the host advisory board it's my goal to be your voice.

• Airbnb is listening and has already made a lot of changes based on feedback.

• As you know nothing gets done quickly.

• But I assure you that @Airbnb is listening to you.

• This is a beautiful community

• there are millions of hosts just like you.

• You are not alone.

• I just want you to know that

-------------------------------------------------------------

This is the person that I am. This is how I talk. I'm compassionate and love helping others. This is how I communicate to my wife and family. 

You consider this a script? I'm honestly shocked by the numerous time I've been personally attacked on here. I did just pop up out of nowhere. As I mentioned before, I'm extremely active in the facebook community. 

My whole purpose is to help hosts and we're all working towards the best way to do that effectively. 

We are setting the foundation for what the advisory board will be and how they will be chosen. 

The amount of hate that I've received from this community center has been discouraging. I truly mean that and it makes me really sad

[Sarah977]

@Bez8  'The amount of hate that I've received from this community center has been discouraging. I truly mean that and it makes me really sad'

There was certainly one poster on another thread who was way out of line and personal.

But if you can't understand why the whole notion of this host advisory board isn't being met with balloons and rainbows, then you are not going to be a very effective representative for hosts.

No one here is personally attacking you, it's that we have heard these placating words ad nauseum for years. 'Listening', 'We hear you' and the rest of @Ute42's list. 

So don't use any of those phrases if you would like to have some positive feedback, because those words and sentiments have become meaningless and laughable. Yes, it's a script. It's been the Airbnb script for years.

[Bez8]

I’m sorry Sarah. 

im not going to change my vocabulary and the way I talk. This is who I am. 

If you read all of my posts then you’d know that I never once said I don’t care about the past

we can learn from it and move forward. Or we can just dwell on the past. Choose your path. I respect everyone here and I’ve mentioned over and over again that I want to leverage all the experience within this community. 

[Bez8]

What I find amusing is that through out this whole process we haven’t even discussed anything related to hosting or actual  Airbnb topics. 

you haven’t asked me one question about it. 

In fact this doesn’t feel like a community at all. It’s more like an elite club of hosts who just look down on new folks. 

it’s actually really sad 

[Ann72]

@Bez8  Since you posted this, @Sharon1014 has asked you.  But before that - well, you came in saying great things were coming, you couldn't say more, but it was going to happen.  Saying you couldn't talk yet about what was coming effectively shut all questions down.

My motto as a business owner and as a host is and has always been, "Under-promise and over-deliver."  I never promise a client or a guest that an outcome will be great.  I just work behind the scenes to make that happen and then let them define the outcome.  

[Mary996]

You said it boy! @Bez8 

This used to be a helpful place. Now its how to knock down newbies, or even established Hosts with a question... I agree. I have had to ask two members not to reply to me. But hey lets get going with business. I've seen a few issues raised. One brilliant one was .... recording number of  Guests. Start with 0.  

[Helen350]

Spooky, @Ute42 !

You forgot

- Thank you for being an awesome superhost.

(I got that one from CS aka "Support Ambassador" yesterday!)