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!

[Ann72]

I did not know you had replied, @Bez8, because you didn't tag me with the @ symbol.  Have you noticed that that is how we address one another?

[Mary996]

@Ann72 

Or... maybe he has a point and we need to look at ourselves and reconsider our own approach and inclusivity? Personally I am ashamed at the response the HAB members have received. Its been obstructive, unreceptive, complacent and evasive (and that's just desrcibing me....!!!). I think we can definitely do better xxx

[Sharon1014]

I'm sure @Bez8 that you are sincere about wanting to see improvement and have conversations that are productive and beneficial.  You likely also believe that Airbnb will listen to you.  And you probably like above all else, to be a helper, a fixer.

The history of what has gone before does impact significantly on the willingness of other hosts to engage, since they have been so frequently disappointed and indeed, Airbnb has done a great job of putting some truly valuable hosts out of business altogether. 

The past does in fact impact the present.  That is something you are going to have to navigate with grace and diplomacy.  Platitudes won't cover it.  Nor will promises (because they've been broken so many times, hosts here have lost count). 

It may help if you can outline how the chain of command is going to work, i.e. host advisory board members make recommendations to the company.... and then what?  Who considers those, who decides, what is the timeline of actioning host issues and requests?  How can hosts contact their relevant advisory board member?  

Do you have a budget, a plan, a timeline?  What is the new board's strategic direction?  How frequently does the board meet?  Does the board have an "agenda" for each meeting?  How do hosts get an item on the agenda?

Perhaps you could start with these basics, just to set the framework in place.

A full and complete explanation of your role and duties would also be appreciated, so that hosts here know exactly what the boundaries are of your involvement and what they can or can't expect.

What hosts with a long history of disappointment and being systematically ignored by company require is meaningful acknowledgement, validation, and a clear pathway to explain how advisory board members are going to make any recommendations stick and have substance, when in the past, this has been an entirely futile exercise.  

[Ute42]

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@Sharon1014 

Good questions You ask.

[Till-and-Jutta0]

We had a long meeting last night, dealing with exactly these subjects and much more.

Now we have a plan, and we have a timeline. Currently we are working on the strategy and the way we can build the bridge between the host community and the Airbnb leadership, and how we can be the hosts’ catalyst.

There is a lot of work to be done. The expectations on all sides are high. Due to the workload we will split into several working committees.

Please expect coming more official info about this soon.

[Sarah977]

@Till-and-Jutta0 Okay, you say you now have a plan and a timeline. 

That's great, but you still haven't told us anything. What is the plan and what is the timeline?

Or is it a big secret like everything else we are left out of the loop on?

[Till-and-Jutta0]

We will let you know as soon as we have the finals, @Sarah977 . 

[Helen3]

Please can we know @Till-and-Jutta0

1. what is your plan and what objectives is it meeting 

2. what is your timeline 

3. How will you be measuring the success of your plan and strategy to identify whether you have met your objectives? 

[Bez8]

@Sharon1014 

Hi Sharon, 

Thank you for your comment. I will do my best to answer and address all of it. 

I agree with you regarding the past. I honestly truly do. The past has hurt me too. I also sympathize with the years of host voices going unnoticed. The past is a roadmap to where we are today. I can honestly tell you that I personally have seen and experienced Airbnb's desire to involve hosts in on going and future decisions. I can also understand how hard it is being in a 2 sided market and having to make tough business decisions that will impact both. 

You don't know me, but I'm a purist and in some ways a hopeless romantic. But I'm also not blind and would never join a cause if I didn't believe in it. This advisory board is a first step to really give hosts a united voice. I know this could have been done long ago and many of the experienced CC members would agree. I think some times it takes a big event to make you question your present. For example I recently found out I was going to be a father. It changed everything for me. I believe the pandemic and the decisions made to save the business was that event for Airbnb. 

Initially I saw all of it as damage control, but then I started to realize that it was more than that. 

ok let me do my best to answer all of your questions. The answers might be vague and that's because we're putting it all together. The first year for the board is more difficult because we're building the foundations of it. 

It may help if you can outline how the chain of command is going to work, i.e. host advisory board members make recommendations to the company.... and then what?  - One of the tasks of the this advisory board is to refine and develop this for future board members. There is no chain of command within the board itself. We have a monthly lead (rotating every month) that will be the major voice for that month (communicate and update the progress and other duties). Susan Bailey was the lead for January. The details of all of this is being finalized and communicated to all of you in the near future. 

Who considers those, who decides, what is the timeline of actioning host issues and requests?  How can hosts contact their relevant advisory board member?   - We have different committees split by key topics (for example host empowerment, safety and security) It was discussed that one of the key things was to keep the broader hosting community informed on what were working on. Everything in your question was brought up and is being refined before being communicated. I am hoping this happens soon. We are all so excited to announce this to you. Hosts will be able to communicate with advisory board via the CC (I don't know the exact details yet) and through the community leaders program. However in the mean time we can create a thread and get the CC opinion on the best way this can be done. You can personally message me or tag me anytime. 

Do you have a budget, a plan, a timeline?  What is the new board's strategic direction?  How frequently does the board meet?  Does the board have an "agenda" for each meeting?  How do hosts get an item on the agenda? - All this detail will be announced. We will be listening to all of you (perhaps in a up voting system that someone told me was in place long ago here on the CC) We want to be as transparent as possible. What I can tell you is that each committee will meet monthly (more if required) and we will have monthly meetings as a team. But again the details of this is being refined. I really want to share this with all of you. Please note that this is a Global advisory board and we want to do our best to listen to 4M plus hosts. I'm sure you can understand that this is going to be difficult. We will learn and grow as time passes as to what method works best. 

I hope this is a start and gives you and the CC a bit more clarity. Our specific roles are influenced by our personal interests. I'm big in safety and inclusion (I've had a few really bad experiences with guests who clearly don't have respect for the hosting or the greater airbnb community in general). The advisory board is place to serve the hosting community. We want change and action to make this platform the best it can be. The only way Airbnb will continue to improve is by listening to the hosting community. This for me is a clear line and it makes both business and community sense. We're all partners in the complicated Airbnb platform. 

I think I speak for all of us on the board when I say that you're not ignored. The only way we can prove this to you is through meaningful acknowledgment, validation and action. 

This may end up being a futile exercise as well. I can't promise you anything. But I can tell you that I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think we could make a positive difference. Momentum and culture shift is on our side. 

It's hard to ask for trust from someone who has been let down so many times. But this is what I'm asking of the hosting community. No company is perfect. Especially one's that are as big as Airbnb. But we have the opportunity to continuously improve Airbnb which benefits all of us. 

This isn't a script. This is what I truly believe in. 

@Helen350 @Ute42 @Mike-And-Jane0  @Nathalie-Et-Gilles0 

[Sarah977]

@Bez8 

"What I can tell you is that each committee will meet monthly (more if required) and we will have monthly meetings as a team."

Well, at that rate, it should take several years for the board to formulate recommendations based on host feedback, present them to Airbnb, and then wait for them to consider whether to act on them.

[Bez8]

@Sarah977 

Let's just see how things will unfold. Remember that this is brand new. 

I'm hopeful 😍

[Sarah977]

@Bez8 I'm curious as to the age range, more or less, of hosts on the advisory board. Can you speak to that, please? 

[Bez8]

@Sarah977 

It would be a pure guess and please don't quote me on it 

maybe 40-50 on average?

but I'm just guessing

[Sarah977]

@Bez8 Thanks. I wasn't really asking about average age- Are there hosts in their 60's or 70's and hosts in their 20's, or are the majority of hosts on the board in a similar age demographic as the CEOs and top employees?

[Bez8]

@Sarah977 

It's a broad mix of ages. I've never been good at guessing ages. But there are for sure at least 6 or more members over the age of 60

I don't think we have anyone is their early 20's (but I could be wrong)

I also don't know Brian Chesky's age (but I'm 37 and he might be around that?)