[June 11th] The Host Talk - Reviews

[Liv]

Hey everyone,

Hopefully you’ll be happy to hear that the time for our second Host Talk has come! 🕺✨

@Vinícius0  and @Merrydith0, two Host Advisory Board members, will be joining the conversation with fellow Hosts who are interested in sharing their experience and coming up with insights and suggestions for how to navigate the review process.

The meet-up will take place on Friday June 11th, 11AM (BST).

Timezones:

Friday June 11th, 5:00 AM (Kansas City / Pensacola, Florida)

Friday June 11th, 6:00 AM (New York / Toronto)

Friday June 11th, 12:00 PM  (Spain)

Friday June 11th, 7:00 PM (Seoul)

Friday June 11th, 7:30 PM (Darwin)

Friday June 11th, 8:00 PM (Melbourne) 

EVENT NOW OVER

Not sure how to use Zoom? Check out this CC guide. 

Want to know more about The Host Talk? Have a read here.

Have you got any reviews related questions you would like to ask fellow Hosts? Let us know below so we can pick a few suggestions to get our conversation started.

I really hope you can join us, I look forward to seeing you there 🤓

Thanks, 

Liv

[John5097]

Thanks @Liv ... there was no notification for this, just happened to see the topic while browsing. Not sure if I'll be up that early but sometimes am, so hope to make it. 

[Liv]

Hey @John5097,

It is indeed going to be pretty early for US based Hosts, no worries if you can't make it. It would be great to see you there though 😊🤞

Do you have any questions you'd like to ask fellow Hosts or suggestions of reviews related topics that you'd like to discuss in the meet-up?

[John5097]

Hey @Liv ! 

I'll try to make it. I'm usually up early anyway. 

Wasn't there a recent announcement that host could request to have a review removed if the guest didn't actually check in? Could anyone clarify?  Is this in the help center topics yet?

Of course there are so many aspects to the review process. How to encourage guest to leave a review, retaliation reviews, guest that mark all the sub categories as 5 but overall as 4.  

I think having the place extremely clean for guest, like the cleanest one they have ever stayed in, is probably why I've never received lower than 5 star review.  

So I probably don't have much to add, but would be interested in what other host have to say.    

[Alexandra316]

@Liv I'd love to, but that's right in the middle of the workday for me. Hopefully next time! 

[Liv]

Hi @Alexandra316, we'll see you next time then 😊

I'll make sure to post a brief summary of the Host Talk for those who couldn't attend!

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Liv 

I won't be able to make it this time..... I'm heading up to Seoul and have dinner plans with Henry as soon as I get home 🤤 😋 😀 

[Liv]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 Oooh, nice! Enjoy your dinner 😋

Hopefully we'll see you next time!

[Tammy416]

I would like to schedule a meeting with the advisory board to discuss the security deposit policy!  Tammy

[Liv]

Hi @Tammy416, thanks for the suggestion 🙂  I'll be sure to keep that in mind for our next Host Talks.

Are you joining us tomorrow?

[Tammy416]

No, I was not available.  Tammy

[Ingrid345]

This is a very important topic.  I agree and concur.  

[Cathie19]

I’ve registered for it.

[Liv]

That's great, @Cathie19! 

Is there anything in particular you'd like to talk about in regards to reviews?

See you tomorrow 😊

[Laurie95]

Unfortunately, I won't be up at 3:00 am for this meeting but will be interested to have a recap on what was discussed.  Retaliatory reviews are of my greatest concern as is the overall rating system/calculation, i.e. when you get all five star reviews but it posts as a 4 star! 

I'd also like a discussion on Airbnb actually requiring security deposits and/or insurance policies on guests so they have some "skin in the game".  Covid brought out the worse in guest stays with partying and destruction of property.  Holding guests accountable for their actions will help deter unwanted behaviors.

[Cathie19]

Oh I missed it! I wrote the wrong time on my alerts! Ugh!

Hi @Stephanie and @Liv  

I missed it! I had the wrong time on my alerts! Ugh! 

Anyway, some three questions, better late than maybe never……
1.   Should AIrbnb consider a procedural approach for guests and hosts, who regularly do not participate in the review process.

My concern is that if there is a complacency or a pattern of disregard, essentially, by not participating, they are not meeting the terms of service for the platform, or entering into the spirit of the rental platform.

The AIrbnb platform relies so heavily on the review system, that maybe an icon such as an exclamation mark might appear near the profile, stating you have chosen not to review on “x” number of occasions. Is there a reason?  

Maybe regular withdrawal from the review system will cause them to lose some privileges or warn that a host can decline a booking without penalty, due to the guests low review benchmark.

For me with a short tourist season, every review counts and it’s hard when guests might be staying longer and not reviewing.

2. When can an outlier review from a retaliatory guest be consistently removed?  
For the current system seems to be very haphazard and flawed. Hosts need to be able to set the boundaries, essentially their house rules and conditions of stay (which fall within Airbnbs terms of service). Too many hosts, too often get inconsistent advise and response from support and customer service.

Good rules improve the platform. No rules creates anarchy and an entitlement without responsibility or accountability.


3. When will LOCATION be finally removed and not factored into the review star system?
The current question creates issues when in the majority, there is none.
We get told it doesn’t, but it really does. The question itself can denote a negative, which then can reduce the overall star choice for the stay.
[They might have heard a dog bark or the garbage truck, or a siren. Or the restaurants were further to walk to when they themselves were tired and already knew the distance when booking.]

So to satisfy everyone, just remove the question altogether. If a guest is really concerned or upset by the homestay location, this information will most definitely shine through in their written review.  


🙂
Cathie