Nanny Al is really out to lunch, and out of control

[Colleen253]

Just a rant. Anyone else more annoyed than ever at the out of control Airbnb helicopter parent ‘Nanny Algorithm’? It’s worse than ever. I have check in instructions added, and guests are instructed at booking on how to find them. I still like to follow up before check in day, to make sure they have what they need. So I’m in the middle of conversation with a guest and Nanny Al butts in with a reminder to add checkin details, “because the next guest will need them too, and you can save repeating yourself”. Oh that last bit…rich. Thanks, I’ve done that already, get out of my conversation, and don’t come back.

I have a permanent reminder on my listing to update safety info. Nothing new to add, but I went ahead and unchecked/rechecked a few boxes anyway, just to make it go away. No joy. It’s there to stay.

Honestly, it’s not a miracle I manage to make it out of bed every day. I do it. Every day, and I do it well. No need to treat me like a 2 year old. I’m proven. 

Just now I noticed a message advising me that I have a popular date on my calendar blocked due to booking settings, and that making it available could help me get it booked. Guess what date? July 8th. 

I. can’t. Take. It. Anymore. 

[Emiel1]

@Colleen253 

It is now only text popping up, but next stage is:

[Colleen253]

@Emiel1 OMG. I never even thought of that. You're right, and it will happen. It's Airbnb after all. 😱

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Tell him @Colleen253  😄

[Colleen253]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  🤣🤣

[Lisa723]

@Colleen253 I love those reminders to unblock dates that are, guess what Airbnb, BOOKED DIRECTLY OR ON VRBO.

[Kim572]

Or just booked direct by previous guests!

[Sarah977]

Or maybe they are blocked because you have a friend or family member staying. Or you are taking a holiday yourself (heaven forbid) or you just need a few days's break.

Why does Airbnb think hosts would unblock purposely blocked dates? 

It's way up there among their most absurd suggestions.

[Laurelle3]

@Colleen253 Thanks for the funny side of the rant. You gat a chuckle out of me downunder.

[John5097]

@Colleen253 
I really don’t like all the suggestions and warnings, not only from ABB but also phone blowing up with dramatic and loud weather warnings, or new router that also beyond control. All pulling you down one rabbit hole after the next.

This was for a water spout for minor thunderstorm for the area. None of the houses here have basements as ground water is just beneath the surface. So guess the Airbnb bot will want to know if I have one. 

 

[John5097]

BTW I'd like to try listing on another platform but so far VRBO doesn't look good.

I also just updated my directions. So far only one guest has asked for directions and his profile had the wrong location north of me. Otherwise I haven't provided any directions at all to any other guest and they all get here just fine. Most host, like me, also may have different directions depending on where they live. Airbnb should focus on making their site and app more useful instead of badgering us with irrelevant options. 

[Elaine701]

@John5097 

Yes, we have similar issues.

in typical Airbnb fashion, they overcomplicate the directions by resolving a simple Google Maps link to a postal address that's apparently calculated by some algorithm.

In our case, we, like many others have no postal address... So it gets resolved to an actual postal address several km away from us. And we've had to put instructions in our directions to ignore Airbnb's location and just use this Google Maps link : <Google maps link>

With the simple Google Maps link, nobody has ever had any difficulty finding our place. Ever (except one or two who lost the link for whatever reason). 

So, it occurs to me that Airbnb would be well served to just use Google Maps links. They work. 

But no, instead, they're doing this:

https://globetrender.com/2018/12/05/what3words-remote-airbnb/

Ok, if it helps... But I have a suggestion: just use what everybody else uses. They already have it in their hand. All they need to do is click on it and then click "directions". In whatever language they want. 

🙃

[John5097]

@Elaine701 Appreciate the info. Wasn't aware they used some other mapping company. I have noticed that my iPhone works well, especially when it comes to merging lanes. I was wondering why they just wouldn't have Google or Waze or iPhone, and just click on directions and let host see any of that. Now I guess we will get blamed when ABB screws that up. 

[Colleen253]

@John5097 “Airbnb should focus on making their site and app more useful instead of badgering us with irrelevant options”.

It seems there are more irrelevant options than ever before, and certainly more of that super annoying badgering, after this latest round of upgrades. I honestly can’t think of one feature that I’ve said ‘yay, I love this!’ about. I do wonder who Airbnb are listening to when they say ‘based on your feedback….” It’s not anyone I know.

[John5097]

@Colleen253 

Airbnb is making things less useful for me. I gave smart pricing a quick try and now I no longer have the option to switch back to set rates and the weekend pricing. Never mind that I used set pricing and weekend rates for over a year with all 5 star reviews in every category including value. So now I just use set price the same for every day of the week. I got all kinds of dire warnings of bad things that would happen without smart pricing.  

Airbnb would have no clue when our most popular time of year is. There are so many things I can set up and plan for much better, which is the entire point, especially for those of us with the highest ratings. 

I know some people will read this as being negative, but that's only because they use toxic positivity to kind of gas light others.

Although I'm surprised that Airbnb is intent on making such small issues into real problems for host. As host we just have to work a little harder to maintain the highest level of service and customer satisfaction. For example, there is now no way to turn off all the annoying notifications, what gust are arriving in 8 days, etc, without turning off important notifications like when a guest books. I have to constantly update my listing for these useless clutter. I now say in my personal message that both host and guest will receive automated messages, but that I will send another personal message the day before checkin. But guest have also tuned out and think its all just automated.  

We could go on and on. There are several minor things that Airbnb could change that would make a huge difference to host.