New Host- Advice please!

[Helen2756]

Airbnb keep showing us the same 'Next Steps', which are questions like 'Do you have a dedicated workspace?'. We have answered the same questions a few times, and not sure why they keep popping up? Are we doing something wrong?

TIA!

[Suzanne302]

@Helen2756 

You are not doing anything wrong! The annoying Airbnb bot is always making "suggestions" for you. If your listing is set up the way you want it to be, ignore these prompts. (And expect them to keep coming, some of them will be ridiculous.)

[Sybe]

@Helen2756 Welcome to Airbnb and to the Community Center! 😃

I'm not sure if it's intentional that these prompts come back. I'll send this over to the bugs team for them to check, and as soon as I have an answer I'll let you and @Suzanne302 know.

[Huma0]

@Sybe 

I've also experienced this several times. For example, being repeatedly asked if I had a garden even though I kept clicking yes.

Another thing is amenities disappearing from the list, even though I know I've previously included them.

It doesn't seem to be happening to my listings anymore, but I had to respond to the prompts over and over before they stopped.

[Sybe]

@Huma0 Could you tell me around when the prompts stopped and if you did anything out of the ordinary before?

About the amenities, was it random amenities that kept disappearing or did it seem to always be the same ones? Does that still happen and if yes, how often?

Sorry about all these questions! 😉

[Suzanne302]

@Sybe 

For as long as I can remember there seem to be ongoing glitches where random things on your listing will change. As a result, I usually review my amenities and policies once a month to make sure everything is listed how it's supposed to be.

[Huma0]

@Sybe 

I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary. I filled in the categories section with the options available at that time and those included the ones relating to outdoor spaces. 

The prompts that kept coming up again and again were garden, patio or balcony and I think outdoor dining area. The prompts weren't always the same for each listing, i.e. one listing would have those amenities checked but another wouldn't, even though I knew I can checked them in all three listings.

This stopped some time ago. I can't remember exactly when, but it was probably over a year ago.

More recently, I got repeated prompts to do with dedicated workspace, even though I had already gone back into my amenities and updated them when Airbnb added new options/more details to these. That prompt seems to have gone away now.

When I look at my listings and click the 'update' button, I am being asked whether I have a fireplace (I am ignoring this as I do have two fireplaces but do NOT want guests lighting fires!) and scenic views on two of the listings, which I'm also ignoring because it's not relevant.

The weird one is TV. I keep getting 'tell us more about your TV' but I don't have more to tell. I've already selected HD and cable TV, so I don't know why I'm still being asked. My guests never use the TV anyway.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen2756 Airbnb don't subscribe to the concept that repeatedly doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome is a sign of madness. By continually asking us to take pets they seem to think we will eventually give in and say yes!

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Yep, that's another problem. I doubt Airbnb will stop telling me to allow instant book, self check in, shorter stays, last minute bookings and pets and switch to flexible cancellation. I just ain't gonna happen.

Also, I wish they would stop asking me to highlight free parking. There is no free parking around here except on the weekends and my guests don't bring cars anyway. And no, I am not going to add a cot because I don't accept children. No, I'm not going to add air conditioning just for the week or two out of the year that it might be useful in this country. Why does Airbnb even ask hosts in cold climates to add air conditioning? 

[Robin4]

@Helen2756 

Helen, don't take too much notice of these Airbnb 'suggestions' , as @Mike-And-Jane0 says, as far as Airbnb are concerned there is no such thing as 'flogging a dead horse' and every time you negotiate your listing profile you will be confronted with a barrage of suggestions or 'tips'! They are automatically generated and do not indicate a failure to do something on your part, it is Airbnb's way to continually strive for more business.....regardless of whether it helps you or not!

Just looking around my listing, it's a wonder anything on my site works at all with all the things Airbnb tell me I need to do........

I have been told continually for 7 years to fine tune ('Lower') my price......cancel existing bookings so I can open up my calendar to accept other Airbnb bookings......enter into a cutthroat battle with other hosts in my area in that desperate search for business I cannot afford and do not need or want......

Just ignore these prompts Helen, take control of your listing and what you offer and just concentrate on being a great host........the rest will come naturally!

Cheers.........Rob

[Helen2756]

Thank you all, put my mind at ease! 

Thought something was going wrong..

Helen 🙂