Returning guest and lower ratings each time?

[Laura2592]

Flummoxed by this one. 

Returning guest-- husband and wife-- gave us 4 stars overall on their first stay but 5s in every category but a very nice forward-facing review. Booked again (first booking was husband's profile, second was wife's so I didn't notice immediately they were part of the same team.) Beautiful feedback, brought friends this time. Gave us 4 stars overall and now 4 stars in location and value. We raised our rates since they came last year and they said it was "getting too expensive" in their private feedback, but what they were experiencing this time was the extra guest fee since there were more people too. Don't know why they suddenly didn't like the location as much. 

Wife messages me today wanting to bring the same group next year. Our calendar is not open far enough in advance for her dates. Would you say something to her about this rating situation?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Laura2592 I have nothing but sympathy for you. If the guest didn't think your listing was value for money when they new exactly what it was like then why on earth did they book it.

I do despair of some guests.

[Laura2592]

@Mike-And-Jane0  yes and further, they knew exactly what they were getting on stay number 2 as far as location. Its not like we teleported it to a different spot!

I do wonder if I should address this or not. Obviously if they are planning their third visit, it can't be that bad. I also don't want declining ratings on stay after stay.

[Lenore22]

I would say just what you just did:

I'm so pleased that you are looking to book a third time, but I'm frankly confused because on Airbnb 4 stars is used to indicate a substandard listing. I would like you to enjoy your stay, but the first time you rated us 4 stars and this time we only had 4 stars in both value and location. We want you to be happy, but frankly there is nothing I can do to improve in those categories.

Likely they feel 5 stars is reserved for perfection (as would be the case in any 5-point scale) not the baseline, and they think they gave you a good rating.

[Laura2592]

@Lenore22 I like your wording. I am going to tweak it and say something similar. 

This is a retired couple-- always my hardest raters. I do think they believe they are "helping" us to "improve."

[Mark116]

@Laura2592  Yes, I would definitely say something and/or don't rent to them anymore....something along the lines of we noticed that, based on your ratings, your enjoyment of the property declined considerably, and for that reason we suggest you may want to find a different cabin in the future, or if you want to get into t he whole 4 star is bad explanation with them, I'd probably punt on them as future guests.

[Laura2592]

"Your enjoyment of the property declined"-- stealing that. Thanks!

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 

If the guests were fine but give me a lower star rating they are welcome to come back but they can book with me directly. I want their money but cannot risk another low rating. Everyone wins here, except Airbnb, but that's what they get when they have a rating system that is crap. 

[Lenore22]

Makes perfect sense

@Emilia42 what do you use for direct bookings? Do you have Facebook/Instagram/website or do you just block the dates on Airbnb?

[Anna9170]

@Emilia42  Ideal! @Laura2592  let these guests book directly, and you will be calm about the rating. Age people are very complicated guests in many ways. Especially with regard to ratings, scores and how each score affects the host list.

[Kelly149]

@Laura2592 you can solve her value problem by booking her directly yourself without the platform fees.

If you want her to stay on platform then you absolutely must tell her that anything less than 5* is a problem for ABB and if she isn't sure she can have a 5* experience then you'd like her to go elsewhere.

aaaaand... do you really want to make a commitment a full year from now??

[Laura2592]

@Kelly149 I am not opening my calendar that far in advance, no. But I needed something to say in response to her message.

Looking at her and her husband's feedback I think we are the only hosts they ever stayed with. Or at least who rated them. Husband had said it was their first Airbnb experience when they booked last time. I find that older guests with no experience using Airbnb do tend to be really harsh raters. 

[Fred13]

@Laura2592 The difference in attitude is in all likelihood cause by - they 'brought friends this time'. I have noticed this a lot, the original guests bring their friends because they want to enthusiastically 'share' their positive past experience, but their friends were not who selected the place in the first place and chose to actually stay in it; meaning they may not be as perfectly suited as the 'originalists'. 

[Laura2592]

@Fred13  ah interesting point! I can see the friends nitpicking on things. We have a couple we used to travel with like that. No matter where we stayed they would point out all the things that were better at such and such place or such and such time. We stopped traveling with them. But it could be that the "friends" were giving feedback to that the guest was considering in the review. Perhaps it was a group effort. 

[Fred13]

@Laura2592 I rather the uppity friends kept their big mouth shut and let everyone enjoy the experience. Or better yet, not come at all. Better yet, the whole lot not return, like @Helen3 suggests below. LoL