Hi @Lizzie1
Thank you for asking and turning this community into a place that has a voice and can make a difference.
I love that we have a forum in which to share wisdom, humor, support, and brainstorm improvements.
I LOVE hosting, and I’ve earned my “superhost” moniker...such as it is for that .1 % point difference, lol. I concur that it needs to be reorganized along with the ratings to be useful, fair and inspire respect.
I worked hard to achieve my own standard and vision and I still look for ways to improve my Service and guest experience every day, and it’s because of this effort that the quality of experience I intend manifests, and the feedback from my guests reflects it. If what I offer isn’t suited to another guests objective it’s through no fault of my own, and if they choose to stay here anyway and are less than pleased with themselves for not choosing the Ritz Carlton or Love Shack on the beach, that’s also not my doing.
It needs to be clear to guests that they’re rating whether the listing matches what was provided first, with personal impressions reserved for narrative commentary, where the host can also reply.
I’ve already commented on some wonderful posts by others. There are multilevel themes here that ring true and are worth acting upon by management to attract harmonious new guests and retain excellent hosts who continue to care, not just because it’s a business, but because it’s a passion. Many of us do care beyond the income. We’re the ones that maintain that “personal touch” that distinguishes between a “stay,” a good stay, and a consistently great experience...for all involved.
Semantics, tone, and intention matter. The words we choose in our listings and share in messaging set the stage for the experience of all parties going forward. They also matter in everything airbnb publishes from carefully crafted press releases to every sentence in the help section and every word and intonation of those on the front lines in CS.
Therd will be guests that read what we share and others who don’t and that’s often where the friction arises.
As someone who’s been professionally making people happy for decades, I look at details as well as the larger picture and diversity as a benefit.
Airbnb has gotten huge fast. The voracious ambition of the leadership is palpable.
It’s not uncommon to have issues with rapid growth, and what really matters is whether the leadership remains true to its core values despite less contact with the bones of daily operations and whether the light of success to enlightens or create various levels of blindness even as they blaze new trails.
When growth outpaces the ability to attend to the relationships that fostered it and customer service training and consistency can’t keep up, we get where we are and can choose to use it as “teaching moments” or allow damage.
The ratings system needs overhauling, for everyone’s benefit. Many great suggestions have already been offered. Simplicity, transparency, and consistency of implementation and oversight are key, as is an established, reliable appeals process everyone has access to with criteria which are fair to all parties and include specific protocol implemented by qualified management to keep things fair and monitor areas needing more love.
The “support” department has thier hands full fielding every problem imaginable. No one can be an expert in everything. A reliable referral protocol to specialty staff that are actually available when needed would help tremendously. The current system isn’t consistent, and decisions that hurt hosts despite supporting evidence is harmful to the whole community, and there’s no established policy for appeal unfairly damaged hosts suffer and often move on. That isn’t an investment in quality, it’s a loss on all fronts.
How many stories of that singular “bad guest/bad review that ruined my business” do we need to hear before polivmcy is created to fairly address it? Worried about associated labor costs? Its far more expensive to allow abuse/bad guests to play the system financially and in terms of morale and reputation.
When one disingenuous guest can literally ruin a host’s business, the system needs to change. It’s not about more loyalty to guest or host, it’s about integrity in running the show.
Airbnb is becoming known as one of the cheapest ways to throw a party or run an illegal business with little or no scrutiny.
With the introduction of “Plus” it’s clear that Airbnb wants to contend in the 5-star ring, but the only way to put out the “entitlement” and “illegal operations” fires is with foresight, clear boundaries, documentation, clearly stated consequences, and consistent support when things go awry. Same for abusive hosts.
The customer isn’t always “right.” No one is, and as social media and the “review culture” have grown, so have the snark and unfounded shallow attack and harassment factors.
Rather than establishing strong policy, Airbnb has become known as a pushover where other platforms and hotel chains have banned bad guests and delisted hosts many of whom end up here because “everyone is welcome.” Is that meant as an affirmation of hospitality or that “everyone’s money is green?”
Clear policy about bad behavior has nothing to do with race or ethnicity and everything to do with character and entitlement/victim culture. Clear well written and fairly implemented consistent policy actually creates the welcome that appeals to integrity and succeeds in encouraging more. Someone has to be the “grown up” to keep things sane and positively functional.
There are so many help categories and I celebrate it...and I see where more clarity, clear guidelines, and better education all around from guest registrations/orientation to Support staff training and consistency to be incredibly timely if this platform wants to continue to include everyone and avoid additional dysfunction as it enters the 5-star hotel arena.
I suggest a “help section” that’s also repeated in guest registrations that clearly states objectives, what’s expected, what’s not allowed, and clear consequences (which are enforced consistently) if there’s abuse. That means better CS training and built in accountability so that if someone’s having a bad day or was sick on one of the training days it doesn’t alienate a guest that has a legitimately bad experience or ignore evidence and ruin a host’s business.
It means regular QC within “support” beyond “this call is being recorded...” including periodic case/call audits, with possible surveys that are designed to bypass revenge tactics and a clear appeals process that does the same and addresses real evidence.
Now that Airbnb is playing with the “big boys” it means matching industry standards by doing ID/background checks for all registered guest profiles and requiring identifiable full facial photos in profiles that match their legal government issued IDs. Rather m than being discriminatory, protects everyone legally and otherwise and dovetails with the QC and safety protocols suggested above.
Playing in the big leagues also means making sure platform changes are vetted within the whole landscape and are functional, with bugs and side effects addressed for pc, iphone, android, and tablet functionality before rollout.
All of the above is good PR and an investment in the future of everyone’s success here.
What guests and hosts pay for and want from a booking service is pleasant smooth operations, safety, clarity, consistency, professionalism, and reliable functionality so guests can have a great experience and hosts can run thier businesses.
All 3 areas queried in this thread (amongst others) need work well if Airbnb wants to maintain professional integrity and goodwill inside and out, and continue to grow market share.
Thank you for reading through all of this. I could use an editor myself, but I’ve given this a lot of thought because I’ve seen a lot, I do care, and I love the spirit of innovation, community, and home sharing that made Airbnb great.
We all need to be building positive healthy community and services in this rapidly changing world. Airbnb can continue innovative leadership with win-win choices that include a wise balance of head and heart.
