First Live Q&A with Donna Boyer, Director of Product

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to share some very exciting news with you. We will be hosting our first Live Q&A session, exclusively here in the Community Center on Monday, June 19th at 12pm PST (San Francisco time).

[To make sure you are aware in your different times zones: 3pm EST (New York time) / 8pm BST (London time) / 5am AEST (Sydney time-June 20th)]

You might be asking yourself, what is a Live Q&A? In simple words, a Live Q&A is a live online event in which members of our Community will have the opportunity to ask questions to an individual from Airbnb, basically like an interview. During the Live Q&A this person will try to answer as many questions as possible in the allocated time. Sounds exciting, no?

So, who will be our first guest for our Live Q&A? It’s going to be Donna Boyer 🙂

Donna is Director of Product at Airbnb where she leads the Product Team focused on host experience. In addition to being a Superhost, Donna is a mother of two and has spent over 20 years empowering product teams, leading product at Hyperion Solutions, Yahoo!, RMG Networks, Callaway Digital Arts and Blurb. Donna also serves on the board of Girls in Tech, a non-profit focused on the engagement, education and empowerment of girls and women who are passionate about technology.

The Live Q&A will be a global event across all our Communities, so if you see another member asking questions in a different language – don’t be surprised and enjoy the diversity of our Community. We’ll do our best to give you a provisional translation during the event, so that you are able to follow the discussion.

Take out your calendar and set a reminder to be part of our first Live Q&A session, which is going to take place on Monday, June 19th at 12pm PST (please see above for a guide on what time this is in different timezones). Don’t miss it! 🙂

The following link will bring you directly to our Live Thread. Please note that the Live Thread will only be open for questions when the Q&A starts.

Thank you,

Lizzie

[Sabrina-And-Perrie0]

The Airbnb reviews are kind of a joke because anytime somebody has a disagreement about anything bandit trashing you so I found out that I don't really go by the review I go by the person

[Javier202]

Hi, my name is Javier and I live in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Mexico. It's really interesting everything about hosting. God bless Airbnb!

[Peter-And-Lucy0]

Hi javier 

we live  in Mornington Australia in the state of Victoria.

 I have a sister in Guadalajara!! Cheers Lucy 

[Joselito1]

hi, I had two good experiences with Military member,  I am in the reserve and also work for DoD,   Do you know we have a huge market with military ppl in pcs, and TDY orders.?  And it is a website we use for rent hotels to military member when they are in orders.  It would be great if Airnb can post an ad in this website as well as other hotel do.

[Jodi31]

Any plans to make top menu options (Dashbard, stats, inbox, your listing, refer hosts your reservations, profile, account) accessible to show when in calendar view?  It takes me a few more clicks to go where I want to.

[Jodi31]

Any plans to enhance the cancellation policy feature?   I only show flexible, moderate, and strict.   I’d like Full refund 60 days prior and 50% refund until two weeks prior to arrival. 

[James250]

Jodie,

Anything more than what you see is by invitation only.

James

[Jodi31]

How do you get by invitation only?  I assume it is host controlled?

[Jodi31]

Any plans to allow varying minimum days for booking for certain time periods?  For example, summer I wish to have 3 night minimum and the rest of the year 2 night minimum.

[Jodi31]

Any plans to allow varying guests per night?   Many time I have a group for example of 5 guests there mon-Thur and 2 more coming Friday and Saturday night.

[James250]

Jodie,

In your listing you can add a price for each additional guest.

Charge by the night.

It can be done as two seperate listings. Be careful as there will be two cleaning fees that would be charged!

[Jodi31]

Thanks James and I am aware how to charge for an extra person.   The issue airbnb should see is the loss of revenue for those extra people because many times now I just have them leave the money.   The issue for me is it is too hard to get the costs correct for the one additional person.  Sometimes I send them a special offer, but then to find my actual proceeds are lower than expected.   I don't have time to fidget with costs, service fees, ext.  There are a couple ways this could be addressed:

1) allow varying guests per night for a booking

2) book two reservations with options to waive the cleaning fee

3)  just have the guests leave the extra money

[Jodi31]

Nice template and letter head for printable house rules, emergency information, etc. along with other information the host wants to share with guests.  I have three information sheets along with a welcome letter for guests to physically read.   Would be nice to have all of that available for guests on website too.  I would love to share my welcome letter and information sheets.

[Hi-C0]

1. Is it necessary for a traveler to have an account before any reservations took place?
2. Will the Host be receiving notifications regarding reservations?

[Penny74]

untill I can sort out my room charges I am unable to list my available accomodation,  I can not make any changes after I have put in my nightly charge, when I try to and 2nd and 3rd guest, It does not alter the charges to accomodate the extra guest.