Host Voice: Guidelines and Tips

[Lizzie]

In Host Voice you can share ideas with the community and Airbnb. At the moment, Airbnb is particularly interested in Ideas for improving the mobile app to make hosting easier. However, you can submit an Idea on any topic.

How does it work?

Ideas posted are public and community members can comment and “thumbs up” the recently posted Ideas in the “All” section.

The Ideas with the most "thumbs up" from the community will be moved to the “Popular” section. Ideas that are not moved to this section will be archived.

The Ideas in the "Popular" section that have the most "thumbs up" and have well explained Ideas, will be shared with the Airbnb Product team for review. Though these Ideas will be reviewed they will not necessarily be developed. If Airbnb is interested in investigating the Idea further, then it will move to the "Featured" section.

Ideas in the "Featured" section will receive a Status in order to keep the community updated on the progress of the Idea. The first phase of this process will be researching the Idea further. Even a "Featured" Idea may not ultimately launch.

When posting an Idea, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Make sure the Idea has not already been submitted. If there is already an Idea submitted that is close to or the same as the Idea you are submitting, please do not create a new Idea. Instead, comment on the existing Idea to help make it better.
2. Only post a single Idea: if you have multiple Ideas for improving Airbnb, please submit each one separately.
3. Have a simple "Title" for the Idea describing what the Idea accomplishes.
4. Explain the problem that the Idea is going to solve. This will help demonstrate how the Idea provides value.
5. Tag the Idea with the part of the website or mobile application that the Idea is related to.
6. When possible, include screenshots from the application or website. Or even a drawing you have made on paper that you took a photo of.
7. Be open to the Idea evolving: as the community discuss the Idea you have posted, there may be ways it can be improved. This is great! Embrace the support of the community and let the Idea evolve.

Host Voice is a new feature for the Airbnb Community. Thank you for your support and patience as we grow Host Voice into an engaging and valuable part of the Community Center.

Click here to visit Host Voice. We can't wait to hear your ideas!

Lizzie

[Anonymous]

@Lizzie ,

" At the moment, Airbnb is particularly interested in Ideas for improving the mobile app to make hosting easier. "

Is it a joke???? Could you just tell us to first fix all the app issues. If the actual version of the app could just work properly it will make hosting easier.

Each new app update generate new bugs and issues affecting actually calendar section, availability, price, amenities at a point twitter and FB official airbnb account advise to NOT use the app...

Another point is that new CC features are only available on the English CC: Stories section only in English, Home Sharing Clubs and now Host voice too. Why develop the CC in different language if most features are not available?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Anonymous,

I hope you are having a good week. Thanks for your feedback on this.

Your suggestions on 'app improvements' is exactly what this Host Voice is for. What would be good is to add some specifics around these enhancements, say in terms of the calendar perhaps state what you would like to do and specifically what functionality would enable you to do this. 

To highlight, HV is also a place to share ideas for all the different areas across Airbnb, so feel free to share any others you might have. 

In terms of the CC features, I completely understand your feelings on this. What I am pleased to say is that the features will be rolled out into the other languages very shortly. You may have seen that the Home Sharing Clubs are now in the other CCs and as Host Voice is a large project here, but please don't worry this is due to come in the coming weeks..so watch this space. 🙂 

Thanks and I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Lizzie

[John303]

I tried the app and binned it after one day. A roof pigeon could design a better app. This is in keeping with a general fault in Airbnb's interface, which used to be simple and clear, but has now become bloat-ware, and horrible to use. In fact, the Host interface now has so many bits that it would require its own "search for this" dialogue box. For example: I recently tried to ammend my pricing and it took me 20 minutes to complete that simple task! My suggestion: take a look at the Moo business card design site for how a web page should work. I teach at an art college, and actually use the Airbnb site as an example of flawed design with my students.

[Elizabeth138]

I charge a weekly cleaning fee. I'd like a way to have it say weekly so that when people stay longer they know the checking fee will be added each week

[Monet0]

I would love to have an easy option to report a guest inquiry to Airbnb. Also maybe a more prominent house rules button or make sure they read them before they check in

[Margaret70]

I would like to see the guests profile and reviews at the moment they are requesting a reservation

[John232]

I am an airbnb host, so I have met lots of guests but not travelled myself yet.  I do enjoy sharing my home and showing guests around the wonderful area where I live.

Three things I feel would greatly improve the Airbnb service....

1)  Airbnb should ensure that all profile pictures show a real recognisable human person, not a dog, or a penguine in cool glases, or a camera lens.  We need to know who we will be sharing our home with.  Legally, if there ever was a problem and a case when to court the host would not have a leg to stand on if they had alowed a booking to a person with a misleading picture.

2)  There should be a clear 'contact us' link on all Airbnb web pages. It seems to be impossible for hosts to contact Airbnb if there is a problem.

3)  There should be a quick link to the calendar page from the top of every Airbnb web page.  I use the calendar a lot, but it is tricky to find.

[John303]

Agreed. I simply decline all guests with no profile or pic, and that I will do this is clearly stated in my listing: "no profile + no info + no pic = no offer to stay from me"  Despite this, I still get requests with blank pics or no other info, proving to me that these people have not read my listing, and confirming that I really don't want to hand them the keys to my home. Airbnb does not do enough to ensure that no one can make requests while they have a blank profile. This affects the confidence and safety of hosts and with so many scammers around, no one can be careful enough.

[Clarissa7]

contact with airbnb

I agree, why no simple telephone number clearly displayed, for dealing with a problem/query?  As it is, after strings of irrelevant FAQ's, a 'question' has to be invented  referring to a blameless booking in order to get through on the telephone. It does'nt save airbnb from the expense of answering (presumably the intention) just means that  the host is angry and frustrated with the blameless persons replying on the phone. Who in my experience have been helpful and pleasant, I should say...

[John303]

It used to be easy to contact them, but now it's a Kafkesque nightmare as they hide away from us. Why is there not a simple helpline? I can answer that question - greed. A helpline would have to be staffed and that would eat into their mega billion profits. Airbnb is another greedy, money making factory now and has lost its community-based ethos.

[Andrew157]

Hi John

I am not a Herdwick sheep as everyknows Herdies have no need of the internet. My picture is a sheep as I wish to keep a low internet profile after some of the work I have done in the past. In addition my wife who co-hosts with me does not appear on the listing at all.

This is not because we are escapees from paranoia central but becuase of the work we have done previously there really are some sick peopel out there. You can judge us by our reviews as hosts and guests.

If I had to put a real picture on the site I would leave

[Sara1440]

I would consider that if you were this paranoid you wouldn't be the right guest for my home. Sorry my home, my rules. You have to have a picture on your passport and drivers licence. Why do you think it any less worthy yo book I somebodies home without them knowing who's likely to show up at the door. Same with an empty profile. 

[Colin20]

Completely agree with all your points. Why do they not put a photo when you’re going to see them when they arrive anyway. The legal part is completely correct too as we took advice on this.

[Coral3]

Would love to be able to up/down vote comments under Host Voice, similar to how you have it here.