Hosts need Airbnb support with "Compassionate Review Guidelines" for guests

[Swati3]

I am starting this thread based on all the frustrations that I and so many of my fellow hosts are facing due to Airbnb's review system. I think it's time Airbnb takes some of the onus for educating guests on how reviews work and what makes a fair review. 

Please read ahead and if you think the changes I am asking of Airbnb are a good idea, "like" this post and add your own comments to this thread. I am hoping that if we have enough likes and comments, we may catch Airbnb's attention? (I dont know of any other way hosts can ask Airbnb for more support).

I recently read an article about how the discrepancy between the way hosts and guests think of reviews causes hosts a lot of stress. Here is the article, I think its well worth the read and fairly accurate: 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/29/the-one-issue-with-airbnb-reviews-that-causes-hos...

I tend to think there are two issues with reviews:

a)  Ratings in general - Any time we are asked to review something we start over-thinking, over-analyzing and tried to be "dis-passionate".  This is proved to be true most commonly with test audience when they are asked to watch a film in order to leave a review. They suddenly become over-critical, and almost never enjoy the film as much as a regular viewer who watches for the sheer experience.  Unfortunately, not  much can  be done about this aspect of human pyschology. 

b)  Ratings by guests - Airbnb style of hosting where hosts also get to review guests is fairly new to the hospitality industry (or any industry for that matter). Guests are used to a world in which the reviewing was always one sided, consumers got to review what they consumed: hotel stay/item that they bought etc. This old style mentality is pervasive, and can sometimes lead to a sense of entitlement where guests presume THEIR review of a listing is the only thing that matters, and the hosts are the ONLY ones responsible for creating a stellar experience.  One can't blame the guests, afterall guests don't receive threatening emails  from Airbnb saying if they got 4 star rating, Airbnb wont let them make another booking on their system!. So, in a way Airbnb has put the onus on hosts to be at their best but it is less stringent on the guests. Also it has put the entire onus of educating guests about reviews on the hosts. This is where I think Airbnb can and should support its hosts.

This is what Airbnb could do (just my thoughts, maybe others can chip in as well?)

a) Before check-in - Airbnb could educate Airbnb guests (espcially the first time Airbnb guests) that hosts also review guests and that Airbnb's entire model is based on two way trust and responsibility.  A pleasant experience at Airbnb is a shared experience. 

b) During Review- Airbnb could also give some guidance to guests regarding what I call "Compassionate Reviewing" (as opposed to "detached/ dispassionate/ critical thinking" humans tend to do when asked to review something). Before check-in/ after check-in/ on the review form, Airbnb could inform the guests that leaving is a review is important (so many guests choose not to review at all) and that reviews affect hosts in many ways - such as in the search results, their host status, their listing staying up on Airbnb etc. It could also educate guests on what makes a great review - for eg if the guest stayed at a small townhome, where the service was perfect & the host did whatever they could to make their stay comfortable, then guests should give the rating based on that particualr experience instead of comparing their experience with their last stay at the Ritz Carlon because that won't be fair! 

c) Airbnb should not allow the rating for location to affect any statuses like super host, search results etc. as hosts have no control over their location and guests know nearly exacly where they are going to stay  even before they book (on that note why is location even reviewed, reviews should be for things that are unknown before the stay!)  Either way I am unsure if Airbnb takes the location review into account in any manner.  Maybe someone else knows?

If Airbnb did some or all of the above (it shouldn't be difficult for them), it would do it's bit in educating guests about reviews, and reduce the discomfort and down right stress on the hosts about bending over  backwards to get "5 star reviews", because "4 star reviews" are actually bad! 

If as a host you agree with this, pleae like and add your own comments.

Swati 

[Adriana100]

My thinking is that Airbnb will do NOTHING. Even right now there are videos and a lot of info for guests, yet they sign up and book a place withour reading ANYTHING. As far as I am concerned Airbnb might put a novel out there for compassionat reviewing, people wont read it!!!!

How many times I had to tell a first time booking person that it is not acceptable to say to me "Is 11:30PM all right to check in?" hello?... and you are...? and why are you coming here? I am a private person not a machine, you know? And defintiely not your servant!

people don;t read, that's the thing. I suggested airbnb - actually submitted to them as a sugestion - to have a screen where before booking they have to read and initial that they read the rules of the house, then a second screen after booking with directions, so when the traveler gets the email with "pack your bags" they also get the directions and the rules of the house.

I also said if they fail to initial this they can't book. And these are no grounds for 1 star review. I got one 1 star review for "vagues directions". GPS address and nearest intersection plus pic of the house is vague! what does he want? longitute and latitude? fine, I will get those in there too. the guy was pissed I didnt aprove for him to stay longer, but I couldnt. I had a group already booked the day of his departure.

I second the opinion that location is useless and I submitted this to airbnb as well. People chose to stay in a house based on location. There's a map on the listing for God sake, plus many times people ask me before booking how far is this from... their pont of interest.

[Swati3]

Thanks Adriana, sorry to you hear your experiences, unfortunately I share many of those. If Airbnb started sending emails to guests saying they would blocked guests from making bookings via Airbnb if their ratings dropped under, say, 4.5 stars, I think guests will start reading, don't you? 

[Adriana100]

I have an idea! when the user clicks on a star during their review process, there should be colored text popping up. for example if the user clicks on a 3 star review, the text should be in bold red saying "giving a 3 start review will seriously harm the host reputation. Are you sure you want to do this?" with OK/cancel button. same with 4 star etc... this is the only shrt way to inform the uninformed guest. otherwise they have no clue.

[Swati3]

Adriana , I agree and there are so many ways of informating and educating people. Books upon books have been written how to "nudge" people/ customers to do all sorts of things. And web programming is not difficult - that is, for web programmers, they are so many ways to show tips and text to guests during review. Its the intention thats lacking on part of Airbnb. They can make this huge site and run a business with what, 4 million hosts? If they want to fix it/ or at least help to fix it, they can. And they must. What would Airbnb be without its hosts? We want a seat at the table. 

[Swati3]

Just because its someone's home, and a "human" is their host with whom direct interaction is possible, doesn't mean guests can ask for check-ins at crazy hours like 11am or 11pm, check-outs at 4pm, storing bags for all day after they  have checked out, and certainly not bringing as many people as they want! I understand all of these can be discussed and negotiated but I suspect no one would expect to book a room for 2 people at a hotel and then show up with 4 people at the front desk, expecting to pay the same price as for 2? First of all, the hotel won't allow that, and they will have to book an entirely different room & pay double the price where as most airbnb hosts don't charge double for double number of guests instead asking for only an increment charge.  So when it comes to what guests need, hosts are expected to do what no "professionally managed hotel" would do, but when it comes to what the hosts need, they are just offering a service and should expect whatever reviews come their way? Guests are neither being educated about what differentiates Airbnb from the average hotel, nor are they being advised about how to write fair and balanced reviews. 

None of Airbnb policies at the moment seem to be taken with hosts' welfare in mind. I think Airbnb needs to have a host council - a few represntative hosts from various communities, who can advise Airbnb on strategic decisions from the hosts' perspective.

'What would Airbnb be without its hosts? WE NEED A SEAT AT THE TABLE.  I am curious, what do others think about a hosts' council that represents the host community at Airbnb?

PS. how long does it take to fix a simple thing like an @mention  on a professionally managed forum?

[Mary990]

Thanks Swati,

Your post was thought provoking as my wife and I are fairly new to the Airbnb community ourselves. We have just received our first 4.6 from a first time guest. His public review was great, but his comments were contradictory to the rating that he gave us. As a Superhost, this is a little unsettling because we ARE that couple who bend over backwards to provide a wonderful experience for our guests.

We just had an experience with a Lyft driver that asked us to remember to rate him and that our ratings greatly affected his overall rating. Of course we gave him outstanding reviews and we even try to look past some seemingly innocent missteps. People are human and we understand that. In much the same way we tip waitstaff at the resaurant, our ratings can make or break someone's decision to stay at our place.

[Jarrick--Ferris--Rita0]

We had a guest book a large private room with a gueen bed, desk, chair, and futon in the private room that he booked in a 2 bdrm apartment where we rent out both bedrms and the queen sleeper sofa in living room. We am superclear in our listings what to expect to include other guest in the other rooms, house rules, amenities, self check-in, keyless instructions with pictures. We find that people DONT READ! Airbnb allows for translation if English isn't their first language. This guest checked in and slept on the queen sofa bed which was set up for another guest . We always send a message to guest to find out how their 1st night went and if there's anything we could do to make their stay better or more enjoyable. No reply, no response from the guest! The next evening the guest who booked the sofa checked in and called to say someone was sleeping on the queen sofa  bed in the living room she booked. I told her he should be in the large private bedroom #1. He then said he didnt know where the room key was which was in his check-in instructions nor did he bother to message or call.  This was a big problem for us on 2 accounts the guest who booked the sofabed checked out early and the guest who booked the large private room that he didn't sleep in left an unfair really bad review (instead of accepting responsibility) that the room he booked wasn't a room at all it was a sofa in the middle of a hallway which is untrue and unfair. I was shocked, Airbnb (didnt even consult with us) suspended our listing for 5 days!!!

[Gregory-and-Thiago0]

Yes. The review system needs some serious improving.  I hope AirBandB takes some time and considering this and put more of the burden into guests also, it is very one sided at this point.