Acceptance Rate below target...now what?

[Ann489]

Well, I finally managed to tank my acceptance rate.   Shame on me for not blindly accepting every reservation request that did not meet my requirements(go ahead, bring your three dogs, my cats may not like it and my hubby is allergic, but so what!

You want to host a reception for 50 people in my 720 sq ft guesthouse? Why not? Gotta keep that acceptance rate up, etc, etc)

  I suspect the shaming messages from Airbnb are now going to continue until I bring it back up, sigh.   Did this ever happen to anyone else? 

PS: why is adding a picture always throwing the formatting off?????

[Emiel1]

@Ann489 

My acceptance rate is even lower, on 4 of my listings (out of 5). I ignore this rating (and messages about it) allready for almost a year. Maybe best thing to do.

[Sarah977]

@Ann489  That wording they use "Make guests feel welcome by accepting requests whenever you're available" is so angering and insulting, and stupid to me. Of course hosts are going to accept requests for available dates if the request is appropriate. We're in the hosting business, for pete's sake, not the declining business. Instead, they are basically telling us we should accept any and all requests, regardless of whether the guest is asking for things we don't provide, whether or not their messages to us are polite or curt or nasty, whether they have a history of bad reviews, etc.

Do you try to get guests with inappropriate requests to withdraw their requests? I know some hosts use this tactic. A message like " Hi XX, thank you for your request. As you can see from my listing, we don't accept pets, and I'm sorry, but we don't make exceptions to that rule. I advise you to withdraw the request, so that you won't get charged by Airbnb for a reservation that we can't honor, and you can then find a listing that conforms to your requirements- I know there are many who accept pets."

[Ann489]

@Sarah977   I usually ask guests to withdraw their request.  Sometimes they do, often they don't bother.  I think adding the part about Airbnb potentially charging them if they don't is an excellent suggestion!  

And I completely agree with you about Airbnb's wording; it is insulting to expect us to indiscriminately accept every booking--even if it means ignoring our house rules(which Airbnb so "generously" allows us first to set, only to be be told they are basically meaningless).   I suppose I will do as @Emiel1  suggested and just ignore the "warning/shaming" message that is sure to be in my face for the next several weeks or months, since we are about to close down for the fall and winter. Sigh.

[Susan1028]

Lol, I've written a few messages of decline like that @Sarah977

[Yadira22]

Hi @Ann489 

also if it’s an enquiry only you just need to respond to it, no need to pre-approve or decline. Just make sure you do it within 24 hours from getting the enquiry. 

when they are requests- do as @Sarah977 recommended. 

good luck to you! 
yadira 🙂

[Ann489]

@Yadira22  yes, I do know that.  Thanks though.  😉

[Yadira22]

@Ann489 I did not know this until about 3 months ago- that’s all and I am now on my third year of hosting 🙈😂. Good luck to you.:)

[Emilia42]

@Ann489 did you at one time use instant book? and switched to taking requests? Or maybe I'm thinking about something else. If you did, did you have to cancel any of these crazy bookings when they were instantly booked? 

[Ann489]

@Emilia42  I have always had instant book on.  I just vet my guests very carefully, and so far, that has worked pretty well for me.  I never had to cancel any booking requests actually.  😉     The only thing I can think of are the steady string of crazy booking requests--not inquiries, I had this summer.   People seriously trying to book for a wedding shower with "only" fifty" guests,  photo shoots by the pool, a Mormon family with seven kids(seriously?), etc, etc....

[Susan17]

@Ann489 

It's absolute bollox, is what it is. They really need to quit with the shaming, accusatory, bullying bullsh*t. It's oppressive, insulting and it drains morale. Just another of their sleazy ways to exert their control over us, and force us to take all comers, regardless of the potential consequences for ourselves, our homes or our neighbours. 

Snotty messages admonishing you about making guests feel welcome.... when your 5* rating and 0 cancellations are proof positive that your guests obviously feel as welcome as they could possibly feel?? Would ye get up the yard, Airbnb.. 

[Ann489]

@Susan17   I completely agree with you.  Unless, they do something drastic, like un-listing my little guesthouse, I will simply ignore it.  It's complete BS; I know it, and so does Airbnb.  I have decided a long time ago not to play along with their little mind control games.  I use their platform, they get a pretty nice commission.  Beyond that...no need to get too wrapped up in the "Wonderful World of Airbnb".   😉

[Susan17]

@Ann489 

I saw the screenshot below posted on another group earlier today too. Threatening to suspend hosts' listings when they get a few 4 star ratings? What sort of madness is that? If they ever send me such a message, I'll be straight round their office with a sledgehammer, demolishing their windows... 😂

[Ann489]

@Susan17  Airbnb's rating system is so skewed.    😛   

[Susan17]

@Ann489 

Tbh, I refuse to even look at my ratings, because I don't want to find myself being disappointed or irritated with a guest I really liked and got along well with, simply because they might have left me 4 stars (believing it was still a great score!) That's waaay too messed up a game for me to play along with.. 😉

What really does bug the life out of me about the ratings system though, is that Airbnb's benchmark for the commercial operators is just 3.75 (75%). I hate the double standards and inequality of it all.