AirBnb Indifference Towards Its Hosts...Their Main Revenue Stream

Jerry9
Level 3
Eilat, Israel

AirBnb Indifference Towards Its Hosts...Their Main Revenue Stream

Are there ANY Hosts that have TIRED of AirBnb's Indifference towards Hosts...and, TOTAL lack of suuport?  Is there any Host with NO complaint(s)...ie, TOTALLY HAPPY?  Would you like to have your Voice heard to AirBnb's youthful management?  What about "false" reviews given by Guests...and, Bnb won't do anything about it?  

 

Hope everyone is having a Great weekend...in spite of Bnb's immaturity!

44 Replies 44
Cristian61
Level 2
Prague, Czech Republic

Sure. You are not the only one. I have a case with their customer service support for 8 days now. No rooy cause, no action plan and no target date. I wrote now on their facebook page. You might want to try that or on their twitter account. Heard that it could speed up the process.

@Jerry9

Your reviews aren't bad.  I think people generally have the expectation that if they are getting a 'room' that they are getting the ENTIRE place...which definately is not the case for your place.  No biggie.  You gotta expect that sort of thing.  If people read all your reviews most people say the same things:  you are a night owl, you are there most of the time if you are in town, you brew great coffee and the unit is on the ground floor so there is random outside noise.  These things are not a big deal.  People are just GOOFY.  That's not ABB's fault.  I happen to have a mother-in-law quarters and it's in the back end of my house so it is perfect for this sort of set up--there is NO WAY I would have strangers in my house otherwise, so the mere fact you are able to put up with people on top of you at all in your home as goofy as people are..that in itself says how good and generous and patient of a person you are.  Relax.  You cannot help people who don't read your profile or the reviews and you definately cannot help how goofy people are.

 

I also think that the BEST way to contact Air BNB is via Twitter.  It doesn't happen overnight but there is a process they follow.  Like someone else said and like I keep saying....all companies are now doing stuff this way.  Uber, Lyft, Amazon, etc etc...there is a way in which all complaints are handled and it does not involved a live person right away. My husband works for Lyft and his biggest complaint is the rating system and the crazy algorythm used for its dispatching--non of which a live person will EVER talk to him about. He has the same complaints all of us Air Bnb people do!!! And let me tell you---every person in the Lyft office is so young it makes me feel like I should have my paperwork in at the nursing home lol.  My guess is Air Bnb is the same way.  That is no big deal if they are handling each and every case in the same manner.  I really don't think they are playing favorites or their inexperience in life has anything to do with anything as long as they treat every case the same.   I also feel it is better they get your inquiry and take time to handle it so you get the best advice and person for the job--otherwise you are on hold for 100 minutes and get someone who has not idea what to do and you never get it resolved how you want.  

 

And if you are making money at this and you are SuperHost status or even not but you are having fun, stop complaining...obviously you are doing something right and you've been hosting for a while now, so take the goofy reviews and just move on.  You can't please everyone!!!  Just do the best you can.

Emma196
Level 1
Balloch, United Kingdom

I am getting sick of airbnb.  I got one private comment that said that my floors were dirty.  The floors were dirty because the guests had trodden mud in!!!!  I then get a patronising email telling me how to clean my floors.  I mainly get five stars, am a superhost and a lot of people mention how clean the place is.   I tried to contact airbnb to discuss this and go stuck in a ridiculous menu system - I've never had to contact them before and had no idea how difficult it would be.  I am now considering closing my listing and moving to another site. 

This is typical AirBnb behaviour...indifferfence!  Would you like email contact information for the "kids" that started this project?

 

Let me know what site you joined?  Are you happy with it?

@Emma196

It was a PRIVATE comment - and just your guests opinion. Why would that bother you so much? Take the money and be gracious with your 5 star superhost status.

 

Best Wishes.

Emma196
Level 1
Balloch, United Kingdom

I'm bothered because it seemed to lead to airbnb sending me a patronising email telling me how to clean my floors- before they had got my side of the story.  This is not the way to treat people who are earning you money. 

How about the bs "your account may be suspended if.." because i dont reply to a request the second i recievce it... bellends.. 

 

@Emma196  I had the same, rainy day,  they tracked in dirt and mud then expressed dismay 10 minutes later that they could not 'eat off the floor' and marked me down for it.  Go figure!

Dont get upset, it's not worth it! I am also very dissatisfied and will also consider to work with some other, similar organizations. It's almost impossible to contact them!

Kim255
Level 1
Singapore

BNB very elusive considering they charge service fees from both guests and hosts.  Impossible to get in touch with them to resolve a I problem I have!  Wrote 3 times and still no reply!!  What kind of a worldwide organisation operates without help desk on hadn to help resolve problems instead of asking communuty!!!  They can't waive penalty, they can just give their advise.  

 

I need someone from bnb office to contact me regarding my cancellation of a booking in September which I have to cancel as we'll need the room for my aunty to recover after her operation.  Medical reports are private and confidential so bnb has no right to ask for that!  

 

I just want my super host status, if they can waive the penalty, why not the super host status?   This is my first and only cancellation and it's 5 months notice.  The guest is willing to accept my cancellation.  I don't see why I have to be penalised and lose my super host status.  

 

I am totally disappointed at bnb and it's just impossible to get in touch with the directly.  I've sent 3 emails to bnb and have not heard a reply.  Please resolve this issue asap.

 

Kim

Mark-TP0
Level 2
Ramsgate, United Kingdom

Jerry

 

I agree relating to indifference but you are wrong about hosts being ABB revenue stream.  It is the guests who generate the revenue stream.  Hosts dont give them money the guests do.  That ABB needs properties for guest to book is secondary and you can see that in the way Hosts are treated.  Very much the way UBER needs drivers but treats them badly.  There is a like for like comparison.

 

I cancelled(for good reason) one booking in a year and have been threatened with suspension - despite having higher ratings in two key areas of approval from guests than thos in the "top dog" level.

 

I am now have a situation where two members of the same group enquired about the propertyn(one request and one enquiry) and following discusssins I know they will not be arriving.  One has withdrawn but the other one won't and if I decline my "ABB goodness  level" will be down graded.  

@Mark-TP0, quick solution to that one is to pre-approve. You know they are not coming, so it won't hurt anything. You can tell the guest to ignore the pre-approval, that it is merely a ratings thing. 

Maree-And-Geoff0
Level 1
Ottawa, Canada

I have a technical issue with the AirBnB listing system -- my room does not appear in searches, despite being available, and my Superhost status.  Three separate long phone conversations have resulted in no action, no acknowlegement, and no return call from 'management'.  This is a relatively straightforward issue, but the AirBnB response is a polite deflection and inaction.

I would suggest that AirBnB fails systemically in identifying and responding to problems.  They are not learning from their 'partner' hosts, and are burying problems under the sheer volume of bookings performed as a whole.

Merle0
Level 1
Betty's Bay, South Africa

Is there anyone actually there? I can't penetrate the system to even find how to communicate with the management directly. Why should one have to "ask the community"? Why isn't there a helpline within the company? I want to ask Airbnb about a booking that should never have been confirmed - I was making an enquiry - found that it had been booked, and when I cancelled, after three days of failed comms with the (potential) host, who had gone AWOL, was refunded minus a great whack, including a cleaning fee! - for a booking in September!! - and a service fee, for non-existent service. HOW do I deal with Airbnb direct??? I'm just going round and round in circles on their website.

Any suggestions, any email address I can write to? - please help!!