Altering a review

Marc46
Level 3
Sandstone Point, Australia

Altering a review

Does anyone here have a phone number where I can reach someone at the level of supervisor of a help desk that serves hosts? 
I really wish to talk to a responsible person, kind enough to listen and to use their intelegence to resolve a problem?
This time I contacted the help desk via twitter, explained the issue in detail via direct messaging upon their request and it took them 24h to just crank out a standard BS answer without any name of the contact who produced that answer.
Lately, we have received many great reviews for our villa listing but the latest guest spoiled it.
Here is what I wrote to via DM to the help desk:
The current problem relates to [personal information hidden] Please look to our message history and you’ll see that I have been forthcoming to this person 1) allowing her to alter the time of her stay and 2) accepting her to early check in. Just to say that I started with a friendly and welcoming attitude. Also, the evening of her group’s arrival I have sent her a short message, to check if everything was fine or if any assistance was needed. The next morning, at check-out time, I was working in the next-door garden (we live next-door) I heard ****'s group gathering outside on the drive way and preparing to drive out. I wanted to be friendly to say goodbye and asked if everything had been according their wishes and they responded they were very happy about the place. They handed me over the house key and I told them there was no need to hurry, and that I would come back later. Once they had left, I went inside the house to clean and noticed that their group of 6 ladies only used 2 bedrooms each with a Queen size bed. Look, I had no problems with the way how they use the beds or the house but I was totally perplexed to understand that they didn’t give us a 5 star for value: a) they used the 2 older and smaller bedrooms downstairs in the older part of the house and didn’t use the 2 more classy refurbished big bed rooms on the first floor of the house and b) they didn’t use the nice lounge kitchen dining and sea view deck upstairs in the house... How can they properly appreciate value if they omitted to use the complete house with 4 bedrooms and didn't see the nicest part and facilities of the house? Did **** feel disturbed when I passed to wave them out and ask for their experience? To my feeling, not giving a 5 star was purely a matter of wrong mood or wrong perception of good intentions from my side, or any other reason that has little to do with rating the property stay value. I later communicated with her and she felt a bit sorry that she didn’t give the 5 stars but wasn’t able to edit or alter that. I haven’t responded yet hoping Airbnb could still contact her and help to change this rating.

Here is the answer which is typically standard BS:
Hi Marc. Once a review is published, we cannot alter it. We expect guest reviews to be what a guest actually felt and experienced. A conversation about a review after it's published will diminish the value of that original review and no longer clearly reflects their true feelings. This review clearly didn't align with how you feel the reservation went, and for that we apologize. Let us know if you have anymore questions

 

So now what, my rating drops, we again cannot reach superhost status and get punished for what reason?
It's absolutely clear and proven that superhosts attract more business and it will affect your income if you aren't. Lucky enough we use also other channels to rent out and the villa is booked till late September.
As a result of that standard BS answer ABB gave me no choice but to answer the person's review in a respectfull way.

Anyone has a tip whom to talk to in Airbnb to resolve such issues?

 

**[Title Updated]

5 Replies 5
Ali40
Level 10
Crozet, VA

I looked at your profile and you have many really good reviews, and for the ones that were less complimentary, you responded effectively. That's really all you can do, since the reviews left were the opinion of the guests. Unless a guest posts a review that violates Airbnb policy in some way or write somethin you can prove is false, I don't think Airbnb will remove or alter a review. 

Monika64
Level 10
New York, NY

@Marc46 Unfortunatelly the truth is that guests are not educated about the star system and the fact that anything less than 5 star means serious problems for the hosts. Of course if there are problems than it's completely understandable, but lots (and lots) of times guests express how much they enjoyed their stay, that they want to come back and still give you less than 5 stars. I just had a guest yesterday who told me she'll be back and I was shocked to see today that she gave me 3 star. Yes, 3. This is after the fact that I told her we are working very hard for 5 star reviews. When I asked her what was the problem she told me there was none, why would I ask. I told her getting a 3 star review is actually very bad on Airbnb, it pulled down my 5 star rating right away. She told me she didn't realize.

 

To my biggest shock I was able to get an alteration from a case manager (randomly assigned) from Airbnb for the overal rating, however my cleanliness star is still 3 despite the fact that the guest wrote it in the review the the unit is "clean". I mean if that is not a contradiction and should be corrected than I don't know what!

 

Once the damage is done isn't impossible (or nearly impossible) to change it. So your only chance is to FULLY educate your upcoming guests about the star system ... which is clearly a very delicate matter and should be done by Airbnb, not us hosts.

 

HELP!  I am new to this and did not realize the bottom section of the review under feedback is private and for just me to see.  SO, I responded to the private comment in me response to their review.  WHICH means I called myself out on something that nobody else would have seen.  I need to FIX THIS - It makes me look like an idiot and ruins the otherwise good review.  It has not been 48 hours yet, ANYONE know how I can edit this?

 

@Kate271 Unfortunatelly, you cannot edit reviews or responses once they are published. Even Airbnb only censors, edits, or deletes reviews if they violate the content policy. Fortunatelly, even though your response speaks about a flaw in your place it shows you are proactive and working on fixing it right away. Try not to stress over it, you have a number of wonderful reviews, it'll get lost within those.

Sixto2
Level 2
Los Angeles, CA

I think this is ridiculous. If a host, such as I, inadvertantely saves a review posted to the wrong area, the host should be able to change it.  Specially if it was a preliminary post that I created in a separate document to assure no typos etc.  When I was cut and pasting somehow I saved my reponse with typos and all!  

 

This needs to be addressed, as with the app, both mobile and on-line were not clear to whom or what type of message was being left.

 

AND IF AIRBNB WANTS TO STICK TO THIS POLICY, then it should add an extra step, where the apps tell you to REVIEW YOUR INPUT BEFORE IT IS POSTED. LIKE A LAST CHANCE OPTION.