Responding to private feedback

[Geri26]

What is the general consensus regarding replying to private feedback on 'improvements'? 

My last guest left a non-descript 5 word public review which is neither here nor there but in his private feedback added Just a minor suggestion for improvement... Have a dryer for the laundry.  

The washing facilities are in the garage where there is also a clothes line for exclusive guest use (under cover) or my family clothes line out in the backyard so in my mind there is absolutely no need to provide a dryer for my listing which is already one of the cheapest in the area and one of the few that provide a washing machine at all.  I live in Adelaide which has the highest electricity prices in the world so to add a dryer would mean I would have to increase my nightly rate which would negatively impact those guests who don't use the washer or need a dryer.

I have not responded to his feedback as I don't think it warrants a reply but what do other hosts do when they receive private feedback generally - reply or ignore it?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Geri26 

if you reply to the private feedback it will be visible to others. You could do it only by sending a message to your guest via Airbnb messages. We don't reply to private feedbacks.

In fact, I found all the guest's suggestions useless. We run our Airbnb for 3 years and if something is as it is, or if something is not provided then there is a good reason for it.

Regarding a dryer... aahh.... I just commented with my friends yesterday how people become incapable to resolve simple life tasks without appliances and gadgets. Yesterday evening I got a message from my guest asking me where the A/C remote is because they couldn't find it. I told them we don't offer A/C yet ( the heating was on and the outside temperature was 17 C /62,6 F ) but they can lower the heating on the wall mounted thermostat (the simplest foolproof manual model) and to open the window if they feel too hot.  

I imagine if they could find A/C remote they would keep the heating running while at the same time they would use A/C to cool the house. Unbelievable!

[Geri26]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

Thanks for replying.  If I do respond it wont be on the review side but via Airbnb inbox but I was just wondering if there is an accepted etiquette for these types of messages.  They were only here for 4 nights and did use the available line to dry their washing so I think it was either laziness or just something unfamiliar to them as there weren't from Australia. 

I guess it is not up to me to educate them on Australian ways as older  households here do have an old Hills Hoist in the yard for clothes drying.  I do have reverse cycle AC (which they had running at 26 while sitting around in shorts-would hate to think of the power bill if  a dryer was available too).  I think I'll just ignore it as it is not going to change what I provide in my listing

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Geri26 

Honestly..... I'd ignore it. 

In Korea, most people line-dry everything. Dryers are rare 🙂 

Some people should just stay home if they aren't willing to accept and acknowledge that people around the world have different ways of living. 

[Elena87]

@Geri26 

Don't take it personally as criticism - just consider it as a suggestion.

Not all suggestions are practical or possible but some guest ideas are worthy of consideration.

No need to explain yourself by replying. You can dismiss this one as out of hand and move on.

[Emilia42]

@Geri26 I wouldn't respond. I only respond to private feedback to say something like "Good one, I never thought of that," or "that is on my list of improvements that I hope to make soon!" Other than that, the stay is over, and I doubt the guest is really looking for a response or more correspondence.

[Rosemarie9]

Honestly, I just ignore the few " know it alls" who feel they need to say something to justify their existence. Why would they need a dryer in Adelaide anyway? I have been dismayed since I began hosting, at the atrocious lack of awareness of some people regarding energy use. No wonder the planet is stuffed. I moved to Ireland from Sydney, and the number of guests who want the heating cranked up 24 hours a day while they dress in T shirts is driving me crazy. I'm obviously used to warmer weather but I hate being overheated with the oil heating, and dress accordingly. Don't get me started on the 45 minute shower culprits, I am grinding my teeth more frequently recently. I will take a break from hosting during winter for the first time in a few years, the heating costs no longer justify me working. The guests attracted to the platform have very much changed in attitude I am finding. I get so many that are clueless and careless, and it wasn't the case a few years ago. 

[Alex6406]

Thank you I just had to read through a huge amount of awful private feedback after reading quite a nice review. It was so disheartening these people had even got into our locked private spaces & complained about the mess. What the?  One thing is unlocked but it is out of the way. Honestly it felt violating to think they had been through all our personal spaces and into our things disgusting. absolutely disgusting.  There are things missing also just small things but unbelievable I wondered if they made these private complaints so that they could deny taking the things they did?  So disappointing