Star ratings don't match up

[Pat258]

Hi,

I am a new host.   My first guests had a great time, they told me so repeatedly and in public and private feedback and they said we had gone above and beyond!

I gave them a great review too.

I can see in rtheir review that they gave me 5 stars in all six categories however, when I go the Progress section, there is an extra category called "overall experience" which doesn't apear in the guest's review.     I don't understand how 6 x 5 stars can wome out at 4 stars.

This, of course, means that I have fallen below the 4.7 target and cannot reach it soon since even a 5 star review would not balance this out.

This is so disheartning.

[Pat258]

I meant to write, " I don't understand how 6 x 5 stars can work out at 4 stars."

[Ana1136 · Accepted solution]

@Pat258 it doesn;t work like that, the "overall experience" is the star rating that matters and Airbnb doesn't calculate it, the guests rate it. If you read this forum you will see that it happens a lot, it has happened to me also. Maybe some guests don't know or understand how the Airbnb rating system works. They rated you 4*, not Airbnb.

[Pat258]

Thanks Ana.

I guess they just thought well, fabulous but not absolutely perfect -- and I get that.

I don't know why AirBnB don't show you that bit in the guest review but . . . oh well, nothing I can do 😞

[Linda108]

You are new and I see only one review.  The stats are not calculated for Super Host until you have 10 reviews.  No review system is perfect and the Air BNB system is no exception.  Just keep doing a good job and providing good value in your adorable cottage and relax...breathe 😄 

[Pat258]

Thanks Linda,

I am not really worried about SuperHosting, although I realise that would be helpful.  I am just frustrated knowing that my guests did no mean to have me marked as a failure and knowing that I need three perfect fives to rectify this.

Also, the constant nagging by AirBnB to improve my standard and reduce my already very low introductory price is not helpful.  If they lose me as a host, they will only have themselves to blame. 

Slainte!

Pat

[Sandra856]

@Pat258 

I'm so sorry your first review was a less than 5 star review. The most annoying thing is that the guest probably doesn't know that a 4 star rating is horrible for a host to receive 😞 

The last couple of month whenever I have received less than 5 stars in any category I have contacted the guest to ask if there was anything I could do to improve or if something wasn't as expected. I have also made sure to tell the guest that a 5 star rating just means that everything was as described in the listing and that a 5 star rating has nothing to do with being centrally located, having a seaview, location was in a posh area etc. Airbnb expects every host to have at least 4,7 etc 

I also link to this article from Forbes 2016 that pretty much describes the problem. The rating system mentioned is the old rating system (From before April 2018) but the guest will understand that a 4 star rating is not a good rating.

Of course I'm very curious why the guest chose to give me 4 stars but also I want them to know how the system works so at least next time they rate an airbnb host they are aware what a less than 5 star rating means.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/29/the-one-issue-with-airbnb-reviews-that-causes-hos...

[Pat258]

Thanks Sandra,

I really didn't expect this stressful feeling,  When I first saw the four stars, I wa mildly surprised because every category was five stars but I was quite pleased really.  It was only when I realised that I would now need three five-star ratings to offset this one that I began to feel deflated.

That Forbes link was really helpful.  Yes, I wish that AirBnB would use a review system with wording that kept ratings in line with expectations.

Your support is appreciated.

Slainte!

Pat

[Ward1]

This has happened to me more than once, and it is one of the biggest frustrations I hae with Airbnb:  I contacted one guest who simply denied that he left me a four star review, even though all the categories he gave me five stars.  It's enfuriating!  It means that it simply doesn't matter how much a host bends over backwards. . .a guest can, on a heim, just say that the overall wasn;t 'perfect or palacial,' and there goes your Superhost status!  If you are reading this - pease send Airbnb Feedback.  They tell me that if enough people contact them about it, maybe they wil change the system.  It seems pretty easy to me for Airbnb to put in a 'catch that syas to a guest "You gave all five stars in private - but you are giving a FOUR star in public.  Do you want to change that, or let the host know why?"  PLEASE CONTACT AIRBNB IF YOU CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE!!!

[Rosemary-and-Lisa0]

Sandra the forbes article is spot on.  Thanks so much for sharing.  I am at my wits end after my last two guests and I feel that my next one may be the same.   I have hosted since 2015 and it was a great experience, I am doing all the right things because I have up'd my game continually. The stress level is pretty high today. : (

Lisa

[Annelene0]

Thank you for the info. I am going to tell my guest 

[Nikita34]

Commiserations @Pat258, I'm in the same boat.

"A pleasant night, thank you" 3*  >:/

"Thanks for being a very good host" 4* 😞

"Thank you we’ve had a lovely weekend thank you" 4* 😞

"Thankyou for your hospitality ! X you have been lovely. Lovely friendly dog. Wish i could stay more but my stop was over night. Competitively priced and good value for money, house is clean and has some adoring decoration." 4* :'(

"a pleasant and welcoming host. The host dealt with our young and noisy children with great equanimity. Many thoughtful touches in the bedrooms - coffee, and a bottle of water was much appreciated, as was the breakfast." 4* :'(

.....and my first ever feedback - brand newly decorated room with brand new furniture, brand new Nespresso machine and kettle, 4 types of tea - and the guests were not expecting breakfast and were pleasantly surprised, all for £14 for 2 people because I saddled myself with Airbnb's 30% newbie discount AND accepted their pricing recommendations.....

"A couple of suggestions not criticism which are,it would be good to have a liner in the room rubbish bin,some normal tea in the room as we don’t like Earl Grey or whatever it was and a cup of tea or coffee at the breakfast table would be nice Thanks for a lovely time" 4* 😠

No! I got seagrass bins specifically to avoid using liners and filling the oceans with more plastic film!

In my experience now of hosting 140 stays (but receiving only 109 reviews), I see a pattern emerging in who leaves what feedback.....  I've now got a couple of regular guests who stay on business. They are almost no trouble, leave their rooms immaculate and leave 5* reviews, pushing my average to 4.9. On the other hand, the listing for the all the accommodation, typically booked by extended families, only has a 4.7 average. Some of the leisure guests whom I've worked hardest for have left no reviews at all, including one who left an iPad behind and whom I met 35 miles from home to return it to.....and then there's the guests promising lots of repeat business to lure you into working even harder, only for the follow-on business never to materialise.

Central Tendency Bias = STRESS

The lovely comments with lousy scores become easier to bear, eventually.

[Salem2]

Less stress!

The pressure of maintaining 5-4.7 star rating is just too high… especially when you are relying on guests who, most of the time, do not fully understand the Airbnb rating system.

The rating system should be better explained to guests. Most people are not aware, and we can also not expect them to inform themselves how it works, why would they? they have other things to do.

Most people automatically assume the rating will be an average of the stars given for different categories, and why wouldn’t they? It’s how a rating system works most everywhere else.

In my mind a 4-star ratings is excellent, hosts definitely have to work hard for it. If 4-stars is a low/bad rating as Airbnb warns it does not accurately reflect my efforts and skills as a host.

[Sabita1]

Thank you for sharing.. eases my burden to know there are others out there, sharing the same stress, like myself! 

I do write to my guests to ask for their feedback and through this,  hope they treat other hosts more fairly. .

Best wishes and thanks again for easing my burden :))

Sabita 

[Ward1]

Awful.  I'm having similar experiences.  Here in the states, you often hear customer service people say, "Please leave me a five star review, because othewise it doesn;t count!"  I used to not believe that, and feel manipulated by it. . .but here it is on Airbnb. . . I dont see how we can tell guests "Please leave an overall star rating that is consistent with your star ratings in all the priovate categories". . .it's enfuriating. . .