Punished for not accepting or denying a request that is really a question

[Pamela138]

This is happening more and more: people making an request but really just asking questions. Some are asking to stuff WAY more people in my TINY HOUSE than it could ever hold and others asking why my pricing shows one rate (current off season) but goes up when they put in dates (high season). I assume I MUST either accept or deny or I will lose Super Host status. I DON'T want to accept 8 people in my Tiny House and I don't want to deny someone booking my high season rates. How do I respond without being spanked by Airbnb?

[Ann10]

I keep hearing about being penalized for not accepting booking requests or even inquires. Can someone pls post the link to where it says this is going to happen? I haven't seen this. Thank you so much.

[Jennifer137]

This happens. I have had a 100% response rate but since people ask all sorts of questions about my house and of course I want to answer and it delays a booking, MY 24-hour response rate is dinged. This is not fair.

[Jennifer137]

P.S. there is no info on airbnb that tells you this will happen to you as a host. they just ding you.

[Ann10]

Why would they not tell you?  My response rate is still 100% but I think I was late once. They told me if you accept or pre-approve you move up. If you decline you stay in the same place and if you do nothing, you move down. Is that not true?

[Ann10]

Hi Jennifer,

You know what I do... If they don't respond on time, I decline them, but I say if you are still interested, I'm still interested in having you as a guest but I only have 24 hours to preapprove or decline you and I didn't hear back from you yet so I had to decline. If you are still interested lets continue the discussion and maybe I will be able to preapprove you. I have done that, and if they are still interested we answer each others questions and they eventually book and I still have a 100% response rate even though I have declined. So, even though I have been lied to and manipulated by the employees, I think I was told the truth about that issue.

Lisa

[Erinne0]

I agree and add:

- Guests often don't understand the difference between an enquiry and a request to book. I have to tell them "do you understand that you've requested to book, and if I accept you, you'll be charged a fee." Add to that the fact that I don't understand airbnb's fee policies for guests (which are not transparent) so I can't even tell the guest the airbnb fee refund policy - just my refund policy. Seems very unfair that if I allow them to book before they are ready and don't protect them from that mistake, airbnb charges a non-refundable fee! We need a more formal, clear way for guests to ask questions without getting caught up in a premature reservation request.

- And yes, don't penalize us for turning people down who haven't read our host rules or the description - tons of people don't bother reading anything and are surprised at the most basic features of what they've asked to rent.

[Ann10]

I agree w this and they often ask me questions they should be asking airbnb but they say they can't contact Airbnb. If we don't know the answers how can we answer. On top of that, Airbnb now has people who seem to speak English, but don't really understand what you are saying. So, the contents of their response in my experience always has nothing to do w the question. They also haven't been trained so they have no idea what's happening w the company. One lady a "CX Specialist" told me she didn't know anything about any changes to the way "Super Hosts" would be rated.  See below. I feel hosts and guests are being manipulated into booking too quicking when just replying and talking would be a better option to start. I personally would like to know if they have read my listing and understand our rules and policies. After I begin hosting them, I find out most haven't. They even sign contracts w/o reading them. When you have a chance to ask them if they have read the listing, then they want to know why you want to know and it's gets a conversation going which I feel is good to see if it's a good fit for both parties.

*CS-Good day! This is Lady, a CX Specialist of Airbnb, we wanted to thank you for having the time to speak with me today. I'm glad we were able to get things sorted out. I want to personally thank you for your commitment to Airbnb I hope this message finds you well and my information was beneficial to you. In the event that you have any further questions, comments, or concerns, you can reach us anytime, 24 hours a day, by calling us at either: 1-415-800-5959, or: 1-855-424-7262

Additionally, we always have our help center where many of our users can find the answers to their questions I've included a link to that below. www.airbnb.com/help

*Me-Hi Lady,
The new criteria for being a Super Host is no good. It's cruel to us who have been Super Hosts for years and gives too much power to guests who may not have honest intentions. I will have to focus on other things, will have to spend more time vetting guests, and will have to decline more guests. Airbnb will lose money because I will have to focus on getting my calendar filled from other platforms. 

In case you don't 100% understand what I'm saying, please forward my message to someone in the US. 

Thank you!
Ann

*CS-Hi Ann, I understand how frustrating this could be but there is no update that we have received about new Super Host standards and requirements. Once I have an update, I will definitely inform you.

*Me-It's on the website. Who is this?

*Me-Here is the update.
https://www.airbnb.com/progress/opportunities/superhost

Me-Also, all these hosts keep talking about if we decline a guest we will be penalized. Is that true? If you don't know, please forward my message to the US. 
Thank you so much!

Then they closed the case and told me to go to the help center-

This support case is now closed.

You can no longer reply to this thread. If you need additional help, you can always visit our Help Center.

IF THE ANSWER WAS IN THE HELP CENTER, I WOULDN'T BE ASKING FOR HELP FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE OR IN THIS FORUM. WHAT A HUGE WASTE! 

Doesn't anyone know what a CX specialist is? It is someone located in the Philippines, I know that. To me it doesn't matter where they are as long as they are effective and don't spread misinformation. I've had a lot of them tell me that it's ok to do things that I know are against Airbnb policies. 

[DragonflyHill-Collective0]

The base price discrepency is a real problem. I address it here: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/Base-price-contradictions/idi-p/630923#M13887

I am also upset about the new accept or decline options for requests. In the past, the clock stopped when we replied. This allowed us to wait for a guest's response if we needed more information from them based on their inquiry. Now it forces us to lose our reply rate or risk losing a booking or worse, turning away any guest when more discussion and inquiry may be needed. If a guest makes  a request and I need more information, it may take them hours to get back to me. All this disrupts my response time if I give the guest the time and attention necessary to really answer their request and assure that my space will be the best space for them.

Lately I've been declining but letting guests know that they are welcome to resubmit their request once we've been able to go over what they need and what I can provide. 

But I really think the old system of determining response time, by the time it takes the host to make ANY response, including providing information or asking a question, was the best system.  

[Ann10]

When did they start the new accept or decline options?

[Ann10]

Also, I had to address the price discrepency thing in my listing as well. It is so shady the way it is and the guest thinks you, the host are the one that is doing it. They think it is bait and switch. 

[Rebecca181]

@Ann10 It may be that what you are hearing is the new standards for 'Acceptance Rate' - Which is related to Declining or Accepting booking requests, naturally. I am trying to confirm what those new standards are, beginning in July. Matthew may know, maybe he will chime in if he sees this thread. A related issue is no one is sure where to see their Acceptance Rate 'score'. Rumor has it that it will be based on your entire history as a host - but, again, I am not sure this is fact. 

[Cindy249]

I have a similar problem and I am LIVID!

It showed on my Airbnb 'Oppertunities' that I was to make SUPER HOST by April 01, 2018 (TODAY) .

A few days ago they marked my TWO listings I had at the time with a flag saying it 'needs more attention' - Upon opening this it said that I have denied to many people.

Listing one had two denials - which one was a third party booking which I don't accept and I explained that to the person that the guest themselves must book as I can not accept such bookings AND AIRBNB said not to either!

On Room two I had the same scenario - Third party booking .

As for room number 3 - THIS is a REAL joke ! It shows TODAY I should 'accept more reservations' when the fact is that i ONLY listed that room LAST NIGHT ??? I have not even had a request yet??!!!

I asked Airbnb why they punished me for denying third party reservations  - they said I had to contact them first and they will then remove the booking ??? Really?? WHY is there no mention of that to the hosts and WHY do AirBNB give us only two options on the message? ACCEPT or DENY ?????

Anywho - then Airbnb proceeded telling that I must ask the guests that asked to book to 'RETRACT their booking from their side" ??? Whaaaattt?? So if they don't I get punished any how??? And guess what ?? Eventhough I worked my A*** off to create the mother of all stays for my guest and got 5 stars for EVERYTHING they refused giving my my Super Host status and STILL punished ME for THEIR glitches?!?!?

I am SO dissapointed and feel terribly dispondent as I take this serously . I can NOT wait for Airbnb 's Opossition to start (like LYFT to UBER) !

PLEASE READ REMARK ON EACH PHOTO I POSTED   --    TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOSTS AIRBNB!! See my comments on screenshot pics. ! ROOM #1 - WHAT A JOKE !! I JUST LISTED THIS ROOM A FEW HOURS AGO FOR THE FIRST TIME?????ROOM # 2 - AIRBNB PUNISHED ME FOR DENYING THIRD PARTY REQUESTROOM #3 - AIRBNB PUNISHING ME FOR DENYING THIRD PARTY REQUESTHIDIOUSLY REDICULOUS ANSWER FROM AIRBNB telling me I can NOT accept Third Party bookings , YET They then PUNISHED me for doing so?????AIRBNB's FALSE PROMISE

[Ann10]

@Cindy0-I feel your pain. ABB has burned me so many times for their mistakes. It's unconscionable. I hope you can get this worked out. It's news to me that we have to call them to decline a 3rd party booking. I used to always get mommies looking for rooms for their little boys and I would say they have to get their own account. I even told that to an account executive for a band and they did it. Many times ABB has gone against their own policies to dog me, but that is a different story. If they tell you case closed send me a private message. I'm going to check now to see if I'm still a SH. They have also made false promises to me and manipulated me. How this company hasn't gone the way of "My Space" is beyond me. 

[Ann10]

@Cindy249 I don't even see that accepted reservations thing anywhere on my page. That is so weird. What make me livid is that now in ordered to be "featured" as a business listing, I have to accepted someone canceling 5 days prior to arrival and give a full refund. That is absurd. How am I supposed to get someone else? These people really don't give a crap what happens to the hosts. Man, we should all snooze our listings for a week and see what happens then. I mean all hosts. Start a union.