Review system needs overhaul!

[Leslie7]

Sorry about all the posts but I just found this forum and have had time to collect a lot of suggestions over the years!

Star system--The most common complaint I see from hosts is about the ratings system. It even inspired a magazine article, of which I am sure that Airbnb is aware. The current system where only a 5 star review is acceptable does not work, and is obviously not understood by guests. When a couple of four star listings causes a host to get a warning, then something is very, very wrong. Guests are not going to understand that they are actually penalizing a host with a four star review. In most places a four star review is pretty darn good. If Airnbnb is going to continue to use the five star system, they need to make sure that guests understand that the rating is based on expectations, and it's not a hotel rating of ameneties. When a guest leaves a four (or three or two) star rating, they are actually taking away one or two stars, not awarding them.

Lack of Feedback-- Although Airbnb thanfully FINALLY made it so you can see which overall rating a guest left, they took away the ability to see the rating in individual categories. Now we have no way of knowing which guest left a lesser individual rating, or why. The system is currently set up to punish hosts, not to create a platform for improvement. There should be a note that says: "If you left a review that is less than 5 stars, please explain why" so that hosts can know exactly where they need to improve. 

[Cormac0]

@Leslie

Guest are expecting Hotel quality experience at youth hostel prices and the way the star system is set up, it reinforces this perception.

There is a Hotel with in 300m of my property (not a five-star hotel I may add) that charge zl 2,000 for a three night stay in a 20m2 room for two people.

While I charge zl 365 for three nights stay in a 55m2 (592 sq. ft) two-bedroom apartment with living room and kitchen.

Do I honestly believe the people in my apartment are going to rate me any differently than they would if they stayed in the Hotel, no I don’t?

I have stayed in five star hotels in Ireland, Thailand, Japan and the one perception I got was the length these establishment went to make my stay a success for which you paid dearly.

Most Airbnb host go to extraordinary lengths to make their guests feel welcome and comfortable. Yet human nature being what it is some people will take advantage of this and treat their hosts like door mats.

I had a German young lady suggest she could destroy my business by a bad review, because I had queried how many people were staying in my apartment and that she had not stuck to the agreement she imposed on me after acceptance of her instant booking.

[Robert328]

A reviewer left me a glowing feedback, gave 4 and 5 stars in all subitems, but left me 3 stars for overall. How can that be??? Doesn't make sense unless it was a mistake. So aside from not understanding how the star rating works, the system allowing errors even reinforces the problem.  Built-in checks should minimize this.

[Serafina0]

I've had a similar experience, Robert, where my overall rating is lower than the aggregate of the subcategories. It's not necessarily logical, but I think many guests see the overall rating as a completely separate category. And Airbnb certainly treats it that way. It can be maddening as a host trying to figure out where to improve.

I have a feeling that for me it would involve renovating, but I don't see that happening on my budget. And I certainly wouldn't get an adequate return on the investment.

[Beth94]

I'm a new host here.  I've had guests both through airbnb and other venues.  One guest left us a five star review (they were the very first guests) and the second one left a us a four star review.  All my other guests have praised us on our web page etc. 

The reason for the four star review?? Portland/Vancouver which is the area in which we live, just had a snow/ice storm that was worse than anything in four decades and because we live in the country we got even more snow and ice.  150K people were out of power for six hours, as were we, and the guests expected a generator.  The second ding was because in our efforts to de-ice and clear the snow from this very rural retreat, we were not as successful enough.  Never mind that the entire city was shut down and all businesses were closed.

Then I get this warning that I am at risk of being removed from airbnb.  Seriously?  Tha'ts all it takes?

What they need, is the same process that most other sites have, which is the ability to respond to less than five star reviews publicly. 

This is ridiculous.

[Gina32]

I sympathise with you all. I too go out of my way to provide clean comfortable and affordale accommodation for guests in three locations.

I'm not a "superhost"  I do have many 5 star reviews and four stars as well, but it is those 1,2,3 star reviews from unreasonable guests which bring me down.

One recently gave me 4 star review and said she would have given me 5 stars but one saucepan lid had a broken knob! I didn't know it had this problem, and I have now fixed it, but there were several other pans with lids ( not with broken knobs) she could have used. So yes the review system is used for complaining about minut inconveniences.

Another woman walked in the door of the house and started complaining immediately for no real reason. Everything she was questioning was just as it should be, there were no problems.

@Cormac0I concur with your sentiment that hosts often are treated as door mats. and yes - Guest are expecting Hotel quality experience at youth hostel prices and the way the star system is set up, it reinforces this perception. I also agree with this statement.

It would be really nice if Airbnb would educate the guests again, about the principles of Airbnb, that they are actually coming to stay with people in their homes or renting apartments which real people have put together for their enjoyment, they are all sharing a piece of themselves as hosts.

I'll hang in there, after 23 years in the hospitality business I've seen it all I think.

[Robert328]

Well, I've now decided not to care about those stars anymore. No use benchmarking yourself using a tool that doesn't reflect what it's supposed to measure. Every guest now gets 3 stars from me... Just average. After all they always would think they should get more from what they pay, while I think my place and services are certainly better than most hotels and cheaper. It would just keep me wondering whether they really live some place much better, in which case they should be able to afford more expensive accommodations, or they live in a dump and simply feel out of place. It's all just "business" from now on.

[Elizabeth76]

Also, if a guest leaves a 1 star review. Airbnb should ask the guest for proof. Proof that it was so horrible or terrible, like they say it was. I had a 1 star review and it was a total lie! Airbnb wont remove it. Totally damaged my reputation. 

[Robert328]

I look at Airbnb like a dating service. If the guest is not happy with his stay at my place and leaves me less than 4 stars, then it's not a match. Next time, I don't let him stay at my place again. I don't want that kind of unhappy guests anyway. They fall into the same category as nightmare guests who may leave me 5 stars. It's my place so I choose who gets to come and stay. Discrimination against behavior, not race, gender, or religion.

If we all do this often enough, the unwanted guests will be weeded out naturally. And guests and host should start matching in expectations.

[Mike127]

Tottally agree 150 %

[Mirèse0]

I have exactly the same issue with the rating system and I really feel bothered by it. My advertisement is clear, near a main road but in the greenest village of the village. So if guests can check the location and think about it, why don't they choose another place instead of rating 3 or 4. I also get notificatins from Airbnb that I have to do a better job, while I do my utmost best. I only get 5 stars from kindred spirits so it seems. The last couple who rated 3 had an issue with the rooms that were shared downstairs. Do they expect a private TV room with open fire etc. No idea. They also kept on asking questions about the price / worth of our property.... It knocked my stars down and I only just started. Feel down about this.

[Mirèse0]

PLEASE AIRBNB improve your review system and leave out the LOCATION review, so unfair as guests choose the location themselves and often clearly described by us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Helen292]

We have just started out and have had two completed bookings so far. Both guests sent us very positive feedback via messages, however despite me asking them to leave a review on airbnb and us leaving a review for them, neither one has done so. Is there anything that you can do to encourage guests to leave a review? Thanks