After YOU..no after YOU! Who reviews first?

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

After YOU..no after YOU! Who reviews first?

We just had a very nice guest who left the place clean and communicated well. Usually when we have a good experience, we get a note in our little sign in book and a review right away. Well, no note, no review and its been a few days. I got a compliment from her as she checked out and was going to write a review, but as our last guest was EXTREMELY complimentary and then dinged us on overall experience, I hesitated. I wrote that guest a review first and it triggered her to do so right after. I in no way anticipated anything other than glowing comments, based on her info to me during her stay. I wish I just had not written anything because she probably would not have either. 

 

So what is the etiquette? Should the host always wait for the guest to go first with reviews? Or does it not matter? Like many hosts I find the the "surprise! I had a crappy time and didn't tell you!" review is really frustrating. 

 

 

8 Replies 8
Nutth0
Host Advisory Board Member
Chiang Mai, Thailand

@Laura2592  I have to say, the way I write a review is depends upon our experience. I do write first ( before) my guest when I feel great experiences with them. For a pool experience or demanding guest... I wait for them to write first or write it last minute.

Jim472
Level 10
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

TL;DR  Don't think it matters, I go first, they're going to post or not, nothing I do will change that. 

 

I'm just waiting for that day and dreading it. I've been lucky, I just went over my one year point and haven't had a bad one yet. All but two of my guests have left reviews. I start my review as soon as they book, jotting notes down about their communication, general vibes, initial greetings, things about the stay, and finally their departure and condition of the place when they're gone. It's usually ready for post as soon as the system opens the review period. Only one guest actually beat me to the punch and posted first. 

Sofia451
Level 2
Stockholm, Sweden

Hi @Laura2592 the reviews are not public until both of you have reviewed anyway so it doesn't really matter who writes first.  As an experienced Airbnb host and co-host I communicate a lot with guests to encourage them to communicate back. I also directly ask the morning after check in "Are you enjoying your stay? Do you have everything you need?"  And then towards the end of their stay I asked them, "Have you enjoyed your stay? Can i help you with anything else?"  This has helped me avoid most negatives reviews so far. Of course some people can still give you a three-star on something like location because they didn't like the bus route, but hopefully there are enough positive and fair reviews to balance this out.  I also work hard as a short-term rental property manager to ensure guest expectations are managed before they even book - I want to attract guests who will enjoy their stay at one of my properties.
One of the things I like most about the Airbnb platform is the review system - I can get an idea about the guests I will be hosting, and similarly, they can get a good idea about the properties I host. 
Honest reviews (on guests and hosts) are so important for the success of the short-term rental property market so don't be afraid of leaving a professional and honest review.  Good luck hosting, Sofia

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Laura2592 

This is my new policy: I don't write reviews anymore unless I get the email notification that the guest has reviewed me. At some point I realized I don't want to waste my time on a review for someone who can't take a moment to do the same for me. AND I would hate to trigger that 4 star review 🙂

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Laura2592   This exact experience you describe....glowing messages, face to face comments of loving the space and then the review is a 4 for overall, 4 for value or, on one occasion passive aggressive complimentary guests left is a 3....is why we no longer do a review first.  Even the people who intend to write a 5 star review  may forget.  The bad reviewers will review without any trigger from the host.

 

So, now, I write the review after the guest has done it, and only then.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Laura2592  I'm quite spoiled, as I've had wonderful guests who have never rated less than 5*s. So I tend to write reviews within a few days of the guest's check-out, whether they have left one or not. The one time I had a bit of an issue with a guest, I was leery about the review she might leave, even though the issue happened on the first day and was resolved, and we got along amiably for the remaining days of her booking. So I waited to see if she would leave a review, she didn't, and I never bothered either. I actually wasn't inclined to mention the issue in the review, as it was settled on the first day, she wasn't stroppy about it, and she didn't overstep again, but I did have some thoughts about warning other hosts that she took some liberties (she had brought a male friend home in the middle of the night), and I was rather conflicted about what to say. So I was glad when I saw she didn't leave a review.

But I don't think I'd get into playing the "No, after you" game, unless I was really worried that a guest would write a horrid review full of lies and leave bad ratings that would tank me. I do think it's important that hosts don't shy away from leaving reviews to warn other hosts of an undesirable guest- that becomes a vicious circle- I refrain from leaving a bad review in hopes the guest won't review and affect my ratings, therefore you don't get warned, and accept the same bad guest, also fail to review, and the bad guest just keeps being able to book and make hosts' lives a drag, causing damages, demanding refunds, sneaking in extra guests.

This situation of hosts being afraid to review a bad guest because of Airbnb's unfair review policies, leads us in the direction of being selfishly concerned about our own ratings (which is understandable given the policies and penalties), instead of being a community where we work to protect each other. So the review policies do the exact opposite of the image Airbnb tries to promote of itself- they lead to an attitude of self-preservation rather than care for the community.

Pete69
Level 10
Los Angeles, CA

After a while "reviews" just become redundant. I've got 40 reviews at the moment. What good is one more review? What is there to be said about my stay that hasn't already been said? So these days I don't bother writing a review unless they write a review.

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

If I’m going to review a guest well, then I do that after they review me. 

if I’m going to review a guest poorly, then I do that on day 14.