Dear Giancarlo (Candidate thoughts on Airbnb Plus),
Thank you for reaching out and for suggesting that I provide input. Please feel free to share my feedback with the operations and management team.
Your response and the Airbnb team’s responses over the last six to seven months of on-boarding for the Airbnb Plus designation don't meet my needs nor does it respect the amount of time or dollars invested. The process lacked integrity, clarity, a clear communication channel, and Airbnb didn’t follow through with its end of the agreement.
In my last correspondence, I asked to speak with someone who manages this process and has the capacity to make executive-level decisions. That didn’t happen. Instead, I received your message which doesn’t meet my actual needs. However, it’s simply par for the course at this stage so not much of a surprise.
Given the assiduous effort made over the last 6-7 months, and my candid conversations with team members throughout the AirBnB Plus onboarding process, I no longer trust AirBnB, its programs or processes. It’s highly unlikely I will ever consider any additional offerings again, apart from being a Superhost as I am today. In sum, I have no trust or confidence in AirBnB at this stage.
I made my scheduling constraints clear, attempted to coordinate efforts over the phone, listen, and take action in alignment with Airbnb Plus' demands which continuously changed online and over the phone. My time and energy were continuously disrespected and interactions were unprofessional, leaving me with no confidence or trust in AirBnB’s team. It lacks integrity.
I no longer trust AirBnB as a company. This is extremely unfortunate as we've been loyal users and hosts with AirBnB for nearly a decade. We were your early adopters. Our loyalty and trust have now evaporated. However, it will not affect the exceptional service that we provide to our guests as Superhosts.
We will continue to treat our guests with respect even if Airbnb doesn’t demonstrate the same consideration for its Superhosts. Unlike Airbnb, we will continue to offer exceptional service to the people who enjoy our home or host us in theirs - the people who make Airbnb actually work.
I no longer view this relationship as a partnership between my family and Airbnb, I view it as a crass capitalist relationship that is purely transactional that works best so long as I don’t have to engage AirBnB’s customer service team or its snake oil offerings.
This is a classic case of HQ not getting the people who make Airbnb possible and potentially profitable. I can assure you, ignoring the people who make this service stellar is the road to failure. If Airbnb doesn’t treat its hosts and Superhosts with respect, the future of the business is grim and an IPO potentially disastrous.
After this experience, I’ll be making it clear to my investment adviser that the capital I have set aside to be invested in Airbnb if an IPO occurs should be placed in another company where I still have trust in its business model and the people behind it. That doesn’t exist with Airbnb any longer.
Thanks again for opening the space to hear my candid point of view. On that note, here’s to moving forward, remaining a Superhost, and avoiding anything additional with the Airbnb or Airbnb Plus team unless it pertains directly to meeting the needs of guests using our listings or when staying with another host.
Respectfully and regretfully,
Matthew
