Airbnb customer service sucks

[Jonathan104]

Following is an actual e-mail exchange I had with Airbnb customer service:

I noticed that my house was not showing up when I did a search, even with the map was centered to the property address and search criteria was set so that only one page (less than 18) hits were coming up on the search. I tried it from Chrome and couple of other browsers but noticed the same issue. Obviously it wasn't browser specific but rather something to do with the faulty search algorithm used by the Airbnb. I called to report it and provided screen shots to support my claim. I received the following response….

On Sun, Sep 11, 2016 at 2:25 PM, <response@airbnb.com> wrote:

Airbnb Customer Experience

Bryant E, Sep 11, 11:25 PDT:
Hello,

I absolutely understand where you are coming from and apologize again for this issue. For whatever reason our system isn't handling your listing correctly and I am forwarding all of this information to the tech teams as quickly as possible so that they can try to fix it. Although we are unable to offer an estimated timeline for a fix, we’ll be investigating the cause of the issue to ensure the integrity of our site and the Airbnb community.
Because they may not follow up with you specifically about a fix, if you continue to experience complications in regards to this technical issue, rest assured that we are working hard to find a solution as soon as possible, but we're unable to provide an immediate resolution at this time.
Thank you so much for your patience and taking the time to alert us to the situation. For now, we will close your support ticket as the technical issue has been properly reported. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.
Best regards,
Bryant E
www.airbnb.com/help
THIS EMAIL IS A SERVICE FROM AIRBNB CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

THIS EMAIL IS A SERVICE FROM AIRBNB CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
For more information visit our Help Center

My response:

I'm very disappointed with this response. I realize you are just doing your job and following the Airbnb policy when you are giving me this BS answer so I don’t fault you personally but I’m extremely frustrated with Airbnb. I hope you escalate this up the chain of command and let people above you with a decision making power realize that the company is headed in the wrong direction.

- This is not the first time I have had this type of a response from Airbnb. No issue tracking, no further responses or updates regarding the issue (or may be if I’m lucky) seriously….? Where is the accountability? No other company that I deal with treats their customers like this. If I opened a ticket with eBay, amazon, Walmart, BestBuy, Microsoft or any other large company that I deal with often, they create a ticket and provide updates and follow through. Even Comcast despite their nightmarish customer service still follow through once you get through to someone intelligent and open a support request. Not Airbnb!

- Again this is not the first time I have been given a response such as this so I’m beginning to see a pattern. I feel that Airbnb doesn’t have enough staff/resources to fix these issues and follow up and provide timely updates to customers. Why isn’t Airbnb re-investing some of the profit into R&D and hire enough IT staff to handle these support requests in a timely manner. I know Airbnb is raking it in – every time I go online I see articles touting how well Airbnb is doing.

- Let me clarify my earlier comment regarding the company heading in the wrong direction. Airbnb and its funders got rich off the backs of the people such as us but don’t expect that you will last very long if this trend continue. Airbnb business model seems to be driven by corporate greed and seems to lack the long term vision to re-invest in the company to making the company viable long run. Remember “Theranos”? They also tried to pull a fast one but that didn’t work for them.

Best regards
J

[Kelly87]

What is the response you want, and/or were expecting?

And does you listing show up yet?

[Ephraim0]

Maybe she would appreciate a solution and a reasonable timeline. I suppose being able to track the case might also be helpful, but its been closed.

[Jonathan104]

How about a tracking number and an ability to track the progress/resolution for starters. After that once they look into the issue maybe an update with an estimate of when to expect a resolution? Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is with Airbnb....

By the way I asked for this information twice in my two previous e-mails back to Airbnb for this same issue but it was never provided and based on the response I posted to this thread doesn't look like they are going to either.

To answer your second question, yes I can still duplicate the issue.

[Linda15]

....definitely lacking ....is airbnb customer service on strike ....hacked by the Russians government? 

Last month ...I stopped receiving email alerts or any communcations to my regular email ....luckily the guests were patient and we arranged their reservation though it affected my response time and ranking. I emailed airbnb several times when I realized the issue and received no response from airbnb so I finally called. Neither has made a difference as the issue has been going on for 2 months....and I never receive an automatic reply from airbnb which happened previously....now no communication at all. 

Live Chat was the best service they had ....now nothing.....I have been a host for years but wondering what new hosts and new guests are thinking about the lack of service and attention by the airbnb brand !!!!!  The lack of customer service is not related to the empathy and attention I hear from the airbnb customer specialists but is reflective of a larger issue ....not enough airbnb employees or techies to correct these snafus and get the system working correctly. 

[Randall12]

I registered online with Airbnb last night at 10 pm and made my first booking, which was pending until the approval of my ID verification video. 12 hours later they had not reviewed it and cancelled the booking. Then they emailed approval of my id but kept sending emails that I should verify my ID. At 8:30 this morning a CS rep told me the problem was at their end and she would fix the poroblem. Then the res was cancelled, then ID verification approved, then I still get messages to verify my id. Phone calls to them get disconnected when answered after 12 mins on hold, and finally tonight I reach a CS who tells me it is my problem, I am a security threat, and only he can fix it. This is all BS - I am a retired lawyer, no criminal record, no issues, and after I told him to get real and not try to feed me such garbage, he said I had 'attitude' and hung up.

Email 1:

Amber – I have yet to hear anything. It is 9:35  am.

Randall 

From: response@airbnb.com [mailto:response@airbnb.com]
Sent: November-14-16 8:47 AM
To: Randall 
Subject: Airbnb: Account Question

Airbnb Customer Experience Amber, Nov 14, 07:47 CST: Hello Randall, We’re currently forwarding you to the correct department to make sure you receive a prompt and proper response. If you have any details to add or update, please let us know by responding directly to this email. If this is an emergency or you feel your personal safety is threatened, contact the local police or emergency services immediately. Best regards, Amber www.airbnb.com/help   I wrote back two hours later: Amber – I have yet to hear anything. It is 9:35  am. Randall  Then they send cancellation notice: Hi Randall, We're sorry to say that we were not able to send your reservation request because you didn't finish verifying your ID. We've cancelled your reservation request and voided your payment authorisation. Although your payment cancellation occurs instantly through Airbnb, your financial institution may take several days to process the transaction. You can still plan your next adventure through Airbnb! Complete the remaining steps to verification and you'll be ready to re-submit your reservation request. All you have left to do is: Connect your Facebook or LinkedIn account Got lost in the process? Please contact us, and we will walk you through it. Regards, The Airbnb Team I wrote them back: No one contacted me from ‘Security’. I just received a cancellation notice for the reservation I was trying to make. This is extremely disappointing. I called in to the emergency number and was on hold twice for 10 minutes. Then it answered and the call terminated. What kind of a circus are you running? This has been an absolute debacle. I don’t use Facebook or LinkedIn and will not link Airbnb to it. The video was supposed to be sufficient but it seems that the few minutes for processing advertised on your website could not be achieved in 12 hours.  Then I received this: Victor M, Nov 14, 09:43 CST: Hi Randell, We have reviewed your completed verifications and would like to confirm that you've successfully completed Verified ID process. Thanks for helping us build a more secure and trusted community! Your Verified ID badge is now showing on your profile. Airbnb is built on trust, and completing these verifications shows you're committed to that spirit. Thanks again! For more information on how we help build a trustworthy community, visit www.airbnb.com/trust. Let us know if you have any further questions or concerns. Happy travels, Victor M www.airbnb.com/help I responded immediately: Ok, that is just ducky! Now can you go into the reservation that was cancelled and re-instate it? I received several of these emails after that: Hi Randall, Your reservation request hasn't been sent because you haven't verified your ID yet. If you're stuck, we're here to help! Please respond directly to this email or check out our FAQs to be guided through the process. All you have left to do is: Connect your Facebook or LinkedIn account Verify Me If you don't verify your ID within the next 4 hours, we won't be able to deliver your reservation request for Bright & charming in the Glebe . At Airbnb, we believe real world experiences are created by real people. Verifying your ID helps build trust, connects the community, and cultivates your reputation on Airbnb. Regards, The Airbnb Team 2016-11-15 02:12:28 +0000 I   called them again ( 4th call) at 8:30 pm. Some smarmy kid kept using my first name as every second word in his sentences, told me it was all my fault, and basically indicated that if I played along he would do me a major favourand fix the problem. Not being much of an ass-kisser, I told him to forget the corporate damage control speak, not address me by my first name ( I am 65), and focus on fixing their problem - as in my first call to AirBnb at 8:30 this morning I learned the whole problem was a software glitch at their end. THis guy told me that my file had been escalated to Community Safety level and needed special treatment...like the host needed to be protected from me...I said WTF - I am a retired lawyer and have no criminal history...he said I had 'attitude' and then the line went dead...The call reflects a corporate sense of entitlement, arrogance, and incompetence. I am very disappointed, and after researching have learned my experience is not uncommon. I am looking at hotels to book and would prefer to not use them again. If a company tells me it is my problem after someone in their organization already admitted it to me, and delivers that in  insulting and libellous statements designed to intimidate me, they shouldn't be in business. Write your local governments and demand these guys be taxed to hell - obviously they are not giving much back to the communities from which they extract so much money. At least with hotels thier res systems work and their people are generally polite.

[Pherl0]

We have been trying to get our listing on AirBnB properly now for almost three weeks. We cant seem to get our listing up..

Everytime we contact someone at customer service there seems to be a language barrier. I am currently on the phone with customer service and have been on hold for over 30 minutes. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Pherl0,

Welcome to the Community Center. 

I am sorry to hear you have been having difficulties, did you managed to get this resolved in the end? Perhaps you might like to start a new topic here in the CC, with the questions you have for publishing your listing, it maybe that others can help or perhaps others are experiencing the same issue as you. 

I hope you get this resolved soon.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Pamela391]

I have had the same problem many a time the last one took me almost 2 days to get rebooked .  I was in screeming match and got people that must have lived in a village somewhere over seas, I travel for business and do not find this was funny, they cut me out due my so called insulting remarks to someone I did not undersand I told them if I can not record me if I am not allowed to record them,....this is a two way street what are they afried of being recored so they  can Lie their way out of it.   This is not good the places I have stayed at are not suppose to be  rented out as such...but I have kept my mouth shut now I want them out of Florida and my son in law enforcment is looking  into today in taking with zoning and one of the congressmens people

[Clive0]

I have called numerous times in the last two days and no one is available. I sam a superhost so I'm at the front of the queue. Really?  It is totally unacceptable. 

[Pamela217]

As an Airbnb host I have been screwed over by long term rentes who move out without notice. Airbnb gives them my money. I will no longer be hosting as AIRBNB doesn't honor local tenant-landlord laws.

[Pherl0]

I find Air B&B is lagging on a couple of fronts--

1. When party books and money paid in - Attachment for opening home being sent to prospective guest is not able to be opened up on receivers end - must be some algorithmen that prevents opening.
2. Payout - when guests check in - release of payment is invariablily delayed and would not be released without calling on several occasions - can you imagine how much money they "escrow" and sweep the $$$
3. Resolution Center - little or no assistance for problematic guests who disrespect, damage and abuse property/residence. Im considering other search engines to list my home.

[Annie255]

Is it just me or is everyone else having major issues with AirBnb Customer Service???

[Karen2347]

Totally agree that AirBnb customer service sucks!   I had a $274 charge come through on a credit card from AirBnb that I didn't charge and shows no record of it in my AirBnb account.  It took awhile (over 30 mins) to actually talk to someone and there was no urgency of getting me a refund on this at all.  I finally called back only to talk with the WORST customer service rep I have ever talked to. Her name was Reeham and she definitely seemed to have a chip on her shoulder as she would repeatedly say "Sorry, I don't think I will be able to help you." I kept having to suggest things to her as to how she could actually help me until one of them she could do. As my account also acquired issues like not texting me a code. Absolutely incredibly poorly trained with responsiveness and manner so poor. I got off the phone and getting into the account on my own but my $274 is still missing!  Plus, I don't think I will ever forget another customer service representative where you hang up the phone and think WOW THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MY PRIVATE INFORMATION!!!  and I don't trust them. 

[John4463]

Gawd this is exactly what happened to me. It's disgusting. I am a host. I had 5 guests come and had a great time. The 6th guest was a nightmare. They UN screwed my shower head, turned it on filming then turned it off. Then stated they couldn't use my shower. AIRBNB would not allow me to submit my side of this and gave these scanners 50% off thge nightly rate and the c leaning fee. I have started a process with the BBC. THIS IS WRONG.