And it happened again - everything is 5* but overall experience is 4* grrr

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

And it happened again - everything is 5* but overall experience is 4* grrr

This doesn't makes sense! Aibnb should really change this stupid rating system and count "overall experience" as an average of all other ratings (accuracy, cleanliness, communication , check in... )

7 Replies 7
Ned-And-Laura0
Level 10
Simi Valley, CA

This complaint gets posted here a LOT.  Its just the way it goes, it happens to us all.  I am willing to bet, after 30 or 40 reviews NOBODY has a perfect 5* rating.  I was annoyed the first time it happened to me.  But I promise you, your guests don't care, in fact they don't even read much of the reviews.  Pictures, price and location is 99% of why they choose.  4.7, 4.8, 4.9, nobody cares so long as you don't have a bunch of bad ones in a row.  I have posted about this a few times but the only thing that matters is whether or not people are booking your place, we are here to make money, not boost our egos.  Don't take it as a personal afront, just keep doing a good job and the ratings will take care of themselves.  

I disagree - maybe a difference of age or culture, but as a guest I read every word of at least the 20 most recent reviews.  Photos can be staged/angled to make things look much better than they are in real life, so I don't place too much reliance on those.

I understand why it bothers people to get an overall 4 rating unrelated to the 5 stars reported on feedback and written description. It happened to me recently and I had someone else staying here at the same time and they gave the bnb an overall 5 star rating.

The reason it is upsetting is that it seems to mean that even though I get five stars for all the work I did to make this a pleasant place to stay, they still don't think it is a good place to stay, because of some unknown, out of my control, mystery thing, that they haven't disclosed to me and therefore that I can't do anything about. The irrationality and insensitivity, of humans can at times give my mind a workout to deal with.

I am frustrated that Airbnb has not done the work to make their rating system a little more foolproof, a little more clearly demarcated, especially the location rating, which should distinguish the actual location from how to get to that location, both of which are clearly not in the control of the host.

I think they should have informational ratings that do not affect the hosts superhost status, as things that are not in our control, and yet that give guests information that may help them in their choices.

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

The trouble is, the term 'overall experience' is so vague that it wouldn't surprise if some guests' rating is affected by the weather, a row with their partner, and whether their car broke down! 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

You are all right, I know... it is just sooo annoying.... and btw yes, their review is also great, and everything was 5* except overall experience 4*

It seems to me that if we would pamper our gests to the point when we would work without any profit we wouldn't be able to earn and keep 5,0 score .

 

Branka & Silva....... apparently according to Deepankar from Customer Experience Team with Airbnb, there is nothing to worry about for getting 4 star reviews because a 4.7 average is a very good rating and that "claims" that there will be penalties if the average drops below 4.7 is just a rumor and will not affect us. 

 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Whats-wrong-with-a-4star-review-Nothing/m-p/726283#M1709...

 

Believe it or not~~~~~~ ( I honestly have no confidence in what ABB CS people say ........) 

 

 

Howard42
Level 5
Hilliard, OH

I too have been bitten several times with good written reviews and all 5 star ratings except for the 4 star overall experience with no explanation.  Heaven forbid i think I have now dropped to 4.9 which is 33% closer to 4.7 than I was.   I am starting to get concerned......