Dishonest review from very first guest

Earth6
Level 2
กทม, TH

Dishonest review from very first guest

Im very new hosting. I started to hosting last month (December 2019) I assumed that the guest that made a reservation, it was her first time for Airbnb. I think that she misunderstand SO MANY THINGS about our place for hotel or homestay shared. Language-barrier might be the main problem. First of all, she requested for pick-up at airport. Since we arent be able to offer that kind of service so We suggest that she might have to rent a car or take a taxi. Then she said that she already paid for trip via Airbnb.(First misunderstanding) This started to make me worry. Then after she arrived at airport. It seem like it take so long to get on taxi. Because of language-barrier, and even after I told a taxi about the address in detail it still take a lot of time. And I told her to open a house’s manual to it might get easier for taxi to know and she replied that she will let me know when she can speak English (I used translator for all the conversation since she only replying back in Korean) Then tourism police called me that she want to get a refund because she couldnt get on taxi. But with tourism police’s helping, she got on a taxi and arrived safely. THEN check-in, our housekeeper gave her a quick house’s tour(since it look like the guest might not understand anything in the manual or not even read it), including teaching how to open a stove. From what I heard from our housekeeper, she did request for meal service(I didn’t write anything that we have those of service)At night I received DM from her that our place is too far from the centre, and our kitchen was  bad and not what she thought it would be and she want me to call her at the morning for a talk. I did say sorry and say that I would sent our housekeeper in the morning, And will make a call then. After that a few hour later, she made a cancellation. So I told our housekeeper to go to the cabin in the morning as soon as possible coz after cancellation they need pack out. This is my first hosting so I dont know that did I make some mistake. Then she gave me a review about blaming refund policy and only say that my house is bad. Any advice for this kind of situation? 

23 Replies 23
Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Earth6 sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with your first guest! It sounds like they really had no idea what they were booking and didn't read the listing, which is very clear. Your public response to their review was perfect. You might be able to reach out to Airbnb and ask them to remove the review under their new inaccurate review policy. Don't let it get you down - hopefully prospective guests will be able to put this in perspective.  

@Kath9 I did try to ask them to remove the review but they said that they didnt find any violation of policy so they can not remove it. Im not sure what else I can from now. 

Rowena29
Level 10
Australia

@Earth6 

This is a really awful experience for you to have as your first guest.

If it's any consolation, if I were a potential future guest reading her review, I would think she was an idiot! her review conveys a lot of negatives about her, adn only positives about you.

I'm not sure if you will have any success, but it MIGHT be worth a try ringing CS again. A different person migiht have a different opinon. It's worth a try.

Here is the link to the new review rules. I think some of what this guest has said qualifies as irrelevant. the fact that she has called you a HOSTEL surely  is grounds for removal.

Other hosts with more experience may have more specific advice.

Here is the link

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Making-reviews-more-relevant-and-useful-for-our-c...

 

@Earth6, yes, I agree with @Rowena29. I was told by @Stephanie in admin that reviews based on failure to read the listing are considered irrelevant and are grounds for removal. Ring them back and quote the new policy to them. Also, Rowena's right, the guest's review makes them sound like they're the crazy one, not you! 

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Thanks for the mention @Kath9 

 

That's quite right - @Earth6 please review the recent update in the review policy here.

 

Using this information, please inform CS as if the content of a review is irrelevant it can be edited or removed based on that information.

 

Thanks,

 

Stephanie

-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines 

@Stephanie @Kath9 @Rowena29 Thank you so much! I would still be in despair if without everyone’s help! I will try to contact CS again

@Stephanie @Kath9 @Rowena29 Hi, I did contact CS. They said that review is relevant....

Rowena29
Level 10
Australia

@Earth6 Did you say that @Stephanie an administrator on the forums specifically suggested that according to the new rules you had the grounds to have the review removed?

Depending on how strongly you feel about it, you could keep ringing until you get a CS rep who "gets" it.

I have also heard that Twitter is a better way to get a positive response.

I can only imagine how upset and frustrated you are feeling.

I have one other suggestion if nothing else works - this really depends on how much the star rating mean to you.   You keep referring to "we" so I assume you have someone else who helps you host?

Absolute worst case scenario, you could create a new listing ( copy and paste from your old one) with a different host ( the other person in the "we"). Then delist your current  listing. Star ratings are associated with HOSTS not properties.  Since you are so new, you don't have much to lose.   And new listings get promoted in the search results. It MIGHT  be a win win?

 

Other things you might consider - turn off instant booking? That way there's less likelihood of misunderstandings 

If you leave on IB  and  you get a guest who asks such stupid questions in the first instance - suggest that your place might not be for them and encourage them to cancel.  I have IB and for EVERY booking I message the guest and re state all the things that I think might be a problem. 

 

@Earth6    I honestly think you've just been really unlucky.  You've detailed things in your house rules, your description is clear,  this guest you had just sounds completely clueless.

 

I don't know your area at all, but if you are in a desirable area, then I really think potential guests will look at your listing for what it is and not be influenced but the RIDICULOUS review that your first guest left.

 

Maybe @Stephanie will have further suggestions?

 

@Rowena29 I will try to talk with CS one more time if it didnt work I will do like your suggestion. My dad and I, we do the hosting together since He is managing hotel in the south of Thailand so I want help him manage our vacation home. Look like it fail from the very beginning since the first guest was like this.😓 He told me move on and ignore it but still cant let it go. 

Rowena29
Level 10
Australia

@Earth6 it is very natural that you cant' let it go. Every one will tell you to get over it and move on. They're right. But unfortunately you cannot control your emotions. it will take time. Hopefully, your next guest will be terrific, and that will give you the boost that you need. 

I have been hosting 18 months and when something doesn't' go quite right,  I agonise for hours and hours. Intellectually i know I'm being stupid, but I can't help it. 

 It's these very qualities that will make you a terrific host. You care. You have empathy. You are also very sensible. Your reply to this guest review was pragmatic - many much more experienced hosts have done far, far worse.   

I know it's really really hard to take, but I can almost promise, that  this experience  will make you a better host in the long run, You will learn to be a bit more hard nosed, a bit tougher.

Your first guest was totally clueless and this is clear to anyone reading her review.  

Wait for a little while before ringing CS again. More experienced hosts may have better suggestions than what I'm able to offer.

Stay strong

@Rowena29 you really encourage me! Thank you very much! I would have no idea what should I do next without your suggestion.  @Kath9 @Stephanie Thank you very much. Every words really means a lot to me. I will try to move on 😊

@Rowena29 @Stephanie @Kath9 

this is what I got back from CS

 

“We treat each review as the writer's experience. The guest may have left a bad review, but it still tells her experience when she stayed for 1 night. Therefore, the review will be kept.”

 

Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

@Earth6 

Unfortunately, the new review policy - particularly the clauses relating to review relevance - and so vague and convoluted, with no clear, solid paramaters defining them, and so wide open to the personal interpretation of the individual CX agents dealing with each case, that it renders them pretty useless. 

 

That said, as others have advised, the next CX agent you call, may very well have a completely different interpretation of what review relevance constitutes, so there is always a possibility that he or she may reach a very different conclusion, and remove the review for you, without hesitation. 

 

If you have no luck with that, there is something else you could try. Up until the recent introduction of the new review policy, there was another long-standing clause in the Review Content Policy - relatively well-known amongst CX staff - which stated that the following was strictly prohibited, and would always be removed.. 

  • Content that provides specific details or outcomes of an Airbnb investigation

While that clause appears to have now been removed, it's highly unlikely that many (if any) of the Customer Support reps are aware of its removal, so it's well worth a shot to try and have yours taken down under those terms (it's difficult to ascertain from the translation exactly what your guest is saying, but as there was a cancellation and refund mentioned - therefore necessitating Airbnb involvement - it would be covered by the clause above. If you do decide to try that route, make sure you quote the clause exactly, in all your communication with CX. 

 

And finally, if all else fails - as @Rowena29 already suggested - simply shut down your account completely, and open a new one in your dad's name. 

 

Where there's a will, there's a way. Best of luck to you, @Earth6

@Susan17 Thank you very much for your information! I will try it out.