My experience of HAB 2021
When I first joined the 2021 inaugural Host Advisory Board I thought I would ‘get in there and fix all the problems hosts had’.
It was very naive of me, some of the experienced CC hosts questioned me on it, and rightly so.
In reality change is slow and measured.
What I’ve learnt from my first year on the HAB is that whilst Airbnb want to be fair to hosts, they also have to be fair to guests, because without one the other couldn’t exist. This creates a complex set of policies that try to be fair to both, but in some areas don’t succeed. Yet!
I still have faith, but it will take longer than I originally thought.
In hospitality we have to learn that the customer is number 1 and while we might not always like how they perceive our listings, it is their reality and our job is to try to satisfy their needs.
If both of those things match we can achieve 5 stars
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Easy?
Right?
Well it’s not easy but I think it’s easier than finding the perfect solutions for worldwide hosting policies.
Over the last 12 months I’ve sat in on meetings where Airbnb were looking at changing particular policies or products and they wanted our input. I would have an opinion, based on my host community, but HAB members from other parts of the world would sometimes have a different opinion based on their communities.
This is one of the hardest lessons I have had to learn. Hosts in different countries may have similar needs and similar problems, but not necessarily similar needs for the rectification of a problem.
I was casually discussing a proposed policy change. I assumed that, because Australia is open to tourists, now was a great time to update it. I didn’t see a problem with it, but then I found out that hosts in Thailand and some other countries that had a different perspective on it. Many hosts have wildly different circumstances. So what is the right answer?
I believe, there is no ONE right answer for every host’s needs, and that is why the work of the HAB is often difficult. No matter how hard Airbnb try to make hosts’ lives easier, it won’t satisfy every host’s need.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are lots of reasons why a policy will work well for some hosts, but not be so good, or even be bad for others. Not many things will be perfect, but we will continue to strive for perfection.
I am grateful to have been asked to return to the HAB for 2022 and I promise to represent the host community with an open mind, work with passion and heart, and do the best job I can.