Guests 'overall' rating

[Calli4]

How is it fair that guests are asked to rate objective categories and then are allowed to give you an 'overall' star rating based on their subjective experience.  I am sick of guests giving me 5 star for every category and only a 4 for the overall. 

Hosts (who by nature, probably write more reviews) no longer have the ability to give an overall rating.   The rating is worked out on the average of the categories, so why should guests be able to tarnish a star rating with their subjective 'overall' star rating.  TIME IT WAS WORKED OUT FROM THE AVERAGE OF EACH CATEGORY LIKE THE HOSTS RATINGS.  COMPLETELY UNFAIR.

[Susan17]

@Calli4 

The most likely explanation for this is that - in some markets, at least - guests are not given the option to use "stars" for the Overall Rating category, and instead, must choose from one of the following - 

- Much better than my expectations

- A bit better than my expectations 

- Met my expectations

- A bit worse than my expectations 

- Much worse than my expectations. 

So "Met my expectations" will get you a 3* Overall rating, and only "Much better than my expectations" will equate to a 5* Overall rating. 

This is, of course, utterly ridiculous - and particularly damaging for hosts with lots of glowing reviews, whose guests will already have sky high expectations before they even arrive. So, short of literally kissing guests' arses, it would be practically impossible for highly-reviewed and highly-rated hosts to exceed the expectations the guests already have, based on the host's previous excellent reviews. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Susan17 

This is, of course, utterly ridiculous - and particularly damaging for hosts with lots of glowing reviews, whose guests will already have sky high expectations before they even arrive. So, short of literally kissing guests' arses, it would be practically impossible for highly-reviewed and highly-rated hosts to exceed the expectations the guests already have, based on the host's previous excellent reviews.

I think we're on the save wavelength 🙂

Further to your quote above, changing the review procedure compounds the problem further as it is not consitent and will only make reviews worse for hosts. 

In my opinion, hosts who attain the Superhost status have done so because they have illustrated good skills and provided good conditions over a 3 month period at least, often longer. They won't change, thats the way they are and thats what guests will get regardless of any merit badge.

As annoying that this behavioural modification is which is imposed by Airbnb, I'd say forget the Superhost merit and just get on with hosting regardless. If you get a retalitary review - which will happen to every host - use your right of reply and move on. Anybody can make any numbers say what they want them to say to justify any end. Superhost is just numbers.

The biased basis of the Airbnb review system isn't going to change. A post by @Robin4  popped up on the main discussion board at weekend dated 2016 (Maybe he can confirm?). This was complaining about the same issue. 3 years, no change. (I've trawled the previous 47 pages of 'Hosting' and can't find now).

I did find these on the front page of Hosting though, there's quite a few disgruntled hosts out there.

Magic is gone: @Barbara1450  https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/The-Magic-Is-Gone/m-p/945096#M236118

Bullying of Hosts: @Leplubo0 https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Abuse-of-dominance-Airbnb-bullies-hosts/m-p/1016317#M252...

[Susan17]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

Is this Robin's thread you were looking for? 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Lack-of-Host-Support/td-p/303484

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Susan17 

That was it.

 @Robin makes the same point about Superhost efforts here in that thread:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Lack-of-Host-Support/m-p/303587/highlight/true#M70170

[Kat-And-Benji0]

THIS!  

I have had nothing but 5-star overalls until the last 3 months and I've gotten three 4-star overalls since then.  And yes, now I get it, my reviews are glowing and set the expectation to be high, therefore when asked if things were "much better, a bit better, or met my expectations", it's almost impossible to get the "much better than" rating b/c they're already expecting excellence based on the reviews.  AirBnB, PLEASE go back to the star rating for overall experience!!!  Or don't let 4 stars affect Superhost status.  But hosts should not be penalized for guests' lack of understanding of the rating system!  

[Alice595]

@Kat-And-Benji0 This is the way Airbnb to push you work harder because Airbnb knows that nobody can satisfy other people 100%

[Kat-And-Benji0]

Probably true but super-frustrating b/c I work really hard and have been satisfying people 100% until recently, and I just really believe that I still am and the guests don't understand the rating system. 

[Alice595]

@Kat-And-Benji0 Airbnb has changed a lot. With all the changes especially some changes favors guests and force hosts to blindly accept any guests' booking requests, the quality of guests is worse.

In the meantime, Airbnb finds more and more hosts work harder than before and become Superhosts, definitely the standards for qualifying a host to be a superhost needs to be leveled up. It is very hard to increase the current rating number which is very high at 4.8. Therefore, ways to push guests for evaluating hosts need to be tweaked. That is why you see the changes you and other hosts in this thread experienced.

[Emilia42]

While I agree the rating system needs work, there are plenty of reasons I can think of where the overall score would differ from the sub categories (from a guest perspective.) . Communication, value, location, cleanliness, and check in only encompass parts of the stay. I only wish Airbnb would make a 4 star review acceptable.

Same goes for rating guests. I wish we could score guests overall. I've had guests who were clean, communicated well, and followed my short list of house rules (all 5 stars) but there were other things that where I would not welcome them back.