It's October, Steve's issue is still current, and dovetails with others that effect us all.
I love being a host! I worked hard to attain "superhost" designation at lightspeed and have 100% 5 star reviews and service area ratings across the board ...and my "highlights" also state "95%" of my guests say my home is "sparkling clean" "check in was a breeze" etc.
The math doesn't add up. Reporting the error does no good. 'Superhost' services can't do anything about it so that title is useless except tht some guests build it into thier searches because it used to meam something.
I just spent over an hour watching the monthly video pep talk which introduced the new head of "host services" who stated they're rolling out additional "host perks" which so far are shutting me out of searches and sending guests who search my local area (and even repeat guests who try to search for my property) to listings an hour away with lower feedback ratings and complaints about safety issues...properties also misrepresented as "entire home/condo..." when they're actually single rooms in a shabby dwelling without a private bath repped by commercial management companies.
Another local property owned by a local restauranteur ends up at the top of the page, and advertised an "entire 5 y.o. custom home with expansive water views" and aerial drone photos that turns out to be a small basement studio next to the road with road and foot traffic noise from upstairs and a view of a wooden fence. She offers free food at her tourist trap eatery in exchange for glowing reviews...which some guests ignore to warn others instead...and she's publicly attacked the guest...viciously...in her own review area...yet even after those unprofessional, abusive public displays, misrepresentation of her property, and overt solicitation of positive reviews...she still retains "superhost status" and that property still comes up #1 is searches.
These properties have been reported and weeks later nothing's changed. The listings remain the same and they continue to be marketed ahead of other independent "superhost" properties with better ratings that have 100% 5 star reviews and are actually located in the city being searched.
Implementation of new "features" have decreased "looks" at my listing by over 50% in the last 2 weeks (and no, it's not due to seasonal fluctuations). Utilzing the feedback form to Air BnB management and reporting this to "host services" has only produced hollow apologies. Nothing's changed and not one of 3 reports have been resonded to with anything proactive or useful.
I called host services today to ask why my property isn't even showing up on available dates, and was told they're so swamped with hosts not getting paid because I.T. made a new adjustment in another area... they'll have to get back to me.
The "new" Air BnB policies and algorhythm adjustments have rewarded shoddy commercially managed properties and hurt business for those of us "indies" who work honestly to attain 5 star ratings from real guests and "superhost" status by providing beautiful properties, excellent service, honest descriptions, and knockout amenities.
Are the commercial property managers (who also list with Air BnB competitors) paying Air BnB a higher cut for thier perks? I'm willing to pay a little more for some fairness, but theere has been no indication from Air BnB that my single property listing actually matters enough to earn a useful reply.
A friend tried to book an Air BNB in Tacoma WA to attend a wedding a couple of days ago. She entered Tacoma WA and her dates and was diverted 300 miles away to Vancouver BC. She tried working around the inaccurate search results in several ways to no avail. She called Customer service and was assured there were plenty of available perperties. She followed thie advice to modify her search with no luck and finally gave up and rented a room at the newly remodled Motel 6 next to the I-5 in Tacoma.
I was completely loyal to Air BnB and worked hard to earn my "superhost" status and 100% 5-star stats and original creative reviews from great guests who appreciate wonderful service and experiences...some even gifted me with original art work and poetry about my cotage and thier great expereinces here...yet I'm being shut out of searches and am having to list with other online services (and face the nightmare of trying to coordinate calendars) so I can get the exposure I deserve and had before the "upgrades" so I can continue to run a successful business.
According to this month's video pep talk for hosts, Air BnB is still a "trust-based community built on honest feedback by real people about individual hosts and unique home shares"... as corporate continues to gobble up contracts with every crummy rental property management company looking to fill thier emptiness.
Is anyone else as frustrated as I am with this "Amazon.com/Walmart" approach to what used to be a cool, fun, profitable, mutually beneficial and very transparent platform?