How do no reviews count?

[Rebecca160]

I like to think that I fairly review every single guest. And I do review each and every guest, even the rare sub-par guest, as I think that it is in the best interests of hosts and guests to do so. Unfortunately, not all guests have left me a review, maybe close to 10 %.  Does this hurt us as Superhosts?  Does this hurt them as guests? I feel that it should count against them. How do we find out how many hosts did not receive a review from a guest?  How do we ensure that all guests will leave a review?

[Bruna-and-Siana0]

If you go to Host -> Progress -> Opportunities, you'll see under Superhost the percentage of trips reviewed (number of guests that left a review / total number of guests). You need 50% to keep your superhost status (in addition to the other requirements). I don't think that hurts them as guests, it only hurts the host.

To ensure guests leave a review, we usually write a review immediately when they leave so they can see it and write theirs if they are curious to see what we wrote. We also sent them a short message asking for a review and have a short note in the room. We have around 75% of trips reviewed. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Rebecca160, @Bruna-and-Siana0

It is an interesting topic you have started here Rebecca and I agree with you it must be quite frustrating to have guests but not receive a review for all your efforts. Do you have any ideas for how you think this could be improved.

It would be great to get more of a discussion around this. 

[Rebecca160]

@Lizzie  I have tried sending texts and messages to guests who I know had a great stay with me, always in an upbeat way, asking for a review. I was not even specifying a great review, just a review. I have had about a 30% success rate doing this, so clearly, there has to be a better way.  I even discussed with some of them how reviews could make or break a host!  I am all ears for new ideas to spur reviews.

I really think that guests and hosts should be held accountable to review each other.

[Bruna-and-Siana0]

Hi @Lizzie, @Rebecca160,

I always feel ackward asking for a review. What it really helps is to have a quick 5-10min conversation with guests when they arrive or at checkout. We ask them what they do in the area and if they need suggestions. If we see them next day, we ask if everything was fine in the room. We rarely mention the reviews when we talk to them, I feel it is kind of pushy.

After checkout we sent a short message thanking them for staying with us and we ask for a review. We politely ask but we never push it (the message says sth like: "when we have time, we'll appreciate if you can write a review about your stay. Reviews really help us"). Our guests are business travelers who stay 1-3 nights and they are always busy. We try to keep messages short and not overwhelm them. So far, we have around 75% trips reviewed.

The other issue is the guests that say everything was fine but they leave a 4* review (or 4* on some of the ratings). I don't have a good answer for this. Some hosts print or send a message explaining AirBnB ratings and how less than 5* is bad for the hosts. For our type of guests, I feel it is too much. We do our best to make them feel comfortable in our house and we hope for a 5* review. 

[Marguerite23]

''The other issue is the guests that say everything was fine but they leave a 4* review (or 4* on some of the ratings). I don't have a good answer for this.''

Hello Bruna & Siana,

Absolutely right , with the star issue. How can a guest type '' lovely stay , perfect,  all went well, etc, and hosts end up getting 4* which is bad or worse 3*. No specific reason is left in the private comment box . The only comment I had once was...' size of the home' .   I can't do nothing about it: my listing is for a double bedroom in a flat, not a whole mansion.  As a host I expect constructive criticism in order to improve. Maybe some guests would benefit from guidelines on 'how to give constructive feedback'  that would match with the star system.   

Perfect = 5*

Fine = 5*

I really had a lovely stay = 5*

I would come back again = 5*

Have a lovely day everyone. 

[Michelle161]

Lizzie, the point that Airbnb is missing is that when a lot of guests come to the end of their holiday, they jump straight back into their busy lives, and often don’t think it one of their priorities, no matter how quick or easy reviewing is made. Before becoming a host myself, I would have done exactly the same. I used to also find follow up emails from hotels just as annoying and would delete them too. Couldn’t the check out screen default to reviews to ensure hosts can’t be penalised in this way? I’m a little cheesed off with the ‘must do better’ entry from Airbnb when I work like crazy to give excellent service. It’s demoralising.

[Chris232]

@Lizzie@Rebecca160

I feel that it is unfair for hosts to be penalised for something which is out of their control.

If and when Super-Guests come into effect then they will have to maintain a 90% review rate to qualify for Super-Guest.

[Lizzie]

Thanks for your thoughts on this @Chris232. 

As the team are still working on the specifics of the Superguest program, it will be interesting to see what the criteria will be for the Superguest category once it is launched.  

[Michelle161]

Lizzie, could Airbnb introduce a check out screen, along with a quick review section? 

[Rebecca160]

@Chris232It is most unfair to penalize hosts for the guests failure to review the host. Seems to me, the most fair way would be to require hosts to review guests and guests to review hosts.  Perhaps not allow any booking, after one has say 3 NO reviews? Or preventing further bookin until one goes back and actually reviews the host or guest. 

I have known way too many people say that they left no review, as they really did not wish to leave a bad review for a host or guest. There could be lots of guests and hosts who could improve, if they had accurate reviews. It is unfair that hosts are punished with bad guests, because some previous hosts refused to leave a bad review and vice versa.

It is possible that if Reviewing is enforced somehow, then the overall scores may drop. Or increase.  Ok, probably drop, but then perhaps we would have a better gain on how a guest or host would behave.

[Rebecca160]

@LizzieI just noticed that I misspelled Reviews in the title. Any way that you can correct the spelling or is there I was that I can?

[Lizzie]

No problem @Rebecca160, all sorted. 🙂

[Rebecca160]

@LizzieThank you! Apparently, I need spell check on this platform. I have never had so many spelling errors before.  It is embarassing.

[Lizzie]

hehe! I'm working on this @Rebecca160...hopefully 🙂