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?

[Lilly28]

@Rebecca160@Lizzie

I agree what Rebecca said. And cannot see how you sorted the problem.

I think many hosts should give their suggestions how this problem could be solved, and then the Airbnb team can discuss and solve that problem. I wrote here in the forum once about it - but received answers that - Oh, no - guests should not be allowed penalty as we could lose money... But I think - that in this way - first, we really lose money, and second, which to me is of greater imporance - we lose human dignity!

[Robin4]

@Rebecca160

We get so used to spell-checker that we have become lazy when it comes to spelling....we sort of think it is going to be automatically corrected. The forum really sorts out the spellers from the 'what the hell...ers'!

If it is a serious post that really needs to be correct rather than just a bit of fun, best to do it in Word first and copy and paste....like we have to do with 'Direct Message' if we don't want to lose our hard work!

Spell-checker does work in the review system though Rebecca and there was one time I wished it hadn't!

I was typing a review for a guest who's name was Koop. I was in a hurry and doing a couple of other things at the time and when I finished the review I did not proof-read it, I just hit post!

When both reviews were received and published I read Koops very nice review of me and then I thought I would check his reaction to mine on his page and when I had a look f*****g spell-checker had changed his name to 'Poop'!!!@#*

Fortunately CS felt that this may have caused un-intended offence and did delete that section of the review that made reference to his name....but spell-checker, along with Google Translate have a lot to answer for!

Cheers.....Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4   You can tell who us spelling and grammar and making sure we said exactly what we intended to say types are- in the notifications there's 3 posts by us, but there all the same because when we posted it and saw the errors, we went back and edited it 🙂

[Robin4]

@Sarah977  I was responding to Rebecca, and I even tagged her as the person I was responding to and I was simply making a light hearted comment when she said to Lizzie.....

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

We all make spelling errors, some times I make three or more in one sentence, and I am continually having to go back over what I have done, and even then many still slip through.

I thought I was in the early stages of Alzheimers because I was starting to struggle with the spelling of the simplest words, so I went and had a memory test which I passed well so it appears it is not my memory that is the problem....it is just that I am a lousy typist!

My cooment wus no reflication onr your spiling!

Cheers.....Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4   Oh, I never took it that way. I was just commenting that those of us who are horrified when we post something that is misspelled, poorly punctuated or bad grammar, are always going back and edited them when we see it posted and immediately notice the errors. I can deduce which of us are the spelling and grammar perfectionists just by seeing in the notifications that someone supposedly posted the same post 3 times, but in fact those were just edits of one post.

Kinda like you can tell which people are night owls/insomniacs or early risers by the time of day they post 🙂

[Robin4]

@Sarah977 and now that you mention time...it is currently 8.24am Tuesday morning 8th May here and I am due in the Meals on Wheels kitchen at 8.45am to get meals undfer way for the olds today, so I better throw some kitchen clothes on and get to it.

Talk later.

Cheers.....Rob

[Artemis-and-Albert0]

We are fairly new at this but most of our guests leave positive reviews. 

We have self check in so we don’t meet our guests in person, but we spent a lot of time understanding the purpose of the trip and make the stay special. 

As I m new, I cannot be sure if my ‘tip’ works in the long run, when I send check out instructions, I say “ we are fairly new at this so your feedback is very important to us.  Please leave us with constructive feedback and help us with the public review”.

it helps that our house is quite unique and special, we are a 5 bedroom retreat style house in city centre. Our price is excellent for our size.

i did notice that corporate travelers don’t leave reviews as often, we have a lot of weddings, reunions, people stay with us to celebrate special occasions, so they are in a good mood, I guess, that’s why we seem to get reviews.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Rebecca160@LizzieI just realized we have only 68% reviews. We never asked for reviews bc we find it inappropriately. I agree with others- hosts shouldn't be punished if their guests don't leave a review. It is out of our control.

I am happy if my guests let me know the time of their arrival bc some of them can't use their phones abroad or are out of wifi zone.

People often stay just 1-2 nights on one place during their few weeks long trip. They change 5 or more cities and properties in a row... during their trip they have better things to do then to write reviews on their phones and when they come home they barely remember all those apartments and hosts.

I don't understand why the percentage of ratings is important after all? It's voluntarily and it should stay that way. Imagine the situation where you can't leave a hotel if you didn't wrote your impression in a book! 😄

[Lilly28]

@@@Branka-and-Silvia0

@Rebecca160

Well, I do not agree with what you said! I agree with Rebeca.

Well, I understand that guests often come for just 1 day and are very busy with their trip going on and on... BUT - for having this ONLY one day at my home as though as they have been a whole week I work hard for them - hours of previous conversation, and on arrival giving all kinds of service even a 5-star hotel would not do! And after that not having the time to spend 1 minute to tell me THANKS, it was 5 stars!?

  Example - 4 guests, check-in time is 3 p.m. - they asked to be 8 a.m. - I agreed to meet them, allowed to leave the luggage in my own flat and use the toilet, gave them all instructions where to go, how to use the time not to loose a minute - the free walk tour of the town, the best coffee shop and the best restaurant - and also - the cheapest, if they prefer not the best, but cheap, but still good. Before arriving I spend at least 2 hours giving them all kind of information. I had another guests the previous day,  so when they came - their check-out was still hours apart. - They left at 12 and I began preparing for FOUR people! And I had 4 just before them. Just at that time the guests phoned me that they would rather want to get an hour earlier than the check-in. O.K. - I worked as a fortuna, and was absolutely ready  for them at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m. they phoned me to tell me that they are leaving at 4 a.m. - how to go to the airport... I ordered them a taxi, got up before 4 to tell them good buy and to get them in the taxi. They phoned me from the airport to tell me - Oh, it was a perfect stay and you helped us a lot - but no review.  And they had special price - less than 10 euro per person for that night, including the Airbnb service fee!

I had other stays like that and I am sure Rebecca experienced similar situations. Well, I like that Airbnb is informing me that a guest has left me a review and that I have to write one if I want to see his. But from now on I decided that for guests for whom I have done lots of work - and helped them in a way no 5-star hotel would do - I am not going to write a review before I receive theirs, and I will not stay silent as well - I would rather wait the last day I can leave a review and tell the truth - that they are clean, followed the house rules, but were not polite and wanted only one sided support - a bit of egoists/wanting receiving without giving= respecting only his own dignity not that of others.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Lilly28I understand your point of view but how can Airbnb force anyone to leave a review? They already do send few notifications asking to review a guest/host ... what else should ABB do? 

I have no intention to bother my guests with star ratings and review system and beg for 5*. No way I would do it on check in when they are tired of a long trip and can't wait to shower , eat or sleep... they barely listen our important instructions about keys, locks, lights, registration etc...

We can't talk about it later either bc we are off site hosts and they usually self check out.

Hosting is our bussines and we depend of good reviews. Guests doesn't. Leaving a review is their free will.

[Rebecca160]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 well, we are not set up as a hotel, where having even the majority of guests not leave a review would make the slightest bit of difference to the hotel. For us, if a guest does not leave a review at all impacts us in two ways. The first is if a guest does not review you, then the number of bookings does not show up. This indicates to a potential guest just how many people have stayed at a place. Having a higher number looks better, as it means you are more experienced. The number on mine is currently 40, but I have had 44 guest bookings.  Not sure what @Fred13 ‘s Total bookings are, but if he is only getting a 50% response rate, then he looks nowhere as experienced as he is now. 

The other way it impacts us is the star rating of course, but even more important to me is the write ups that I get. My guests are generally very happy here and have expressed their delight. That helps me attract good guests. Also, some have had great suggestions to improve my place and I have done so, so future guests benefit, too.

@Lilly28 wow! You really rock it as a host!  Guests should be leaving you awesome reviews! I am also going to write my reviews and wait until theirs posts, or the end of review period comes before I post their review. Of course, this may backfire, if they are doing the same thing in waiting.

[Nina204]

@Rebecca0   I follow up with a message after check out.  Thank you for respecting our home!  We gave you a 5 star review and hope you review us as it helps our business.  You are always welcome back!     We have planted the seed that a) being a guest and getting good reviews is just as important to them as it is for us hosts  and b) it helps our business (they might be more apt to leave one)   I never had to leave anyone with less than 5 stars. (We really pick apart every inquiry) as we have a big house with a jacuzzi.   If I had to leave less than 5 stars I probably would say it differently.  However, sometimes no review is better than a bad one!   

[Fred13]

@Rebecca160 I don't think my guests care how 'experienced' I am, after 115 reviews saying the same  thing. 

[Fred13]

   Most of my guest are very busy people, most are small-company owners, etc. When they get back to their busy lifes they surely must hit the ground running. They also appear to be great one-to-one conversationalists, but not Internet hounds, and most have never stayed in an Airbnb, in fact, coming to my place is the only reason they even joined (90+). Lastly, everything they have to say, they always do so in a Guest Book, which I keep and they love, before they leave. Stil ~50% leave a review out of excitement because they had such a great time.

    So the 'Trips Reviewed' is not working in my case 'as intended', and that is ok, being Superhost is not a must either, since probably 99% of who stays with me have no clue what it is.

[Aurora62]

I believe guests should have as much responsibilities as hosts, as in: if you do not leave a review you get penalized/if you always do you get a "superguest" status.

on the other hand, I think hosts should always review their guests, not for the guests' sake but for fellow hosts. not writing a review 'hurts' your guest only a little bit - most of those who don't leave a review have never used and may never use airbnb again - but it may hurt the next host a lot.