How to complain about Case Manager

[Amy-And-Gin0]

Hello, I opened a Resolution Case and passed around to different Case Managers.  The first one gave me the run around and the 2nd one dismissed the case minutes after picking it up without reviewing the information.  He handled it very poorly and wrote to me incoherently in broken English.  My claim may be small in monetary value but is about fairness and about Airbnb protecting hosts.  I had a terrible guest experience where the guest violated house rules, invited unwanted guests over and soiled my sheets.  I later found out he may have engaged in sexual activity in my home even though he booked for one person only.  I was so disgusted that had to get rid of the bedsheets and donate the sofa.  The Case Manager dismissed me and would not allow me to complain or speak to a supervisor about how poorly he handled it.  No one should be allowed to be treated like this.  Please help!

[Helen3]

Hello @Amy-And-Gin0

I handle my listing my only taking guests with photo ID and making it part of my booking process that guests need to tell me about why they choose my listing, plans for their stay and about themselves. If I am not comfortable I don't accept the booking. 

In your situation I would turn instant book off if you have it turned on so you can spend more time vetting your guests before confirming a booking.

I have never had problems with guests threatening me or behaving badly. If you are going to be a host of three listings you need to accept that you have to handle difficult situations sometimes.  You can minimise this by being more choosy about the guests you accept. Of course the police won't come out to handle your difficult guests if no crime is involved. 

It says on your profile that there are two hosts Amy and Gin and your problem guest mentions 'Gin' so I presume you have another host that helps manage your three listings.

I presume with the guests that locked you in the kitchen and threatened violence you called the police and alerted Airbnb so they left immediately. If you feel uncomfortable being on your own in these situations, handle them when your co-host Gin is around and perhaps a male friend too.

[Cecilia155]

@Helen3

Brilliant

Summed up nicely...

If you can't handle it, get someone in to help you....and like @Fred13 said you should've moved on ages ago and had this experience as a learning curve.  We've all had decisions in the past and probably in the future that won't go our way, but we learn from them and look at ways in which we can improve or do differently.

Remember, if it costs you your peace of mind....its too expensive.

[Mary996]

@Amy-And-Gin0and  @helen

My goodness I'm really concerned that you experienced threatening behaviour previously (as well as with respect to the current claim). That is appalling. What did you do ?

[David126]

Something is obviously going wrong, I have had many guests, use IB and have not had this problem.

[Amy-And-Gin0]

@David126

I live in a very trendy/popular area and the room is good value (an Entire Apt nearby goes for 4x the price of my room). I happen to live there too and frequently find extra guests at my home, which is why I wrote that rule.  Guests like Stan are attracted by the price and don't read the description/rules and misunderstand and think they got the whole place, rather than just a room.  I sometimes walk in to people having a dinner party or an extra guest is literally snuck in (place is big and I'm not there all the time so can't monitor). Sometimes they ask me for permission after the extra person is already there.  It`s kinda awkward for me to be the bad guy and throw people out and they dont like it and cause difficulties for me and write negative reviews if I don't let them have guests.  The answer is probably in screening them better..  

[Fred13]

Sorry, but you have turned an ant hill into a very expensive time-wasting volcano, single-handedly, just for you.

The upshot is that now over a bed sheet and a kettle (latest demand), your event has turned into a 'federal' case requiring a LOT of time on everyone's part that you could have used to either improve your listing or approach and Airbnb helping other hosts. To me, this is a also a classic case of a host NOT handling an issue, as common as 'too many guest', on the spot, in their place, in the first place. Airbnb is a booking agency, not your business partner nor guardian angel.

Your case is just not resonating with them, by more than one case manager at more than one level. In actuality, they are quite reasonable (excepting the occasional fluky employee), if approached logically. Your whole Viagra/'sex drug' hangup comes across a bit illogical.

The point is - take more personal responsibility over your place next time, which will either eliminate or lessen such hassles in the future. Also look at issues pragmatically, a sheet plus a electric kettle (they are cheap, but power hogs and oftentime will trip breakers) surely wasn't worth this whole exercise; many experienced hosts would have moved on long ago, but made adjustments accordingly.

[Amy-And-Gin0]

@Fred13

I would agree and accept responsibility for not handling the guest better. As my original post noted, the issue became a big deal when I was passed around and assigned an untrained Case Manager who does not speak English to close the case in minutes.  This is the reason I'm upset, how can a professional company like Airbnb employ such people and give them such power that their decision is final. I want to flag this so they better train their staff.

[Amy-And-Gin0]

@Fred13

This is not about money. The claim amount is small. Ultimately the quality of Airbnb's Customer Service and Case Managers affects all hosts.  This is about fairness and professionalism 

[Fred13]

I do give you that one no doubt, the fellow that came across so incoherently, perhaps made everyone else suspect. Awefull opening salvo by Airbnb.

Glad to hear you will never make that mistake again with an abusive guest. Some guests can be so unfair.

I can appreciate the moral stand on the issue, versus simple pragmaticism, I also tend to lean instinctively the same way. I guess sometimes we must accept we can't win against City Hall, but hopefully learn how to go right around them next time, or not count on them. I too have lost some battles with windmills (Don Quixote reference), but won a few also.

[Mary996]

@Fred0

I am glad that we can stand together to seek improvements from Airbnb. It is essential. The quality of staff is very disappointing. I also want to know how to escalate matters ... and don't accept that people  be compared to Windmills. The CEO is ultimately responsible and I do believe we need to keep up the pressure and feedback to improve this organisation which we know and love. Actually its happening ... so please don't be a dissenting voice. We pay a levy for this service so infact WE have a role as contractors and need to see ourselves as employers who accept nothing but the best standards. The way Amy has been treated when she was so distressed is appalling. You make great points about how she could take more responsibility and I hope that she will.....otherwise she reflects an image of Airbnb offering unattended properties where people can do what they like. NOT good for the rest of us.

[Edwin57]

All I can said is WOW!

[Amy-And-Gin0]

@Fred13
I'm being Quixotic here. Yes that fellow made everything worse and could not give me a coherent answer as to why my claim was denied. It was for actual damages, and I feel he lacked the skills to process the information. Yes the whole extra guests and sex drug stuff is extra info. If it were my company, I would cringe if any of my staff wrote such incoherent messages and would want to know about this and how this fellow got hired. Anyway I hope they use my case to improve hiring and training standards. I've done my bit 🙂

[Fred13]

Yes you have, really. Trust me, that fellow will not get the 'Employee of the Year' award nor get a Christmas bonus. His following communiques probably got the help of an editor or he finally finished his first morning coffee by then. LoL

Good luck lady, and never neglect a sense of humor, it will always be needed to handle this world.

[Mary996]

Absolutely Amy and Gin. Thank you for pitching in...!!

I am appalled that not even a bit of sympathy could be roused form the group of dopes who dealt with you. I am ashamed. Perhaps a policy of having women reply to sensitive cases might improve things if male staff cannot get their heads around all the issues that you raised.

[Mary996]

It is our company...! I'm not putting up with it. Thank you for sharing. I've seen another case where the author had a lot of support and airbnb responded and are promising adjustments. Lets build on this. I am so glad that you shared and I'm sorry that you haven't had too much unambivalent support here... I sought out your piece as it is referenced under 'Caseworkers' and I am very concerned about their quality and competance. However I love this organisation and the principles from which it started which I see going on for ever. I want to be party to improvement and like you to speak out. I hope we can push the Organisation to improve and I join you in speaking out. I'm going to start a thread with this purpose. I need to think of a title. HOW TO IMPROVE THE AGENCY OF AIRBNB perhaps? Hope to see you all there ??? xxxxxxxxxxxxxx