LOSING YOUR SUPERHOST STATUS DUE TO GUEST NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH ON RESERVATION REQUEST!

Answered!
Sean409
Level 5
Jupiter, FL

LOSING YOUR SUPERHOST STATUS DUE TO GUEST NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH ON RESERVATION REQUEST!

URGENT TO ALL HOSTS!

I'm new to this community platform, but wanted to get this news out to all Hosts and Superhosts with properties on Airbnb.

 

Today, I was going through the listing statistics on the Airbnb dashboard for both of my vacation homes. I noticed that on both of my properties there were "things to work on" with an explanation point next to it. So, my curiosity made me click on the link and read about what Airbnb was requesting that I work on. After going down the list, it seemed that the only remarks that Airbnb had a remark about was the field that states this; "Accepted reservations _ Make guests feel welcome by accepting requests whenever you’re available". I'll start by saying that I do not allow Instant Booking for my properties.

 

I do require that each guest first be accepted by myself or my wife. We may have questions for the potential guests, so we don't like the Instant Booking. The problem is the common public doesn't just know how to ask a question on the Airbnb travel platform that they've been provided. Rather than just inquiring about the patio furniture, size of TV, cookware, garage size, etc ... They have a habit of actually making a full request for a reservation with specific dates. The potential guest then uses the reservation request to ask me a question. That's a problem for ALL Hosts and especially Superhosts.

 

The reason for this being a problem is simple.

In the event that the answer you've provided to the potential guest's question is not what they were hoping for, then you won't be booking them. Therefore, the days they've requested (but won't be booking) are held up for 24 hours. The dates are not able to be requested by any other potential guests for that property for 24 hours. ALSO, (this is the big issue), due to the fact that you won't be booking this mere inquiry, Airbnb considers this a denial by the Host. Making your percentage of "Accepted" reservation go down. You as a Host have done nothing wrong.

 

However, as your percentage decreases, so does your placement of your property on the Airbnb site. ALSO, you have the possibility of losing your Superhost status. I spoke to Airbnb and went up the chain of management. They admitted that this is an issue for any Host, and especially a Superhost. Their only solution was to have the Host ask the inquiring guest to cancel their own reservation request, prior to the 24 hour window provided. As we all know, most Airbnb travelers are rookies on their vacation site shopping. We love all our guests, but most are not tech savvy at all. That's why they made this mistake to begin with.

 

I don't see asking the inquiring guest to cancel their own reservation request as a logical remedy to the problem. It's a software issue that Airbnb isn't willing to work on unless we as Hosts make such a demand as a community. One of my properties is really new. Less thna 2 months on the Airbnb site. It's near a baseball spring training stadium. I've had lots of "inquiries". Some have been inquiries like I just spoke about. Not accepting such a reservation request, because it was ONLY an inquiry, has caused my "Acceptance" percentage on this new property to go below 60%. I've been told that my Superhost status, stated on both properties, is now at risk. This is a huge issue for all Superhosts. Let's band together and get Airbnb to correct this software statistic glitch that only Airbnb can solve!

 

Best Regards,

~ Sean

 
1 Best Answer
Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Sean409 @Sandra126 @Huma0 @Christine615 @Sarah977

 

Yes, Airbnb's platform is clunky here, but a reasonable work-around is simply to accept all such bogus inquiries/requests, with a message that the acceptance is conditional on blah blah blah. For example, "Can you accommodate 10 people?"  "No. I'm accepting your request for an 8-person reservation with the proviso that you will bring only 8 people. If this doesn't meet your needs you can cancel penalty-free within 48 hours."  "Would you like to hire me for photography?"  "No. I'm pre-approving your inquiry for dates XYZ because Airbnb penalizes hosts who decline inquiries."  It's dumb but it works. This drops the onus back on the guest and prevents any impact your stats.

View Best Answer in original post

72 Replies 72
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Sandra126

 

Yes, that is a problem, but I'm guessing that would still be the case even if Airbnb hadn't imposed the 88% minimum?

 

If a host is declining more than 50% of requests, I can see how that could be a concern and should maybe be looked into. You have a very specific reason why that happened with your room, but have found another solution.

 

However, 88% is too high and I don't think hosts should be penalised just for declining a few requests here and there given the number of unsuitable requests one receives on a regular basis. They are happy enough to cancel instant bookings because they want use it as a carrot to get more hosts to use IB, but then they use a stick to try to force us to accept every request booking.

 

Airbnb could easily make this more straightfoward by educating guests a bit better, e.g. having some sort of pop up message before the guest hits send on the request, sort of like @Sarah977 suggests, but how about the host can choose three things the guest has to agree to before sending, e.g. maximum number of guests, no children, check in window etc. It's all very well and good have a 'Guests Must Also Acknowledge' section but that's so hidden on the listing that I think few guests ever read it. These things need to be more in the guest's face so that they see what isn't negotiable.

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

 Agree, too harsh and not good for guests who feel manipulated by hosts who accept when we should decline (because we are maipulating them, because WE, in turn, are).

 

It is the whole enquiry/request problem, guests don't get it, we carry the end problem of declines.

I have suggested they add a "I have a question before I ask to book" toggle button, which would allow for leisurly back and forth before the booking is confirmed. They don't seem to care and have never replied...Maybe we should rate Airbnb?

Mark-TP0
Level 2
Ramsgate, United Kingdom

Huma, 

 

As the BBC would say "other hosting sites are available".

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Sean409 @Sandra126 @Huma0 @Christine615 @Sarah977

 

Yes, Airbnb's platform is clunky here, but a reasonable work-around is simply to accept all such bogus inquiries/requests, with a message that the acceptance is conditional on blah blah blah. For example, "Can you accommodate 10 people?"  "No. I'm accepting your request for an 8-person reservation with the proviso that you will bring only 8 people. If this doesn't meet your needs you can cancel penalty-free within 48 hours."  "Would you like to hire me for photography?"  "No. I'm pre-approving your inquiry for dates XYZ because Airbnb penalizes hosts who decline inquiries."  It's dumb but it works. This drops the onus back on the guest and prevents any impact your stats.

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

Yes @Lisa723, that is what I do too (100% acceptance rate on main listing) and it works, apart from once just recently where the booker become extremely upset, was going to report me, blablabla. Was planning to bring a toddler. Have still to hear if anything comes of it, she really went off her nana. Despite starting her request with ''I know you don't allow...etc, but...''.

 

My 17% listing is an extra room which you can only rent if you already have booked the house, but I was constantly getting requests saying ''we really want it, could you pleasepleaseplease?''. Weeeelll, erm, NO. So I block the calendar permanently to prevent more requests which will lead to my imminent de-listing.

@Sandra126 another way to handle this would be to have two listings for your house, one with the extra room and one without, with linked calendars of course.

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

Wouldn't work. Would need more than two listings to cover variables. Main house: base is price for two, add max two singles at 30 ea. Garden room: QS bed, 85. Do you want two QS beds? A single? All of it? Tricky. It does work how it is now, with a blocked calendar and way down in search for the extra room. I just adjust the amount for any group bookings on the main house. Clunky, confusing, but works. On my wishlist is an option to have more than one price for extra guests.

 

 

Mark-TP0
Level 2
Ramsgate, United Kingdom

And you(and strangely so does ABB) miss out on that revenue which you shouldn't.  Why should there be a work-around for these people?>  The assumption is that Hosts only are the pain in the backside.  Algorithms eh?

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lisa723I'm glad that works for you, but I would be worried that it's a bit of a risky strategy with some guests. Several times, I have had guests who seemed determined to book, no matter how many times I told them, no you can't have a third person staying in the room, no I don't accept under 18s under any circumstances etc. etc.

 

They will continue to argue with you to try to get you to accept. Those kinds of people will be thrilled if you do, regardless of the privisos you have, and may very well not cancel, because they already decided before sending the request that they are not going to follow your rules.

@Huma0 yes it's not a good strategy for guests you're genuinely uncomfortable with who genuinely want to book. Fortunately for me I've rarely if ever encountered that. But it's a good strategy for people who really just have questions or don't really want to book at all.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lisa723

 

Ah, in that case, yes, I can see how it works. I rarely get guets sending a request if they don't really want to book or just want to ask questions. In fact, I can't ever remember having that happen.

 

On the other hand, I frequently have guests trying to book, or even instant booking, with kids when my listing clearly states that I don't accept children under any circumstances. Most of these guests will then do their best to convince me to bend the rules for them because their child is wonderful, so well behaved, very mature etc.

 

I even had one guest say that the 13-year-old was tall, so no one would notice she was a child!! She actually wanted to bring two kids with her to stay in my room which accommodates maximum two people. She trying to instant book even after I told her no several times. Luckily she couldn't. I guess she must have had a thumbs down or something.

 

I don't want to put power in the hands of such people!

@Huma0 so you think these people would bring a child even if you said no children? Different guest population I guess. I often have people ask for an exception to our no-pet policy-- I just pre-approve the inquiry with the stipulation that they can't bring their pet, and they have just let it expire. Nobody has actually booked then shown up with a pet. Similarly with extra people. Sometimes people inquire with questions about how far away something is, etc., and I just answer the question and pre-approve. Either they book or they don't. I don't think I've ever actually declined any inquiry or booking request.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lisa723

 

It seems a bit far fetched, but yes, some of these people seem pretty illogical to me!

 

The lady I mentioned above sent an enquiry because she said she had tried to instant book but couldn't and didn't understand why. I explained that it was probably because she was trying to book for one adult and one child and I don't accept children and that sorry I could not accommodate her.

 

She then changed the booking to two adults and tried to book again. She still couldn't, which is why I think she must have had a thumbs down. So, yes, she would have booked if she could have and still come with the child, even though I had said no. It actually transpired that she was planning to bring two kids. I explained again that I don't accept kids and that the listing says maximum two people. She just kept trying to convince me nontheless.

 

I have also had to cancel instant bookings a few times because I was uncomfortable with the booking. I always send the guests an explanation. However, some of them just go ahead and book again! I even had one who after I cancelled his booking twice, got his girlfriend to book instead, thinking I would not catch on. She then tried to convince me that it was a total coincidence that she had booked my room ten minutes after his booking was cancelled.

 

I would not want to stay where I am not welcome, but some people really can't take no for an answer!

If you have no children listed in your rules and they show up with one (or break any other house rules) you can cancel their booking, terminate their stay and they dont get refunded. Cover yourself in the rules section and I find Airbnb covers us. The guests agree to everything there when they complete the booking process so if its important to you.. put it there so you can keep full control of who comes into your home.