Reviews Required To Not Lose Superhost - Rude To Ask Guests For Reviews

[Alan138]

I am starting this discussion in hopes that AirBNB management will see it and modify their Superhost qualification requirements because SO MANY of us have replied to this discusion all in agreement that they should change the requirement. SO Please reply and comment if you agree this should be changed.

I am a Superhost and quickly on my way to losing my Superhost status even though my superhost level of service has not changed one bit.

I have learned that you must maintain a certain percentage of reviews to keep your superhost status. In other words, if enough of my guests do not decide to leave a review I will end up losing my superhost status.

First, in my opinion, asking your guests to leave a reviews is EXACTLY like a waitor at a restruant asking you to leave a tip. It is just simply rude no matter how you slice and dice it.

Second, I now have 4 regular guests who come stay every week and/or 1-2 times per month. It is ridiculous for teh same one person to have to write a review 4 times a month, every month, month after month, for me to not lose my Superhost rating. To ask them to do so so I do not lose my superhost status goes beyond being rude but becomes abusive to my guest. Additionally, 4 reduntant reviews from the same guest every month, 24 of the saem reviews from the same guest in 6 months, my review panel will certainly start to look suspicious like they are made up reviews.

Third, it is well know in life that happy customers are less likely to leave a review while pissed off customers always leave a review and that is true no matter what product or service cosumers buy out there. Also many people are just people that do not spend their time to write reviews.

Requiring a superhost to make sure all of their guests write reviews to keep their superhost status is an incorrect system design that does NOT serve the guests whatsoever. Having to secure enough reviews to firts earn your superhost status is fine but once you are a superhost, percentage of guests writing reviews shoudl no longer be required.

So what do you think? Please tell AirBNB to change their system or you yourself will eventually be a superhost that no longer has a superhost rating just like me.

[Sarah977]

@Letti0   My take on why that 50% review rate is there, is that it has nothing to do with Airbnb considering that means we're doing a good job. I think the reason they use that is so listings have enough reviews that guests will go, "Oh, this one got lots of great reviews, let's book it", rather than "There aren't enough reviews on Airbnb listings to make an informed decision. Let's check out another booking site". In other words, it's about more bookings, more service fees for the company, nothing to do with our hosting abilities.

[Crystal144]

This is an excellent point. I’m new to hosting so am nowhere near Superhost yet, but I’m seeing all these forum discussions and wondering how anyone manages to become a Superhost at all? I wonder if Airbnb read these

[Sandra126]

@Crystal144, the forum has moderators who do read it and have been known to occasionally forward issues in broader sweeps. I think, at least, from what I have seen. We have seen change because of it. Wouldn't be surprised if other staff dip a toe in here as well. I certainly would if it was my company! Like listening in to staffroom gossip.

[Letti0]

@Sandra126  There was a reply to a thread in the last week from an AirBnB support person which really shocked me. It was something about they were aware of the issue and working on fixing the problem. It was the first Support person response I have ever seen. 

@Lizzie and @Quincy are really good about passing our issues on to AirBnB. Both of which are moderators on this forum and do a really good job when the issue is serious I will add. 

[Robin4]

@Crystal

You will make Superhost soon, you have a nicely presented listing, although I would probably dump a few of the promo shots, they are blurry and don't reflect well on your listing....makes it look like it could be a party area, receptions, functions and all! Make mention of it but only briefly.

I was probably down your street a month or so ago, and you are in a fantastic area! I have a daughter and a couple of grandkids in Chittaway Bay and when we come over we stay in Bateau Bay in Rebecca's Airbnb, the Bateau Chateau and we do come over your way while daughter is looking for a house! 

I like your area Crystal, keep doing what you are doing, you will soon throw off that 2017 experience and get Superhost, just be patient!

Cheers.....Rob

[Alan138]

having designed software systems for over 45 years the correct solution seems simple to me.

1) Percentage of people leaving a review is required to earn Superhost status.

2) Once superhost status is earned, percentage of reviews left is not a factor to keep superhost

3) If you lose superhost becuase of low star ratings or too many cancellations, etc. percentage of reviews left kicks back in as a requirement again to eanr back superhost.

That is of course if AirBNB believes percetage of reviews left is important to earn a superhost ranking.

[Crystal144]

But should it be percentage of reviews, or star rating tho?

[Alan138]

1) Percentage of reviews and star rating should remain a requirement to earn super host status.

2) Percentage of reviews should not be required to keep super host status once you earn it.

[Fred13]

Good ideas @Alan138. I get the impression what Airbnb was focusing on was to obtain more data from guests (via the host pushing for reviews) and in its pursuit went a little too wild.

[Alan138]

Yes on the pushing for reviews point. AirBNB #1 goal as a company is to complete as many bookings as possible. That serves both us and AirBNB. If a guest is veiwing a listing and does not see any or only a few reviews they are less likely to complete a booking.  That also why there is no setting to turn off the leave a review notification emails.

An additional software change to improve the system would be:

1) If a guest has stayed at the same property within the last 60 days 

AND

2) Has left a review in the last 60 days = Do not send the leave a review notification emails.

This fixes the problem of the guest that stays 3 nights every week for months on end at the same property they do not get abused with endless leave a review emails. 

[Fiona58]

So you think it's OK to FORCE guests to write a review whether they want to or not?  I cannot see myself ever making people leave a review.  If it's data Airbnb are after, then they should hustle for the review - not the host!

[Fiona58]

ah - saw another of your posts, Alan and it seems you are NOT in favour of forcing reviews... Cool!

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

Nothing wrong with asking, its part of the process. its not the same as asking for free money like tipping a waiter. Ask guest to copy and paste same review. And say its an ABB policy and would love their cooperation. it doesn't matter if its exactly the same. 

This is a good problem to have

[Alan138]

@Andreas-and-Anna0 Thanks for joining the discussion!

Yes we can all ask and yes most guests are not offended if we do .. Point is the system is an incorrect design and most hosts agree .. (and my repeat guests who I have now explained I will  lose my super host status, they also think it is stupid)

Reviews should always be optional and never a requirement for guests nor hosts.  Whats more, when guests find out that hosts have to ask for reviews to not risk losing their super host status and that some guest are only leaving reviews because they are asked to do it ... Some guests will then start to believe the reviews are tainted and not always a review a guest really wanted to write.

It is simply an incorrect system design and AirBNB needs to revise it.

[Ava30]

I had one group that were repeat guests, they were in town doing a remodel. Their boss booked for them. (Allowable 3rd party business booking) However, their boss was also an Airbnb host and understood the power of the reviews. After the 1st review, our of 3, she just rated everything 5 stars and commented only "We are returning guests as we were satisfied with first stay, all recommendation." on one and "Great host" on the other. I think if you have repeat guests you have most likely built some kind of good repoir with them and they would understand.