Should ABB do more to incentivize hosts?

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Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

Should ABB do more to incentivize hosts?

I had this discussion with a friend who is considering hosting.

 

She asked "what do you get?" meaning what does ABB do to incentivise hosts to  begin/keep on. And I couldn't think of much. A $100 gift certificate for super hosts once a year? Maybe a photo shoot (that seems to be off and on?) Obviously we get paid to host, but more and more I debate whether it is worthwhile. 

 

Do you think ABB should do more to reward or incentivise hosts? 

 

If so, what would be worthwhile to you?

1 Best Answer
Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

Personally,  would like to see more emphasis put in a few things, in the future.

 

1. More education of hosts as to the do's and don'ts of hosting. It is a business, which requires a certain finesse and wisdom than just being a consumer or an employee. Most people do not have experience  how to run a business. Maybe this forum could help in that department - 'The Dos and Dont's of Hosting'.

 

2. Conversely, sooner or later Airbnb should graduate from the 'everyone is beautiful lovefest'  mentality and accept the fact some guests are nothing short of mean-spirited scoundrels and should be treated as such once it becomes obvious. Society is general as we speak is 'discovering' the phenomena that - the more you cuddle the more aggressive, the meaner this lot will become without mercy.

 

3. If I was Airbnb I would slowly divorced myself from giving the impression they are offering any type of 'guarantee' as to damages for this is predicting human behavior of people they also have never met, which is similar to predicting future weather. The real reason why this is so important is because Airbnb charges only a 3% booking host fee and that is the main reason why it has been so successful with the best of offerings (which leads to where people go), and that will no longer be the case if administrative costs go up, as is the case with other listing agencies. 

 

Speaking of administrative costs, then there is the CS Department: This should be looked anew but backwards; reduce the reasons for it by education of hosts (See #1 above), holding certifiable-crazy guests immediately responsible (see #2) and lastly eliminate the whole claim department over-damages quagmire (see #3). Perhaps how all this could be accomplished is by having available a place were any and all questions are covered by guides available in the Airbnb web page and/or in this forum where guests can find answers to most questions immediately. Those too lazy to read have always been impossible to accommodate anyway, so let them waste their time calling a useless 'customer service department'.

 

(Note: I have never talked to a single guest on the phone in 7 years (700+ bookings) because it is usually a  monstrous waste of time and effort. I rather meet them in person when they finally arrive. Given that chance I will have them happily laughing and wrongly thinking I am a great guy in a few nano-seconds. 🙂

 

Note #2: Elaine701 is a very smart host! 

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51 Replies 51
Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

This is great topic @Laura2592 , I've got my notepad and pen ready to hear everyones thoughts!

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Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

@Laura2592 I think the ‘keeping on’ is the key. Much is revealed for instance in your statement “but more and more I debate whether it is worthwhile.”

 

Seems pretty easy to get new hosts in the door. Once they’re in and the reality sets in, starry-eyed new hosts inevitably become battle weary and scarred. It’s not a coupon or a thank you gift that is needed to see hosts through. It’s the supports and changes that hosts have been asking for for ages. 

@Colleen253 I agree so very wholeheartedly. "Superhost" is the brass ring, but there is no reward for having a track record of positive experiences with 50, 100, 150, 200, 1000 stays. There should definitely be some kind of longevity incentive that is truly worthwhile. You get to a point of diminishing returns when you have a several poor experiences with stays in a row and ABB basically tells you to pound sand but keep producing.

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Colleen253 I'm interested in the way you're thinking - it's a well known sales mantra, "It's better to retain a customer than acquire a new one." As you've got a few years under your belt now @Colleen253, what are the top things that have stuck out as real issues? I've seen you comment around the CC on different issues before so apologies for potential repetition. 

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@Stephanie Repetition, that's actually a big part of the problem. Anything I could say has been repeated ad nauseam already by hosts for years. The host voice has been dismissed.

 

There are many ways Airbnb could boost host morale, and loyalty. For starters, by not immediately suspending a listing on the complaint of a new to the platform unreviewed guest. Why is the host (often a proven superhost with a long track record of stellar reviews), immediately found guilty, without even being asked one question, and their business ground to a halt? Why suspend a host for security cameras when they've followed the rules by properly disclosing them? How about not permitting ratings to accompany the review when there is a dispute? The ratings become a weapon in the hands of vindictive guests. How about actual  improvements in customer service, instead of more 'empathy'? Hosts don't need stroked and complimented when they call in for help. That's not an improvement. We need reps who are trained to know policy, listen, and provide real assistance and resolution. Maybe give us a real security deposit, not the sham that exists now. Guests shouldn't simply be allowed to refuse a damage claim.
Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Laura2592,

IMO, Airbnb could could bolster host trust and loyalty, and keep good hosts by fairly and consistently honoring and abiding by their terms and conditions, cancellation and refund policies.  Also, exhibit that they are using sound judgment when applying or reviewing actions they've taken that negatively impact a host.  There isn't anything more disheartening to have your listing taken down or a refund issued without any consultation or review of the listing details to confirm if a complaint or report is legitimate.  

Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

@Debra300 

 

I'm with you. 

 

100 bucks is meaningless to me. Prove to me that you're a trusted partner. I won't charge you anything for that. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Stephanie  Fair, responsive and competent customer service would be the biggest incentive and reward. 

 

At this point, the way Airbnb treats hosts, when anyone talks to me about considering becoming an Airbnb host, I tell them to forget it. I could not, in good conscience, advise someone to become a new host. 

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Sarah977 Customer support is an issue we collectively hear a lot about not just on CC so the message is being heard. Sorry to hear you wouldn't recommend Airbnb anymore, have you had a bad experience with the platform yourself or is it what you learn from your fellow Hosts that's putting you off?

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Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

@Stephanie 

 

I know your question is for @Sarah977 , and she can answer with her own views, but I'd like to chime in on this one. 

 

I would recommend Airbnb only with very cautionary advice. 

 

Airbnb virtually owns the STR market, and so it would be arguably irresponsible to avoid listing on that platform. 

 

But Airbnb carries a number of risks which can be mitigated by firstly, being conscious that any large scale enterprise like Airbnb has an obligation to it's investors to focus on maintaining or improving market leadership, and of course, profit from it. 

 

If you look at how that business operates, it may well be the hosts that facilitate it, but it's the guests who are the customers. Therefore, it's in the vested interest of the corporation to focus on maintaining or expanding the customer base. And that explains why the favouritism will always be with the guest. 

 

So hosts need to enter in this with their eyes wide open. You may be doing the bulk of the work, but you'll always take a back seat to the customer. Regardless of whatever flowery rhetoric or illusionary "guarantees" the platform offers in an effort to keep you on board. 

 

Naturally, most platforms provide shoddy host support. Airbnb is no different. But one difference with Airbnb is that unlike others who may simply ignore hosts, or simply deliver no practical relief, Airbnb intervenes in ways that at a minimum, can be frustrating, but at a maximum, downright devastating to a host, especially those who've become dependent on Airbnb, as Airbnb encourages by being the world's largest and most productive, but also by the illusionary sense of security it so blatantly promotes to hosts. 

 

So, my recommendation to would-be hosts is that if you offer a decent accommodation, reasonably priced, on Airbnb you can expect to be booked as much as could ever be expected. But the burden of protecting yourself from damaging and dubious guests falls almost entirely on the host. Yes, you should list on Airbnb and other platforms, but don't expect Airbnb (or any other platform) to be on your side, despite any flowery rhetoric. It's not the nature of this business. 

 

Personally, as long as Airbnb is such a huge player, I believe they'd be better off dispensing with the illusions such as "air cover" and "security deposit". And stop with the mindless "interventions". Scale back your host support and simply tell hosts the truth: you're on your own. 

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

No, no, @Elaine701 , please always feel free to share your perspective. I always appreciate your straightforward honesty here on the CC. Thanks for sharing.

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@Elaine701    'And stop with the mindless "interventions". Scale back your host support and simply tell hosts the truth: you're on your own'. 

 

I have to agree with you. If the last two years have taught us anything, the rug can be pulled out from under us at any time - without warning and without any reason given. One's cancellation policy can turn out to be meaningless.  One's house rules can be ignored with impunity.  Decisions can be made totally without host input.

 

One can only try and protect oneself the best one can. For me, that means not putting all my eggs in one basket.  It's too high risk.

Actually I would have to argue for sure that Airbnbs competition offers exactly the same pros in the majority of markets. Without the same cons. Maybe @Elaine701 is in a super rural market where Airbnb excels but I would absolutely argue that Airbnb is on an even playing field at best with its competition in the USA …and I know for a fact it’s fighting hard against competition in  many non-US areas 

Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

@Mary419 

 

Yes, well, comparatively, I suppose you could say we're a somewhat modest market over here in Europe. Population of just under 400 million and a GDP of $19T. 

 

Our little patch is indeed quite small, being an island in the med, I suppose it could be said to be "rural", receiving only about 10 million visitors per year, and average over 3 million night-rooms booked annually. We only have around 1000 Airbnb listings in Mallorca. 

 

So, no, not quite the size of the US. 

 

Having said that, Airbnb is the dominant player in STRs in Europe, by a long shot. VRBO is an unfamiliar name, but as it is part of the Expedia group who acquired many of the smaller regional platforms, it has some reach into this market, though limited. VRBO is considered to be a North American brand with notable reach into that market. It's rather unheard of on this side of the pond. 

 

We're listed on VRBO, but almost never receive any bookings. And yes, in my experience, their host support is unremarkable. I have never received any response to any support ticket I've ever opened on VRBO. But as you suggest, that's actually less risky, because VRBO doesn't actively "intervene" like a bull in a china shop.

 

So, yes, much the same, without the risks. Or the bookings, in our case.