Star-gazing

[Cor3]

Hi Community,

A couple of weeks ago, I witnessed a very ‘odd thing’ with regards to reviews and the ratings.

As I met an acquaintance of mine, and we were having a chat about Airbnb.

She told me, that she was an infrequent user of Airbnb (like once a year, to fill in the summer holidays – as a guest). And last year she had been a guest, while staying at another property in ‘our’ town (this was actually the reason for starting the conversation). For this year’s summer, she already booked another property in the same area.

The main motivator for her using Airbnb, is obviously price (what else is new).

So we came to discuss our property. And as she was interested, she immediately looked up our property on her phone, via the App (on basis of my directions).

While she was busy, I was watching her a little – as in a little behavioral study experiment 🙂

So, when she found our listing. The first thing she did was scrolling through a couple of photos. And then moving on to the reviews. On top of the reviews there are the 7 averages of our total star-score. She stopped for a moment to let these sink in (this surprised me actually a little, as she gave these that much attention). And then she went on to glance through a couple of reviews.

Nothing wrong with this of course. As I suppose this is exactly what most potential guests will do (before reading the actual listing text itself).

But then, and to my complete and shocking surprise. She could see next to the profile picture of each former reviewing guest. The actual star-rating each guest gave me in the category: Overall experience!

I would never ever have thought, that this was even possible!

Personally I keep a very close eye on our reviews and associated ratings. And in dealing with reviews, as they come in. My strategy is: Always reply to every review. Whether it is excellent, or less excellent.

As sometimes, when I look at other listings. I notice some hosts only reply publicly to the lesser reviews. Which – according to my opinion – acts like a huge signpost. I.e.: Before you go any further, you have to read this first!

Normally-spoken , I rest a little assured, knowing that your average score is always rounded to the closest half star. I.e. Score in any category of 4.75 stars, will show as 5 stars. And a score of 4.749 stars, will show as 4.5 stars. And whenever you have gathered sufficient reviews. The mathematical law of large numbers start to kick in.

But now with certain people being able to see individual guest ratings, I'm not that relaxed anymore!

We all most likely know, that you just cannot please everyone, all of the time. As what some consider to be a big plus, will be considered by others as a minus.

And we all know what the destructive effect can be, of that single “cannot be pleased, no matter what you do” horror-guest, heading your way – sooner or later.

Obviously, once you have gathered 3 reviews – or more. The average of the associated individual star-ratings do become visible in your listing (Overall experience and the other 6 categories).

When I look up my listing (or any listing that is). I can only see the 7 star-averages on top of the complete list of reviews. I’ve never been a guest myself (I know: On my bucket-list). So maybe this has got something to do with the difference in system behavior.

Most guests are likely not really interested in tons of very good reviews. But they might be more interested in reading those few reviews, that were less good. As these might be considered to be more factual or even the truth. At least, I would like to be aware as soon as possible. Without having to read dozens of pages with reviews. Of course while reading a lesser review, usually it is pretty easy to pick-out either a revenge-review or a review left by a guest, whom cannot be pleased, no matter what.

I’m really wondering, whether anyone out here, has either witnessed the same or has an explanation for this particular system behavior. As I would really like to understand the cause of this. And what the effect of this could be.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your reply!

[Cor3]

Hi @Donna240,

Well, you indeed don’t get to hear that much more, these days.

A couple of nights ago, I told my wife: I will be having a couple of friends over. In order for them to fiddle on their phones all evening long 🙂

[Donna240]

@Cor3 Keeping your sense of humor will go a long way in making you a great host. Just remember, everyone eventually leaves! Oh, and collect phones of your friends at the door. If they ask, tell them it's a social experiment.

May I ask about the reason Langerak draws tourists?  I'm unfamiliar with the name of your city and am looking to expand my knowledge of your country. So far I have only seen Amsterdam and Delft.

[Cor3]

Hi @Donna240,

As you may know, Holland (Officially: The Netherlands) is a very small country with over 17 million always complaining inhabitants (as you yourself experienced already, when I see your reviews 😞 )

As far as Airbnb goes: Beware of the Dutch guests! Whenever I come across an Airbnb with a lower rating. Then in 50% of the cases, you can almost count on it. They have been visited by a Dutch complaining guest 😞

And Langerak (Which is the village, I live in. About a thousand inhabitants or so) is a very tiny village in the green heart of the small Netherlands (When you drive through it. You better slow down, in order not to miss it). But there are actually 2 Airbnb’s in our village (1 of them even being a Superhost. And both of them have more reviews, then I do)! So 1 way or the other, it does attract guests (most likely to enjoy the cows and the frogs).

I’m a so-called “remote host”, and our accommodation is located in Albufeira (Algarve, Portugal). Which attracts tenths/hundreds of thousands of tourists every year (So, that’s a different story 🙂 )

Oh, and as far as my friends go: I’m over 6 feet tall. But my friends are actually bigger. So taking away their mobiles, might not be the smartest move to make 🙂

[Donna240]

@Cor3 Did I get a bad review?  Did I give a bad review? I actually refrained from reviewing my worst guest, although I admit to having mentioned him here...everyone needs the opportunity to vent. He'll never see it as he came from a different website. 🙂 

Agritourism is getting so popular, that I'm glad to hear neighbors of yours are benefitting from it. BTW Dutch cheese is so fantastic. I found a truffle cheese in Amsterdam better than any truffle cheese made in either Italy or France. My local store regularly imports basil flavored Dutch cheese too. Everyone I introduce it to loves it. 

Algarve? Lucky you owing a home  or condo in the Algarve!!! I hope you can pay off the mortgage with your rental fees! That could easily happen.

[Cor3]

Hi @Donna240,

It was not a bad review, but I noticed that a Dutch guest left you a somewhat lesser comment (but maybe I misinterpreted).

[Donna240]

@Cor3 A Canadian guest said I should have a reading lamp in the bedroom, even though I showed him the light over the sofa with a footstool that I specifically designed for reading. But all my reviews show 5 stars....so far. My only Dutch guest gave me a glowing review, but my 2nd Dutch guests arrive in September, so I'll be sure to cater to their every whim!!!

[Letti0]

@Donna240  I have attended events where they collect your phone at the entrance. They are called “unplugged parties”. 

[Donna240]

As long as they're not "unglued" parties, that should work. I often wonder how long it takes a cell phone user to get figity without their phone. <]:O)

[Fred13]

Aye @Donna240 ,who I am going to stay with is with that host, not the departing guest who I do not know from Adam. The killer to me is when a guest expresses themselves well and with credibility, and the host response is foolish and angry. Torture to witness.

[Douglas109]

I've seen this before as well but i'm not seeing it now, on computer or mobile, on any listing including yours.

Different features and settings are tested at different times on different devices and markets. I assume there is a data analysis explanation behind why it was visible on your friends' phone but no one else is seeing it.

[Cor3]

Hi @Douglas109,

It must indeed be something like what you are saying.

Quite some time ago, there used to be the possibility to reveal the ‘worst’ reviews in any listing, by pressing a particular button within that listing.

This functionality was not around for a long time. And Airbnb did remove it again. As a lot of hosts were complaining about it (I suppose this button must have been bad for business). So maybe they are trying out something new, but similar. By showing the overall guest experience rating - per review. Rather than the all-time average(s).

[Cor3]

Hi All,

Finally I met my acquaintance again, and after the usual welcome-kisses and chit-chat, etc. I asked her to look again at this little experiment of mine.

In the meantime: She’s been on her summer holiday at another Airbnb – in the neighborhood, done her review and everything.

Conclusion: She seems to be a regular human being/Airbnb user again and has lost her magical star-gazing powers. Whatever we looked at, she could not see any individual star-scores anymore. Not on any randomly selected property, not on mine, or the property where she previously stayed at.

This really worries me somewhat. We all know, how important reviews are to our little businesses.

So when guests have more insight on how other previous guests did rate you (due to elevated insight). They are more likely to rate accordingly (After all, we humans tend to show herd-alike behavior).

That’s why it is so difficult, to get rid of a lower rating!

When a guests sees a current 4.5 star rating on any topic. They will usually take this into account too!

I.e.: When a number of guests experience an issue (on let’s say: Location). But the rating shows as 5 stars. Some will ask themselves: Are we the only ones who are experiencing some difficulties with this? We’ve had a good time, and we don’t want to nag about some small inconvenience.

But when it shows as 4.5, then it will be much easier for them to mark it down too: We can give it a 4, as someone else will give it a 5!

The same applies to us (Location, what else is new! Since our property is located on a hill. And therefore being the reason for a very good view – and everything else).

We score just a bit under 4.75 on location, and it will therefore show as a 4.5 stars.

So you can imagine, that quite a number of guests will tend to think it is okay to leave a lower valuation on location (as they simply seem to be not the only ones).

I’ve tried to fight this, with all sorts of tips, etc.

But it does not seem to help a lot.

Conclusion: I don’t like the idea of guests with a confirmed booking to have some sort of elevated powers 😞

Especially knowing that these are the guests that may leave a review in the end!

It’s called: Self-fulfilling prophecy.

[Elizabeth164]

Dear Poster: I've noticed someone could give me 5 stars for all particulars, but I'll only get a 4 star review, which is totally bizarre, and seems to me unethical, in terms of how Airbnb lets their hosts know what is going on. 

Cripes, if I get 5 stars for all the particulars, then I should logically get a 5 star review. 

Not the case, apparently. So something is wrong with their review process.

In fact, I've had reviews where I'll get 2 "four" stars, but still get a 5 star review. 

So, there's absolutely nothing objective or logical about this, but it does affect my review rating, and it frankly isn't fair or reasonable.

I've decided to take a room entirely out of the picture.... because this process is so entirely unreasonable , illogical.... it simply makes no sense. How is a host to even understand where to correct or upgrade or whatever? There's simply no way to address whatever issue isn't working with guests, because the process is faulty. 

[Cor3]

Hi @Elizabeth164,

Your comment is a bit off-topic, but nevertheless.

And what you describe, happens (so once and a while) to the most of us.

I.e.: 5 Stars in every Sub-Category and a 4-Star on overall experience.

Or the other way around: A few 4 Stars in some Sub-Categories and a 5-Star on overall experience.

All guests are trying to tell you: It was good, but it just wasn’t a full 100% experience.

In case you really don’t know, why they dinged you a little. My advice would be: Just simply ask them (kindly), after they have left you a review. That’s what I’ve done a couple of times in the past.

Simple examples could be: They found the mattresses to be too hard. Or although you properly described the sizes of the beds. They still found them a little bit too small.

Simple things like that.

With regards to the importance of the review (rating) system:

1. Overall experience
2. Sub-Categories (Of which: Check-In, Cleanliness and Location are the most important ones)
3. Compliments (Of which: Sparkling Clean is the most important one)

When I mention: Most Important. It’s because these will be used to automatically populate the so-called Home-Highlights.

A few small additional comments:

• In Plus-listings, the average Star-Rating on the Sub-Categories is not displayed.
• Beware of your own blind spots.
• Listen to what your guests have to say. And when a particular topic is mentioned repetitively by a few of your guests. Try to work on these.
• Some things are beyond your control. But you can influence guests!
  For instance: Our property is at the top of a pretty steep hill. So, we were regularly being dinged on location (Although the view is really good, because of that hill).
  As with many others here. Location (still) is our worst scoring rating.
  Obviously, I cannot take our property off the hill.
  Therefore, we are already (for a longer period of time), urging our guests to use UBER. When they want to return to the apartment. And gradually we have seen our location rating, to go up!
  We are also trying to attract guests, whom want to be close, but not too close (because of the late evening noise from the city center).

I know, it can be very annoying at times. To get dinged over something, although most hosts are really trying to deliver the best to their guests.

Star-rating basically is gamification. Used by Airbnb for 1 reason only: Deliver the highest value at the lowest price (over the backs of the hosts and not costing them a single dime).

Success!