Unprofessional conduct by Airbnb Customer Support, Haggling for "better deals" on behalf of guests

Cindy62
Level 3
California, United States

Unprofessional conduct by Airbnb Customer Support, Haggling for "better deals" on behalf of guests

I received this bizarre note from Airbnb Customer Support today:

Hi, 


My name is _____, a customer experience specialist from Airbnb. I am sending this message since your guest, _________, wanted to know if there's any way to get a better deal for your listing.

What happened was their original reservation was, unfortunately, cancelled by their host due to an ongoing renovation in their property, and they only have a few days left to find a new place to stay.

They're very interested with your listing, but they're having doubts because of the price. I already asked them to send you a message, but they also asked me to send you one.

Looking forward to your response.

Best regards,

_________

It was already a confirmed reservation and the check-in date is more than 3 weeks away. Airbnb customer support has really dropped their standards recently. Haggling on behalf of guests. And also begging me to accept reservations which I already declined on behalf of guests that I don't want to host.

I thought hosts were supposed to have the power to set the price and accept and control which guests they want to host? Airbnb is definitely going out of bounds here. They need to stop harassing hosts with these sort of mind games because eventually, they're going to be liable for false advertising if they keep this up.

37 Replies 37
Jim472
Level 10
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Seriously? Wtf. In addition to ripping them a new one I'd tell them that the price is actually 150% more and Airbnb corporate should cover it. 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Cindy62 

you said: "It was already a confirmed reservation..."

and then you said: "...begging me to accept reservations which I already declined on behalf of guests that I don't want to host."

 

I don't understand..... this guest instant booked and then you canceled his reservation ....or.... this guest sent a booking request and you declined?

 

In any way, it seems to me this guest has a friend working for Airbnb and this friend contacted you and tried to haggling the price. I don't have other explanations. I've heard Airbnb reps sometimes contact hosts and trying to convince them to give a refund in case of cancelations under strict policies but I've never heard they are haggling for the accommodation price 🙂

Anyway, it is ridiculous:)

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the confusion, I was complaining about two separate incidents with Airbnb customer support.

 

The one from today where they were haggling (which by definition is asking for a better deal).

 

And another one from a week ago where they asked me to accept a reservation which I already declined.

Yes, the one from today is a confirmed reservation. Airbnb sent that message about the better deal about an hour after I accepted the reservation and it was confirmed (no payments pending). I do have a strict cancellation policy also.

strict cancellation policy, what a laugh! all the guests have to do is check in .. then check out !AIRBNB's policy over rides yours and they get a refund.. so unfair 

Guests don't  even need to do that. A year or two ago, we had a couple who booked three weeks in advance only to cancel the day before arrival. We received a call from a rep pressured us to do full refund because the guest wass "difficult to deal with".

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

 

It sounds like the guest's original host canceled due to renovations and ABB relocated them with @Cindy62 . And maybe Cindy's listing was more expensive so they're trying to see if Cindy will lower her rate to match the original place they booked.

 

Not that it makes it right, but that's probably why she received the message from the ABB rep.

 

We are independent contractors and they have no business telling us how to set our prices!

@Suzanne0- sounds like you're right. You'd think Airbnb could issue them a credit out of their gazillions of dollars as an apology for the inconvenience if they were so concerned rather than bother the host. 

 

Now as for asking after a message is decline - jeez. Do we need a "block button" for that too? I'm sure the host had valid reasons for decline and it seems unbelievable that they would then be contacted to attempt to change their mind. Good grief. 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

This company must be striving for A**hole of the year award.

Leplubo0
Level 8
Los Angeles, CA

@Cindy62  I am not surprised, things are getting out of control with airbnb.

I have been called at 4 am in the morning for similar requests!!!

One thing every host needs to understand is that airbnb started with a marketplace connecting hosts to guests, but it is now clear they have started moving towards a travel service company with its own services from housing to experiences all in a coherent policy (their terms), and since they know they'll be losing a lot of hosts, they have started building and buying their own houses.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90271599/exclusive-airbnb-will-start-designing-houses-in-2019

And they manipulate hosts with the "superhost" perk to force the hosts to follow their rules: 1) Accept any guest without even knowing, seeing their pic, just blindly any guest 2) reduce your prices everyday, just because, 3) don't ask for their ID, it's not your business  4) Don't try to get a security deposit, we'll kick you out of the platform if you do 5) and if the guest trashes your house, it's your problem any way. 6) And after all that, keep your smile, and kiss the guest's axx to make sure you get 5 stars because otherwise we'll penalize you. (superhost).

Welcome to the new airbully-n-bully!

@Cindy62  My response would be:

 

"Dear _____, thank you for reaching out. I am only accepting bookings at the listed price at this time. However, as you are writing on behalf of a multibillion dollar company, perhaps you will consider offering these guests an Airbnb credit toward a booking that best suits their budget."

 

I would not suggest any willingness to host anyone who had the nerve to ask CX to make me drop my price. Whichever host cancelled on them surely dodged a bullet already. But my position on this does not waver: Airbnb, there's no limit to the amount of travel credits you can issue, so stop asking your hosts to take a pay cut.

@AnonymousAmen!

Airbnb's response would then be:

Dear host, we are a multibillion dollar company precisely because we do not make such concessions. But, seeing that you are a little guy hosting people to make ends meet, we just thought that you might!

 

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Cindy62 I can't even with this.  Glad you're not a pushover!

Linda-And-Richard0
Level 10
San Antonio, TX

@Cindy62Sorry you had these problems with customer service (or lack of).  I had a similar experience where support contacted me on behalf of a guest that had a reservaion cancelled by the host.  The guest had already reached out to me and I had accepted the reservation about 22 hours prior to arrival time.  The next morning, guest sends me a message stating they are trying to cancel the reservation because my place was priced higher than the one that cancelled.  Then I get a message from Airbnb support asking me to let them cancel with a FULL refund.   I made the decision to allow the refund.  Still kicking myself for being such a wimp.  No more Ms. Nice Gal.  Next time I will stand firm.