Reservation Request Alert Problem

[Leigh2]

Dear Fellow Hosts,

I just wanted to share that I am currently experiencing problems with the AirBnB alert messages for new reservation requests. I have just missed my last two reservation requests because I didn't recieve any SMS notifications or any notifications from the AirBnB app (which I use on both an old iPhone 4 and a Samsung S4 phone).

For one of the reservation requests I did receive the email notifications, but the other one, the email notification for the request was 2 days late. For anyone like me who relies on the notifications  - I would highly recommend manually checking the AirBnB messaging system regularly at this time.

I've contacted AirBnB to let them know about this issue but haven't had any response back from them yet. Has anyone else experienced this problem over the last 5 days?

[Bridget0]

I contacted them this week about this and got a horrifying answer. 

Texts are going away.

This is from my post in the New Host Forum. I called them and they said the lack of texts is part of a "test".The very good support person emailed this this morning, thought I'd share the info (and my response):

Customer Support: I have reached out to my colleague who is working with this system change to get more information. It sounds like we are working to phase out this method of notification, which is why this change has been coming about. For now, it sounds like it should be able to be switched back on through the app on your phone. You can do this by going to Settings > Notifications and turning on the Text Message Notifications. You may need to switch it off and then back on again.


My response: I can't object strongly enough about the impending loss of the text message option. I can understand mandating push but to remove text is to be imposing limitations that may drastically affect the ability of the host to communicate through the airbnb system and may well encourage hosts to use text OUTSIDE of the threaded system (at least with reserved guests, new guest inquiries and reservation requests may just go unseen and not responded to).

Requiring each host that uses a phone to absolutely use data or wifi to do basic responses ignores the reality of life outside San Francisco. Many, many people around the world still have limited data plans or live in areas with terrible connectivity. And phones handle notifications in a different way than texts, it is much easier to prioritize and access texts. Text is the lowest reliable form of notification. Removing it does not increase the ability of a host to conduct transactions.

And it almost goes without saying (at least among hosts) that the app is terribly unreliable. On my previous guest XXXX, there was a communication from her about leaving a vehicle that did not show up in the app until hours after it showed up in the web thread. Because text is disabled and the app is flaky,, I received no timely push notification (although at the exact same time it was in the web thread). It was a problem.

This is going to have a big impact over time on host/guest communication and inquiry/reservation responses.

-------

I just now saw a request that came in 3 hours ago. No text (it was never re-enabled), no "push". Just happened to be looking at dashboard for a review.

Do they have any idea how bad this is going to be for hosts? And who thought to phase it out without NOTIFYING hosts of the change??

So frustrating.

Bridget

[Leigh2]

Hi Bridget,

Many thanks for the very helpful response to my post. I had such a completely unhelpful response from AirBnB host support saying everything was just fine and the representative had no idea why I might not be receiving SMS alerts.

I have now missed 3 good bookings and my response rate and probably my ranking on the listings for my area is plummeting each time.

My problem is that I am not getting any push notifications at all. I've checked that they are ticked on the App (latest version running on Android) - but I haven't had any push notifications for 2 weeks or so. There have also been delays with the App updating and showing new requests, and delays to my email notifications of new bookings.

Are you getting any push notifications from the App or only from email? I would be very interested to know. Thanks again for your helpful response and I hope you have managed to check your bookings and not miss them like me!

Are you still getting push notifications from the App?

[Susan141]

Is AIrbnb  becoming a victim of its own success and is UNABLE to deal with the volume of business?  I too have lost at least 5 potential bookings because previously I had relied om my phone to show someone was trying to contact me. I had no idea that people were waiting for a response.  My response rate had dipped and I am a superhost - perhaps not now, through no fault of my own!! NOT HAPPY !! 

[Leigh2]

Hi Bridget,

Many thanks for the very helpful response to my post. I had such a completely unhelpful response from AirBnB host support saying everything was just fine and the representative had no idea why I might not be receiving SMS alerts.

I have now missed 3 good bookings and my response rate and probably my ranking on the listings for my area is plummeting each time.

My problem is that I am not getting any push notifications at all. I've checked that they are ticked on the App (latest version running on Android) - but I haven't had any push notifications for 2 weeks or so. There have also been delays with the App updating and showing new requests, and delays to my email notifications of new bookings.

I totally agree with you about the unreality of AirBnB expecting that everyone around the world is able to use Mobile data 24/7. It is going to make things very hard for people with basic mobile plans and services (which is most of rural Australia)

But they aren't just messing with the text notifications - I can't be the only person having issues with the App notifications too.

Are you getting any push notifications from the App or only from email? I would be very interested to know. Thanks again for your helpful response and I hope you have managed to check your bookings and not miss them like me!

Are you still getting push notifications from the App?

[Lorraine-And-Dan0]

My issues are with push text AND email notifications.   I received NO notifications for a recent inquiry.  I don't go onto the site everyday because I've come to rely on these alerts.  I've been using Airbnb for 2 years.  I'm a SuperHost.  I lost a $1900 booking.  The woman explained it was because they found something else when I didn't respond.

We're considering other ways of renting our home.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

From our experience since starting in July the entire messaging system is faulty so I guess they are trying to fix something fairly fundamental. We have had guests contact us (thankfully) to ask why we havent replied to their request for a room - when we never received any text or email or anything on the AirBnB site. We have ticked all options in the hope that one of them will work. We have also responded to people but they haven't received our messages (particularly using the app). So...let's hope they sort it out. Feels like the AirBnB business has grown faster than the IT supporting it.

[Maxine0]

It is astonishing to me that ABB would simple remove a core function like text notification of inquiries, bookings etc. I travel a lot and use the mobile App consistently, respond to text is faster and easier particularly when internet signal is low.

I know when I post this news in our existing Group hosts will be in disbelief !

What on earth are ABB thinking .....

[Kelly8]

Hmm. I missed 2 requests today, and stumbled upon them 9 and 7 hours later (rather than 30 seconds), despite sitting at my computer all day. I am surprised about the lack of discussion or heads up. Airbnb has been pretty proactive and communicative to date. I updated the app on my phone (to be safe), switched notifications off/then back on, and hope that future alerts come through. I will then cling to continued SMS and email notifications for as long as they exist, as they are my main source of incoming requests and guest communications.

[Kelly8]

Thought I'd post an update. Push notification on my phone is now working again - for guest messages at least. Haven't had a new reservation request just yet, but I assume they will work too. It must have come from the airbnb app, because it wasn't a text, and the email didn't hit my inbox til few minutes later. So if they are now pushing cell data out to their app to notify us (I have wifi switched off), that'll work for me .

[Mary21]

 Yes, I was receiving requests happily on text and email and on the phone app. All good. But I just checked on the laptop and I completely missed a request that came in last Wednesday. I was checking emails and the phone (which was silent while I was at the Australian Open tennis) but received nothing. I just saw it today! It's not good for the people requesting to feel ignored and it affects the host rating for being responsive. It's hard to find anywhere to directly contact Airbnb and I'm not on Twitter. Thanks for sharing the info. 

Mary 

[Robin4]

@Leigh2 Sure have!....I lost a booking because it sat on my dashboard for 16 hours and I never knew it was there. Leigh, cracks are appearing in the system.......and as I have said in other posts there are going to be some problem times ahead. I phoned Sydney and spoke to a very pleasant lady who said she had 're-activated' my sms messages, but I have had three messages since then on my listing page that I haven't been notified of.

This is a big deal, fairly obviously cellular contact is costing Airbnb and enormous amount of money....every txt costs, and the 'backroom boys' have hit on this solution (which works fine in NY, Miami, Paris, London, in fact anywhere there is a Wifi hot spot) but in the less heavily saturated internet areas we depend on cellular....even a personal WiFi is still a cellular service.

Leigh, we are being screwed to that God of economies! Airbnb knows full well there will be a lot of flack and a considerable amount of fallout from this but, It's a numbers game.....the decision has been made to discontinue cellular notifications and that is all there is to it. You will get some soothing talk...(There you go Robin, I have reset your notifications) ....but I am afraid, it's all cobblers!

Strap yourself in Leigh, we are in for a rough time and you know, the worst part about it is? After following Airbnb's advice to the letter you are going to be pinged for not responding to enquiries....as though it's all our fault, not theirs.....jeeezzzuuuuussss!!!!.... cheers.....Rob

[Miguel10]

I am having the same excat problem I have missed three over two weeks, I have a long term tenant until May so I thought it was because nobody is looking out that far.  I missed one at an AWESOME rate that was for 5 months later this year.

And to add insult to injury they are threatening to yank my listing!

How can we prevent this?  How can I convince Airbnb to adjust my response rate to reconcile this? 

[Kathi1]

I've had a problem with the messaging too. Any reply from Airbnb yet?

[Angela28]

I though was only me, it seemed the text alert stopped working from January this year, and I left an enquiry waiting for quite some time before I spotted in my account; I also thought it maybe was the mobile network problem, but I changed to another mobile network, and the problem never solved. for now I have to login a few times a day just to check if there is a message waiting or not, it's very annoying. Hope Airbnb will solve this bug as soon as possible.