Airbnb should consider implementing a policy to discard the lowest rating a host receives each year. This approach would offer several benefits:
- It would give hosts a strong incentive to continually improve their service, knowing that a single low score won't disproportionately affect their overall rating.
- This policy could mitigate the impact of vindictive or hateful reviews, which may be more reflective of a guest's personal grievances than the actual quality of the accommodation.
- Disregarding the lowest rating each year would address the issue of guests who habitually give a 4-star rating, regardless of the actual quality of their stay.
Such a policy could lead to a more balanced and fair evaluation system, encouraging hosts to strive for excellence while protecting them from the undue influence of outlier ratings.