Can't help feeling despondent at times as a host

[Isabelle3]

Feeling slightly low after a very ordinary guest review when I went well above expectations, offering my best 25 years australian wine, lending best books, cooking, laundering, showering kids with gifts.... Yey amongst all my 5 stars ratings these the guests gave me 4 stars.  

You think you've made friends but it's fleeting and this experience pulls me down.  There is no pleasing some people and I feel this rating particularly harsh in the circumstances.  Sorry, I know I probably invest too much emotionally and pride wise.  🙂 for me it's much more than business, I give it my all.  

Does anyone else feel the sting of unfairness at times?  Ratings are all very well but so subjectives

[Nancy2]

My post above was meant for Andrew and Tania.  Not sure how it ended up at the end of posts...

[Ana5]

it hasnt change unfortunately. Some hosts do write the stars on the review itself.

[Carlos16]

Isabelle,

I find that the numbered system does not have as much of an impact, as to what they are writing about you. Yours looks fine. Just by reading your comments and all the special treatment you provided as a host, makes me want to visit with you. Stay the course and you can not make everyone happy, but if doing these things makes you happy, that is all that matters at the end.

[Isabelle3]

Carlos I have a house full of Southeners at the moment and they are so much fun. It's a new year!   There is always a spare room here for friends x

[Evelyn0]

Isabelle,

Sometimes a guest doesn't know any better or like other hosts mention they don't know how those stars affect us. I did a webinar about reviews and was talking to a guest during that time and he said "I don't give 5 stars." Plain and simple. No matter what I did, legally, I will not get 5 stars. And I said.. "I strive for 5 stars."

I know we all provide an excellent service and go beyond the call of duty for our guests. Sometimes they appreciate it and show it in their reviews, stars and connection with ut. Sometimes they don't, but they will remember you. And they will recommend you to their friends.

Wishing you "5" stars...

[Jennifer-And-Brian0]

Isabel, have you ever been a guest at an Air BNB?  If not, you should. You might then have a better idea of how a guest feels and perhaps see that you might never be able to get consistent 5 stars from every guest.  Every guest has different expectations, many of which you can't control or meet. No matter what you do. 

Focus on the majority of great guests you get. 

Its them, not you. 

[Nuno-Y-Daniel0]

Someone said to me once that we pay more attention to the light off that all the ones on in a christmas tree. You are a superhost keep that in mind. Other thing is don't take it personally as well. Is a rating about the flat mostly. To be honest i get the worst reviews when i give myself too much to the guests. That happens in our relations. People feel more confortable to push. Don't forget either that some guests don't have the same sense of what's 4 or 5 stars and how important is that for you. They are not so involved as us! Some people just don't know how good can be an australian wine! 🙂 Keep you head up! 

[Maryam-Al-Fakheer0]

Has anybody ever thought about the real function of this 5-star rating system?  

The review system is for guests to see how other guests think/experienced your home/rooms.

The star rating system is a smart business tool for/from ABB to PUSH hosts to do more and more.

And guess what?  IT WORKS !  We all get upset if we lose a star br hunt for the super host award.

It's all about business for ABB.

The reviews should be enough for US, but it isn't enough for ABB to push hosts more.

[Kelly3]

@Maryam-Al-Fakheer0

I completely agree with you. Airbnb wants the Airbnb Community, yet Airbnb is still a business.

They want to push hosts to do more and more as it will help them as a company also as a community.

And 5 star rating system does work - look how many hosts are talking about it....

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Has anybody ever thought about the real function of this 5-star rating system?  

The review system is for guests to see how other guests think/experienced your home/rooms.

The star rating system is a smart business tool for/from ABB to PUSH hosts to do more and more.

And guess what?  IT WORKS !  We all get upset if we lose a star br hunt for the super host award.

It's all about business for ABB.

The reviews should be enough for US, but it isn't enough for ABB to push hosts more.

[Fiona1]

Hi Isobelle

I agree with you, it can get you down when you don't receive 5* for all the hard work you put into it. I've noticed the reason most of us want 5* ratings is to achieve Superhost status. I see you have already achieved that. I hear Superhost this and Superhost that and I feel that if I don't achieve it, I'm a failure! My first 6 months of starting in Airbnb, I was learning along the way and then suddenly had to leave for 3 months to look after my Mum after my Dad passed away. We left the house in what were thought were capable hands, however our ratings and reviews started to plummet. We've returned now and trying to claw our way back to receiving good ratings and reviews. And yes, everytime someone gives us 4* I become despondent. My husband keeps telling me to stop worrying as we have constant bookings, but that didn't help me feeling the way I did. I'm just starting to take his advice onboard as it was really taking its toll. Now I have to treat it as a business and not take things so personally. I agree with some of the other comments about not giving so much. I've realised that less is best. I make homemade jams and provide a few goodies, but I know longer spend time thinking of things to do for them and give to them. Most people don't appreciate the time and effort you put into it. 

[Donna-and-Angie0]

Hi Isabelle, don't be too hard on yourself. I'm sure you gave your best but there are some guests that you will never be able to please 100%. That's just the way they are. You know you put out your best so don't worry, after reading what you did I am sure the general feeling will be a five star review for you. Cheer up !

[Kara1]

I totally agree, it is soooooo frustrating at times.  I'm most likely to loose superhost status because of 4 different reviews this year and there's nothing I can/could do about them.

 First a lady complained that where were not individual A/Cs in each room like hotels have.  The listing specified that we have central heat & air and I had showed here where the controls for the central air were and they were the only ones here that night, so she could set it at whatever temp she wanted.   I got a 3 rating from her.

On one, the lady booked the wrong town (thought we were another 200 miles down the road).  We had several conversations & I suggested places to try closer to where they were headed.  I also refunded her money minus the fees I was charged.  She didn't write a review, but scored me average on all the stars (having never even stopped here) and gave a 2 star for location.

The 3rd guy was a real yuppie type guy.  In the private coments, he suggested we start renovating the entire place as it was so old fashioned and terribly expensive.  Got low scores for value and 3 stars over all.  Why the heck did he even stay here (Advertized as 100 years old and almost all original????) and he knew the price ahead of time before he booked.

The last lady was part my fault...In the whole house listing I had posted that the bedrooms and bathroom were upstairs, but forgot to specifically say the bedrooms were upstairs on my 3 individual room listings, tho they did all specifically say the bathroom is upstairs and the house is not handicap acessible.  I changed the listings as soon as she mentioned it when they checked in. What really bothered me was as we were messaging back and forth before she booked, I said we had one other person here all week, and specified again that there is only one bathroom, so they would have to share.  She replied that it was not ideal, but OK with them.  When she evaluated me I got low scores for accuracy and value, and said in the private comments it was because they 'had' to share the bathroom.  

[Margaret0]

@Kara1 you can get the review removed with a 2 star location rating if the person didnt actually stay

[Kara1]

@Margaret....Who do I contact to get the review removed?  Whom do I contact?

Thank You.

[Kara1]

Yep. I lost Superhost. At least everything but the reviews are good. 19 trips, 96% response (normally 100%, but internet was down for a day & I forgot to check things when it came back on, so a request sat for a couple days before I notice it). Ratings came to 78% instead of the necessary 80%, so the bad reviews didn't affect things as much as I thought they would.

Being winter, I hope I get a couple bookings before the April evaluation. Nov-Apr are normally very slow,and May-Oct are usually crazy. Then, if I do get any bookings, how the heck do I get them to even leave evaluations? Probably only a little over half take the time to do it.