Inaccurate Reviews Hurt Hosts

[Kimberly718]

We live in a time where reviews are everything and so it was devastating when after receiving 103 5-star reviews, I had a guest give me a 3-star on Accuracy, which dropped my overall rating. She wrote a nice public review but then blasted me privately and indicated a list of issues that call into question the accuracy of my listing—claiming problems with AC, Wifi, Washer/Dryer, Size of space, and unexpected rules. 

Our AC brand new, works perfect, she didn't like that I asked her to put it on ECO mode to save energy when she went out for the day, washer/dryer brand new but in the basement, she didn't like going downstairs, the WiFi is high speed but we had a storm which knocked out the connection for a bit, she perceived the space as small even though our listing indicates 1,200SF, but it's actually larger at 1,500SF and lastly indicated Unexpected rules when clearly she didn't bother to read the rules at booking which are reiterated at check-in. So why am I getting penalized for inaccuracies when she really had preference issues? I called Airbnb but was read the usual line, "thank Ms Kim, we understand but we cannot remove or verify the inaccuracies of your guest's review". As a small business person, I find it super frustrating to have to deal with outsourced Airbnb call centers that are supposed to provide "Superhost" support, yet they lack the power to solve issues like this that ultimately hurt our listing and booking potential. I work really hard to ensure my listing represents the place and experience as closely as possible and I work very hard to make sure every detail is addressed and things are working the way they should. I think Airbnb should work harder to help hosts out with reviews like this. Suggest an option to verify issues using photos, video walk-throughs, a live Facetime call at the property to verify the inaccuracies in question. 

Has anyone else had issues like this and wished Airbnb could do better? Provide constructive suggestions please. 

[Kimberly718]

Yes that is who I responded to as@Sandra856  seems to have been able to crack the code. 🙂

[Emilia42]

I can only find this:

I have always seen "responses" work the same way. Whoever is the author of the text can ask for removal at any time (removal only, no editing.)

[Kimberly718]

That is, unfortunately, not true. You can not remove a review you authored or a response to a review you authored. Once published, there is NO way to remove it. Sandra seems to think otherwise but based on three phone calls and correspondence with Airbnb this can't be done. 

[Sandra856]

@Kimberly718 About the removing of a review. I noticed about 2 weeks ago that Airbnb now have made it possible for us hosts to remove a review we as hosts have written ourselves. I noticed because I wanted to contact CS getting them to remove a review I had written - as I could no longer recommend a certain guest - so I wanted to get my review of her removed. I did it via the app. I went to the reservation->scrolled down and found the section where it says something about reviews - removal of reviews. Try and enter that section and follow the procedure. It takes less than 2 minutes to remove a review you have written with no interference from CS. Just skip the final step so you won’t delete a review. 
If you want to get a response removed then write CS - contact CS via the reservation - write that you made a mistake and that you would like them to remove the reply. 

[Sandra856]

I have to go to meet some friends for dinner soon - but I will find it in English. I can’t seem to find where to switch from danish to english in the app? 

[Kimberly718]

I already tried this three times and they said NO. Maybe I will try again. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Kimberly718 if you have been calling then try messaging them. If you have been messaging then try calling!

[Shanna5]

I agree with you that if a guest rates you down on a star rating in a category and claims a factually inaccurate reason. then airbnb should be able to remove that star rating. 

I have a 4 PM checkin time clearly stated on my listing. the guest told me he would arrive between 4 and 5. At 2:30 PM he texted and asked if he could check in early at 3:30 - I said no, the cleaners would be working until 4 PM. He arrived early anyway at 3:45 when the cleaners were steam-cleaning the floors.  I explained that we could not have him come into the main part of the house yet, but he could go into one of  the bedrooms that was finished and wait. 

So anyway, he rated me 3 stars for checkin and indicated that it was because he "had to wait" to checkin.

I have all the texts and can show that he was able to checkin at the normal checkin time. 

This experiece seemed to color his whole stay, and he gave the place a 3 star rating overall, which is my first 3 star rating in over 7 years hosting.   I understand not beind able to dispute that, but since star ratings influence where your listing displays, its extremely annoying that It is impossible to dispute a star rating for a category if the reason the guest gives is provably false.

[Kimberly718]

@Shanna5 

Thank you for sharing this. This is exactly the reason we hosts should have the ability to contest a review. While only one review can knock your rating down and perceived quality. My guest was very passive-aggressive she gave me a nice public review but then ripped me a new one privately and selected 8 things she indicated were accuracy issues. Washer/Dryer was an issue because she didn't think she should have to go to the basement despite my listing indicating it was in the basement, Unexpected rules was an issue because she chose not to read them, Maintenance was an issue because she felt the 1700 beams were, well old and should be replaced, LOL. The list went on. Whatta Karen. Thanks for sharing and hopefully I can compile enough and go to Airbnb and see if we can help them create some changes to better support their hosts. 

[Fred13 · Accepted solution]

My, my what a lively discussion. Very interesting thread.

Your question is @Kimberly718 - Has anyone else had issues like this and wished Airbnb could do better? If you are asking have we individually experienced as hosts some reviews that make no sense, as to being inaccurate? Yes, of course. Heck we have had guests knock us down on location (see our listing) because it wasn't remote enough! What were they expecting, Shangri-la, an imaginary paradise on earth, a remote and exotic utopia? 🤔

As for Airbnb I know from personal experience they are indeed inquisitive sorts and love new ideas and every workshop I am invited to when I drop a new idea it is always welcomed, but always takes time to germinate; is the way the human mind works. Tomorrow's enlightenment can't happen without the benefit of the mental steps achieved today, and today is dependent on yesterday's steps. Change does take time.

I have noticed that to get a review removed the best course of action is to successfully demonstrate how it is irrelevant, inaccuracy is too subjective and thus subject to too much interpretation. As to the star system, not many host with 100+ reviews tend to maintain a perfect 5.0, the odds are against it.

Lastly, one thing that caught my eye with what the guest said - "Wish there was more to see on the farm but it was fun watching the animals."  This triggered my imagination. Did she expect to see Moas (extinct ostrich type bird) and Komodo dragons which are endemic to only 4 Indonesian islands today?  Maybe giving adding giraffes merits some consideration. Seriously, that statement told me she was under an erroneous expectations and that would have caused me to review my description in the hope that maybe, just maybe I could improve it and prevent this in the future.

You are doing well, very well and have a fantastic place, above all enjoy it - all along the way.

P.S. If giraffes prove to tricky to get, hippopotamus would be equally cool. 😎

[Kimberly718]

@Fred13 

Thank you for making me laugh! 

We recently had Bison wander on to our property and we are the only farm stay in New England that has Texas Longhorn cattle that can be seen grazing right outside the window as you have your morning coffee. 

Airbnb is an evolving brand and a game-changer in the travel industry. I am a seasoned old-timer in the travel and hospitality market; I cut my teeth as the creative director of Silversea Cruises in the early years, defining luxury travel and cruise, which gave way to the innovators of the time like Virtuoso, the luxury travel advisor/concierge. After over 25 years, I am thrilled to be the master of my own hospitality universe and have brought all of the learning I acquired over the years to my listing. Like many hosts, I love being a host, and 90% of my bookings come through Airbnb. That said, 7million hosts is a massive portfolio of product that Airbnb should consider themselves immensely blessed to have but always look to improve how they can better support their hosts. 

Reviews are everything, and I have had my share of tough feedback, that has allowed me to pivot and make changes and improve. Airbnb should always strive for the same. In the case of reviews, I do believe that there's still work to be done to better support and acknowledge hosts. 

Thanks again for your great comment. 

[Kimberly718]

All, I have tried contacting Airbnb by phone and text several times for both, they have indicated that I can not change, edit or delete a response to a review. That's it, the answer was NO.

Thank you all for the suggestions but the POINT of this post was not about me feeling bad about one bad review. As hosts we are rated on the ACCURACY of our listing, which is important so guests know what to expect before they book and when they arrive. ACCURACY is not based on a guest's opinion, feelings or any other intangible emotion. When a guests states an issue in their review or in the case of my guest's review, 7 issues that is a problem. None of my 103 guests before this guest stated these same issues so most potential travelers would assume this was a one-off guest. Nonetheless, Airbnb's ONLY product is us, our listings, our hard work. There are 7 million host properties within the Airbnb portfolio so yes they should work equally hard at making sure our listings are featured accurately and in the best light possible so they convert to bookings. If a guest slams our listing for inaccuracies that are not at all accurate we should have a way to contest and ask for a review. Even if this means Airbnb has a special team dedicated to verifying a listing and working one-on-one with us. It's in the best interest of their brand and the future success of the company to which we are all sub contractors to. I know Airbnb reads these posts and does respond and work to be better. 

Please note, I am NOT looking for advice on how to deal with bad reviews, or what not to do. I work in the broader travel industry and with several travel review publications and bloggers, so getting some inside stories in areas where Airbnb can improve host support is a big topic and one I experienced first hand in trying to resolve the issue I had with this guest review.

I would love to hear from those of you, stories specially as they relate to this topic and other ways you feel Airbnb can do better to support you as a host in the areas of Guest Reviews.  

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Kimberly718 If you want one issue with the Airbnb system then see what guests are told each star rating means in each category. As you can see 4 stars is a good score. Looking at this I am surprised we don't get more 3 and 4 star reviews.

How was your stay with XXX?

Terrible

Bad

OK

Good

Great

How was your check-in at XX's place?

Not at all easy

Not very easy

Fairly easy

Very easy

Extremely easy

How clean was XX's space

Not at all clean

Not very clean

Fairly clean

Very clean

Extremely clean

How accurately did XX describe their place"

Not at all accurate

Not very accurate

Fairly accurate

very accurate

extremely accurate

How well did XX communicate?

not at all well

not very well

fairly well

very well

extremely well

What did you think of the location? How did you feel about the area and neighbourhood?

Not at all satisfied

not very satisfied

fairly satisfied

very satisfied

extremely satisfied

Finally, was XX's place worth what you paid

Terrible deal

bad deal

OK deal

Good value

Great deal

[Kimberly718]

I strive for 5 on all counts and I set up my place as a luxury listing. Price wise I am priced very well for what guests get, our 2 bedroom, 1 bath with a complete kitchen, living room, deck and garden on a 100 acre farm prices well below a king room in town at a local boutique hotel. But people still give low marks for value. Location we are lucky to be in a prime location with lots to do but I list everything out on my website which is mobile-friendly so it provides guests with a digital guide to the area. I think the guidebook on Airbnb could be more user-friendly so I don't refer guests to it. As soon as they book I send them my web link and offer to help as a concierge if they need it. And of course, Accuracy is very important to me, I try to be as descriptive as possible and ask guests for feedback when they check out to help us improve. The guest I mention in my original was a total Karen, apparently she has done the same to other places. She's not a happy person and some people you just can never please.