Letter to Airbnb

[Robin4]

I would ask the company to consider something.

I am never going to be able to host more than one booking per night, I do not have that corporate structure that the company’s philosophy and strategy appears to be driven towards…

I am a core host, one of the few million who got you going, and where you are today!

My desire is to welcome every guest in the best way I can, and make them feel at easy and comfortable with their decision to book, not only with me, but with Airbnb. I welcome every guest in a different way....... sometimes efficiently, sometimes with humour, sometimes as a host, sometimes as a hotelier.

I can only do this if I can see who I am dealing with. I can’t do this when I am only provided with a name. I open a conversation stream with a guest couple in their 50-60’s entirely differently than I would with a pair of friends in their early 20’s, or a young family. A photo tells me how my contact should be opened, a blank sentence does not!

A photo does not influence whether I host a guest or not, it tells me how to get this hosting off to a good start…

And surely, isn’t that what Airbnb wants?

Please allow me to do my job to the best of my ability and give me back those profile photos that I need to be able to do that!

Cheers.....Rob

[AP-and-Lindsey0]

I’d love to know your standard message. My wife and I have gotten ourselves in to a bit of a fit lately due to our home not matching our pictures. The professional pictures taken were when we first moved in to our new home and hadn’t settled in quite yet. We now have chickens outside, farm fresh eggs for guests to enjoy and many decorations from all of our acquired art and travels. 

Somehow that upsets people.

[Rebecca0]

@AP-and-Lindsey0   I'm not sure that a standard message will help much.  The only answer is to take new photos!  I really believe in the 'under-promise and over-deliver' maxim.  This issue will not go away - you need to address it.  I looked at your listing and reviews:  ouch, that last one was brutal 😞    Your price is very low and, judging by the many great reviews you have, is best suited to easygoing budget travellers who like dogs.  My place is similar (only cats, in my case!).  There's no point in having professional photos showing a swanky place if that is not the reality, obviously people will end up being disappointed.   I'm not saying you should show close-ups of chicken poop or dirty dishes in the sink!  Just tone it down and show the place as it is now, a loved and lived-in home.

The other things I noticed from the less-than-great reviews were bathroom cleanliness and not being greeted on arrival (in one case, a complaint that the host was unfriendly).  These two things really need taken care of.  In one of your responses to reviews, you said you'd introduced self-check in to make it easier for guests.  Is that really the case or are you just unable to meet guests due to work commitments or something?   In my experience, meeting guests on arrival makes an enormous difference.  Firstly,  you can physically show them things that they need to know, point out any quirks, introduce them to your dogs etc.  Secondly, it humanises the experience and makes it much more likely that a guest will overlook little negative things in their review because they met you in person.  It only needs to take 5-10 minutes but it's worth it, if you can manage to do it.  You must have noticed that your best reviews all come from guests who met you in person!

[Robin4]

@AP & Lindsey

Guys, you are going to get a review like that once in a while and there is not a lot you can do about it. But, seriously, look where you have been, your guests love you, and this guy is like the soldier in the Independence Day march....he is the only one in step!!

I can tell you are great accommodating hosts by the way you handled your response to Andie's  review. That is one of the best responses I have ever seen written and that tells me far more about you than some turkey who expected something for nothing!

 My only observation would be, when you have professional photos taken, you do set a high standard that you have to maintain....that is what the guest sees so, that is what they expect, and if they don't get it they will feel short-changed. I personally would never use professional photos, I prefer my property to look genuine and show a few grotty corners rather than something out of a fashion spread. I subscribe to the philosophy...'The less a guest expects, the more they will be delighted with what they get'!

Congratulations, don't let that one get under your skin, you are better than that.

Cheers......Rob

[Rebecca0]

"I can tell you are great accommodating hosts by the way you handled your response to Andie's  review. "

@Robin4 @AP & Lindsey  Yes!  I meant to say that too.  Your responses to reviews are really great, none of that cringey defensiveness and all upbeat.  I salute you 🙂

[Thomas1033]

@Robin4 Tom and I host near Niagara Falls and it is frozen over.  The pictures on the internet are stunning!  We were hit by the “polar vortex “. Cheers!, Yvonna

[Robin4]

@Thomas1033

Lucky you Yvonna, we had a great time there staying at Niagara...of course not at this time of year but, here are the memories we took away from Niagara......The only down side...we asked and paid a premium for a Falls view room, and I am afraid we got a bit dudded. The reception desk manager said...."Well it is, you can see the falls when the leaves are not on the trees" .....Boing!

We asked for Falls view and this is what we got!

But it was spectacular to see....

A lovely part of that trip though....one of those things you really have to do!

Cheers......Rob

[Jo13]

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I am trying to welcome them, not judge them!

@Robin0, this is a great summation. Excellent point, thank you for sharing it.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

I totally agree with you a photo only will never tell you exactly about the character of the guest.As the French would say " L'habit ne fait pas le moine"

[Patrick36]

I feel a picture should be posted for security reasons.  How are Host to determine whether or not a guest is who they say they are unless they post a picture.  Some of my worst guest have been from managers or friends who have booked a rental for someone else besides themselves.  The person booking may have a good review but their friends or clients may have horrible reviews.   There is alot of information that is conveyed by a picture.  One of the other benefits of having a picture is that you can remember and identify the guest so that the contact becomes a more organic and warm relationship.  If a guest has a good review 99% of the time I'm going to approve their request.  If a guest has no review and no picture you are asking the host to take a leap of faith and approve someone who can easily damage an apartment and disturb the other guest and neighbors in the building.  Please resume posting a picture or at least give the guest the option to leave a picture .

Patrick

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Robin4 @Rebecca0 

Personally, I'd have no problem if ABB got rid of or blocked all profile pics equally. The issue I have is the fact that guests can see me but I am not allowed to see them.

[Jenny662]

Agreed Rebecca

[Rachel0]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 Exactly, then the guest can get a surprise when  I open my front door.  

The problem is that we have been treated with disdain by Airbnb who have made the assumption that all hosts are bigots who discriminate on the grounds of race, creed, age or sexuality.  Fortunately most of us don't but sadly of course there are some hosts out there who do.  These hosts need to be weeded out, removed and punished.  But not allowing a photo to be shown is not going to stop those who discriminate - they will find another way. 

However, I do agree with @Rebecca0 when she says that we should be more angry about the way in which commercial  properties are being promoted.  Airbnb have forgotten their roots.  The site is littered with hosts with multiple listings, profile photos of a commercial logo, and no written profile at all.  It makes me very angry when they ask for help on this CC - as far as I am concerned they can s*d off and find another platform.  They will get no help from me.

[Pete28]

If we are going to hide the pictures, why not just get rid of them. Most of them are not of the guest anyway.

[Victoria225]

I feel very uncomfortable not to see the pictures of my guests. We open our homes to strangers. And we have some rights to see who is coming at least. I had some not good experience with guests who tried to missrepresent themselves. Sometimes it is not safe, sometimes it can be scary. I ask Airbnb to return pictures before booking policy.

[Linda612]

Hi Robin

I have been doing Airbnb since the begining and totally agree with you on the photo issue. No photo, no Govt ID no booking. I feel strongly that short of my DNA you have the full picture of who I am and you as a guest can judge whether you want to stay with me.  

I have had a very small percentage of just aweful guests but have had for the best part great fun.

One incident comes to mind with a guest from the Middle East with a black and white photo that resembled 9 11. What I did get was a fabulous 43 year old that stayed for 5 days. We just clicked and talked for hours. I was fully booked and he would have stayed longer. I did tell him to lose the dodgy photo!

I also agree about the commercial take over causing housing shortages and Airbnb forgetting we were the ones opening a bedroom and giving guests a great holiday memory.