Glitch in Response Rate?

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I periodically take a look at my response rate so I can ensure it is as good as possible in both the percentage rate and response time, as I’m sure many hosts do.

A few days ago I checked, and we went from 100% response rate to 80%. Because I respond to every message (except if someone is just saying a final thanks, for example) we should remain at 100%.

So I called Airbnb who said that it shouldn’t be 80%, but 97%. I asked why it even went to 97% - they said I missed 1 out of the last 34 messages, but they couldn’t tell me who is was from for privacy reasons. What!? If the message is for ME, why is there privacy concern? Can’t help.

It has been several days, and our listing still says 80%. Called again. They wanted a screen shot for proof… provided. They said there is a glitch and don’t know when it will be fixed. What I find is that when I contact them for help, I get lots of platitudes with little results.

So… I have some questions:

  1. is anyone else experiencing the same glitch with response rate?
  2. if you were a guest, would you even consider a host with an 80% response rate?
  3. since I have no way of figuring out which message was missed, will I ever get back to 100% response rate? i.e. is there a reset where Air takes into account just the last 1, 2, 3 years?

I’m super frustrated. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

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Just to clarify for you, your response rate isn’t based on responses to every guest message. It is only based on responses to the initial booking request or inquiry, not subsequent messages from the guest.

I’d have my doubts as to whether most guests even notice the response rate. It’s buried in your listing info, not upfront like the overall star rating.

For Superhost stats, the response rate resets constantly to the previous 365 days. For basic stats it doesn’t.

Hope you get the glitch sorted.

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Thank you for clarifying. This is what I thought, as well, but CS said otherwise. So they ARE wrong. :roll_eyes:

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As usual. :wink: 2020

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As a guest, I’ve never even seen a host’s response rate. It might well be there somewhere but I’d never think to check.

For me, and most guests I’d think, location, price and facilities are far more important.

Also as a guest, a 80% response rate would seem just fine to me.

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Shows how thoroughly you read listing info. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
The response rate shows way down under the “During your stay” section. But most guests, like you, likely never notice or look for it.

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True. :slight_smile:

Like most guests, I don’t read. :wink:

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Now what would be really helpful is if they showed guests’ response rates. :face_with_monocle: I am now waiting, for the second time in a week, for a guest who sent a request to confirm that they saw and comply with my Covid vax requirement.

Luckily I have a guest who checked in today who booked 3 days ago, and did what all guests should do. He said in his message that accompanied the request that he is triple vaxed, I didn’t have to ask.

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Yes, I appreciate the heads -up but I’m well aware that just because someone has had Covid vaccines and boosters that they can still contract Covid and pass it on. In fact most of my friends and family who are fully vaxed and boosted have had a bout of Covid anyway.
My way of thinking is that antivaxers are more likely not to wear a mask on the plane and airport coming down here, and generally think that Covid is some overblown thing, and never take any precautions. So more likely to not mention if they are feeling sick, less likely to get tested or cancel if they have symptoms, more likely to go to crowded venues like bars, maskless, while here, etc.

I have also read some studies which showed that those who have been vaccinated carry a smaller viral load when they do get Covid, so less likely to infect others.

I don’t ask for proof of vaccine, I am just trusting people to be honest. And so far 2 inquirers and one requester have admitted they aren’t vaccinated. That they sent inquiries and requests anyway also tells me they either didn’t read my listing info thoroughly, or thought they could ignore that part, which also aren’t the kind of guests I really want.

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I was recently stripped of my superhost status because my response rate went to 89%. To qualify (as I did in all other categories) the response rate has to be 90%. For the past 8 months. I have complained to airbnb that there was some glitch in the messaging system as I was not receiving inquiry messages but I WAS receiving messages that informed me I had 24 hours to respond to XYZ’s inquiry. They told me that there was no glitch and that they were unable to restore my SuperHost status and that (written by a person where they are struggling with English) I am confident that you will once again become a superhost as a result of you being a super host in the past. WTF. During busy season, I logged on the airbnb host platform daily so it was not an issue but in the past few months I rarely check my host messages. I responded “late” to two inquiries and DING no more superhost. Do guests really care about response rates or Superhost status? I think they care more about the location, experience and of course reviews.

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I don’t think most guests pay any attention to the response rate and unless they know that host cancellations usually result in a loss of Superhost status, so try to book with SHs for that reason, Superhost is also not all that important.

Several years ago I stopped receiving my text alerts, so I missed responding to a request. Even though Airbnb admitted the alerts stopping was their tech issue, and it took a month to start receiving them again, and I responded to that guest within 25 hours and she did go on to book, they refused to correct my response rate, which had been at 100%.

It’s a bummer, but not worth spending hours trying to plead your case.

I had Superhost status for years until I closed my homeshare to bookings for 2 years due to Covid. Then Airbnb stripped me of Superhost because I didn’t have 10 bookings in a year. I still get just as many bookings as when I showed as Superhost.