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Okay, I admit, I am over-sensitive, but I really cannot STAND rude private feedback. I have just received a message from someone (who at least gave me an okay public review) saying I had no idea of community and if I stayed in HIS cottage I would learn what that was.
Salient points:
My offering is a large Georgian house for 11 guests. He didn’t like the long information email I send with instructions on how to work everything plus dos and don’ts. This, believe me - and it’s something I’ve learned over the years - is absolutely ESSENTIAL with this kind of house. Even then I still get phone calls - one time a series of phone calls with a Chinese chap with little English lasted, I kid you not, a whole afternoon, including a 2 hour session trying to explain how the perfectly ordinary TV worked - and messages and texts the whole time from guests.
I have another offering: a small country cottage up in the Highlands. No long instructions needed here. Everything’s automated, we barely communicate with guests…they just get on with it.
The large house attracts fussier, more demanding guests and because of the number of guests and the fact that the house is old and needs ‘looking after’, requires a different approach to the simple country cottage which attracts walkers, nature-lovers etc.
I can’t possibly not send out the info pack about the large house as otherwise guests just can’t seem to cope. But I can’t stand this kind of rude feedback…
And I really can’t stand this guff about ‘community’ (which is just airbnb advertising schtick in my view). I am renting out my house which p.p. is incredibly good value. I was a community worker all my life, thank you very much. And renting out my house has nothing to do with ‘community’!!
So… what WAS the feedback, exactly? Anyways, I don’t think it’s wrong if it’s private and you didn’t call him a twat (or worse). It’s frustrating to answer seemingly stupid questions but it kind of comes with the territory. Did your guest say why he didn’t like the information you sent? Maybe he expected someone to be standing on the doorstep, cap in hand, waiting to attend to his every need? What? More information needed!
No, obviously Brandt; I agree, to reply publicly would be very foolish indeed.
Yes Magwitch it does come with the territory but I wish it didn’t. And I do feel airbnb in particular encourages it. I really loathe the review culture actually. We rented out our cottage in the ‘old days’ beautifully with no reviews. That said, I do rely on reviews when I choose to stay places…so I’m a bit of a hypocrite!
Frankly I think it’s the “checks and balances” of the Review process that makes Air work as well as it does. In “the old days” there was no place to ‘vet’ potential guests or to warn others if a guest was a real piece of work…
I[quote=“flaxhigh, post:1, topic:28680”]
and if I stayed in HIS cottage I would learn what that was.
[/quote]
Is he a host? One of the most critical private reviews with tons of “advice” was from someone who was a host of a completely different type of property in a completely different environment. I thanked her and moved forward with my usual hosting.
Sadly some hosts are much more critical of other hosts because we think “our way is the right way” when actually it isn’t. Each host & each property is different.
So what he was complaining about?.Your instructions?
I had once a girl writing: Airbnb community usually offers breakfast. I told her , then why we have an option to not offer it??
You cant possibly not mention exquisitely bad feedback like that and not actually post it! Forum rules I’m afraid. Don’t blame me I don’t make the rules.
How do we know whether we’d respond when you haven’t said what the guest said beyond that you had no sense of community? Surely there must have been more? If that’s literally all the guest wrote then I guess I would just be asking what he meant? I can’t tell if his comment is rude or not because I don’t know what he’s referring to.
But wait…I think i would be a good guest. Especially after this forum has promoted respecting that every host and every property is different. I’m a super host …
To be honest, once a guest has completed their stay and left I can’t generally remember who they are, let alone be bothered about what they say or even consider replying to any quibbles they might have. This is a business and not a popularity contest.
Most hosts will get the occasional nutjob from time to time. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t spend any more time than necessary. Don’t even think about the guest after they’ve gone. Don’t be thin-skinned.
Superhosts, non-superhosts (what do we call them? Plebs?) are probably just as likely as any other guest to be good or bad, I think. It’s just that we’re airbnb-programmed to imagine that they would “understand” and when they’re complete ***ts, it stings more than usual.
I think the number one nightmare guest is the seasoned airbnb traveller / blogger. They write lengthy in-depth reviews as if they’re the airbnb equivalent of Gordon Ramsay. But they never, but NEVER, say anything during their stay. They save it all up for that killer review. They usually target new hosts with budget listings. Time and time again unwitting hosts leave them great reviews only to be rewarded by a detailed, petty and damning review. A couple of them actually posted on here boasting about how they managed to get refunds etc and there are many stories on other forums. I hope one day such a pair will book with me and I can cancel them and tell them exactly why.
Honestly, the worst guests and pickiest guests I have had are other hosts and super hosts. They didn’t read the House Manual about the parking, complained when the parked on the street and got a ticket, expected me to greet them at 2 a.m. (keyless entry, independent stay)…I could go on and on…
Are you saying that you don’t want hosts staying with you because of a few bad appples? I’ve had a few non-hosts who were a PITA too but I keep moving forward. It’s the only way to keep making money.
I really wouldn’t worry so much about private review. If you feel his comment can help you improve, take it into account, if not, who gives a hoot!
I wouldn’t waste energy replying and especially not a public reply. Beware when you reply to reviews - its public and written in stone you can’t change once posted as I found out to my dismay and embarrassment this week thinking I was replying privately to a guest who posted a lie about my amenities.
Having said that each experience can help you do better, perhaps you can improve the tone of your welcome pack or something, try to see it through the guest’s eyes.
My last guest said in the private review I should leave slippers and bathrobes for guests. Come on, perhaps I should bring them breakfast in bed too? Let it be known I did not respond to this and I won’t have him back!
I’ve moved on - but interesting to hear about others’ experiences.
I’m not in the airbnb business out of choice but necessity (long story) so it’s not my natural metier. I’m certainly not cut out for it but I am a superhost so am obviously doing something right.
Personally, I find that manners are not what they used to be: I would personally never disturb the owner of any property I was staying at - and I’ve stayed in a lot - unless it was something major like there was no heating or water. I would never give feedback of a personal nature…ie. you know nothing about community (that was it Magwitch) other than the guy didn’t like rules and dos and don’t as it ‘took the fun’ out of his holiday. I’m not there to provide people with fun. I’m there to make sure my house is clean and available with all the amenities for your holiday.
Anyway, many thanks for your experiences. I disagree about not wasting energy replying…it’s the only way for me to divest myself of the irritation I feel. But of course it must be done privately and politely…I do feel people might learn that they have been impolite if they are actually told. But I agree with the sentiment that there are nutters out there who one should probably just swiftly move on from.
