Thank you Angela. Good to know and I am sure we would all love more detail on how and from whom the feedback was gathered if you or the team care to share.
Can you please provide any further clarification then on the the option for HOs to anonymously “vote” whether or not they’d invite the sitter back? Is there a communication that I missed about this? (I try to stay on top of emails, monthly newsletters etc. but could very well be missing a comms channel.) And is that functionality something that sitters will soon have also?
Thank you
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We can understand member’s interest because the outcome will affect all members and the way they use the product.
Every element of member feedback will be taken into consideration however sharing details of work in progress is simply not practical. We know how important and impactful this functionality is and will deliver the system that is fair and workable for all.
The “new owner feature” being referred to could be the announcement by Ben in his Product update, that there is now a “Behavior Log” on every member’s account, recording behavior such as cancellations etc., which is NOT public but for internal use only …
I have asked the original poster of this “feature” to forward the messaging as how it is currently being described it is not something I’m familiar with. I will update accordingly.
Thank you.
I think that the present system of reviews definitely presents its issues but I have a feeling that this could end up being a ‘be careful what you wish for situation!’ I am definitely interested in this topic and to see what changes they end up making
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in this case, have the HOs been removed from THS?
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How would we know? This is really important, and I hope that we find out the answer!
In the end we agreed- through THS -not to review each other at all. Better no review than a bad unfair one that ruins your reputation.
(Emphasis mine)
So wait… I almost hope that I am misunderstanding this, but it doesn’t make sense:
TH -the company- not only agreed but encouraged that this whole review exchange be scrapped because negative reviews would happen? If so, then they have acknowledged that the system is broken!
That the exact reason why “bad” reviews should happen, so that more people aren’t subject to the same experience by going in blindly.
If that party hasn’t been removed from the system, that’s exactly what will be happening.
I’m looking forward to the explanation, thanks.
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Post deleted
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@MissChef & @anon39388349 thank you and i will tag @Therese who will respond when she is back online … thank you.
Angela
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How is this even ok? This makes me thinking of “Well we all know how so and so can be”. You’re not fixing a problem, but saying that it’s ok to do, and it’s not. Again by not leaving a honest review, people are left in the dark as to what problems they too could have faced.
I understand that the review system is across multiple departments, however there are things that are new features that keep being added, that makes me believe this isn’t on the front burner when it should be.
This honestly makes me laugh, as being an online gamer for WAY to long, games where 100k players may play. They’re able to give updates on works in process or current issues. I understand THS doesn’t have the man power like them, but to even see a note occasionally would show to me and I’m sure others, that this is being taken as serious as should be.
No review system is perfect, as even the suggested review system from airb&b. If HO & HS are both upset at the end of the sit, there is still the chance of a false negative. As one may write a bad review believing the other is going to do the same either way. Sadly its just no getting around that. From what I can tell, there are far more good experiences verses the bad. The Blind reviews and a set time limit to leave one, will at least remove the major retaliation reviews (You left me a bad one, so I’m going to do the same).
Even if there wasn’t a major revamp on the review system in sight, even small changes in the right direction would be huge. Maybe add the star rating for HO, that you have the HS. Maybe set a time limit on when reviews can be submitted after a sit. Anything would be better than nothing in my opinion.
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Hi @BlueDiamondRose, nice to see you back again, it’s been a while. When there is anything relevant or significant regarding any functionality development the applicable team will advise members, as in Ben’s latest update …
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@MissChef We had to get THS involved because communication completely broke down between us and the hosts who were treating us very badly and unfairly and they stopped responding to us. Its a long story. THS liased with us both but were -in the end -only the messenger. It was not the decision or advice of THS to not review. They said we could always respond to a review. But they also understood the damage a negative revenge review from the hosts would have caused us. Just having that poison on our profile!
And I agree completely with you the current review system does not work. We would dearly have liked to write a truthful and devastating review of the hosts to make sure any future sitters were completely pre warned but we could not risk their revenge review. Its very frustrating. We now have our next 12 sits already booked- which would certainly not have happened if they had spoilt our reputation.
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this is infuriating… again, sorry you had to deal with that, but now nobody can benefit from your experience because of your (justified) fear of retaliation.
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But that’s the thing, isn’t it @MissChef? Every sitter or homeowner who needs to leave a negative review is risking retaliation. I would probably leave one now (25 five star reviews) but wouldn’t have early on, and I would word it very carefully in anticipation of retaliation.
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@ MissChef Good points you have made…During a conversation I had with homeowners (married couple) for a potential pet sit, I asked the HO why the previous pet sitters (married couple) had not left a review for them. The pet sit did not go well as far as taking care of the home and the pets. They revealed that the pet sitters had asked them not to leave a bad review or no review at all. They chose the latter and neither party left a review for each other.
I informed them that giving an honest review will give other potential homeowners a heads up of the couple’s behavior. It could be simply saying, “they did not meet their expectations of pet care and taking care of their home.”
Overall, it sounded like fear of retaliation and that should never be the case with THS’ review/feedback system.
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*** ADMIN NOTICE
@Catin88 I will DM you …
This topic has been temporarily closed and a post removed which has been forwarded to the Membership Services Team for support and management.
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Follow up to my Feb '22 and March '22 posts: So my recent sitter left a retaliation review unfortunately. The sitter wrote blatant false claims in her review. Because I can’t respond back to that review, I have filed a dispute with the TH admin. I did this last night.
But this goes to show why a proper rating system is needed. The current one needs to be revamped right away. Sitters and home owners should be able to leave a honest reviews without the fear of retaliation. Transparency is very important. If home owners and sitters fear revenge reviews, they won’t leave accurate ones or won’t rate at all. This means that ratings will be/are skewed.
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You can reply to a review, but it’s hard to find. Look for the “Feedback about you” menu item.
As for your sitter’s claims - I wouldn’t expect a HO to provide food or toiletries for me, so her complaint about those reflects badly on her, not you.
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FWIW, that review wouldn’t really throw up any red flags for me. I expect to provide my own food and toiletries (as should everyone) and I don’t see the point in heating an entire house when you’re only using one room. To me it sounds more like a sitter who wasn’t really prepared for the kinds of behaviors animals can have. Especially older ones.
ETA and if I’d looked at their profile to see other reviews, their most recent would have made me discount anything they’ve said. Seems someone else had a bad experience.
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Yes, I do this as well if I see one bad review amongst a lot of good ones. I read the review given to them, as well as the reviews they’ve given other home owners. It often tells loads.
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