Airbnb's redesigned app empowers micro-hoteliers to deliver personality driven hospitality

"We are a hospitality company." - Brian Chesky, CEO Airbnb

On November 12, Airbnb hosted their first ever Airbnb Open event and made some exciting new announcements targeted primarily at their host community.  Although birthday wishes for yours truly weren't among them, the big news was the launch of a revamped mobile app.  Also making headlines was a suite of new programs aimed at improving the host experience and consequently the hospitality that Airbnb relies on its 350,000 hosts to deliver.

In the atrium of Airbnb's beautifully designed new headquarters, Brian Chesky illustrated his company's roots and then introduced the revamped mobile app with an electrifying passion and contagious enthusiasm that I have now come to expect during his talks.  While the improved app now seduces accommodation seekers ever more with inviting imagery and a cleaned up user interface, the real magic is in the mobile app's new host-facing user experience called Host Home.  For once, it's the suppliers who get the cool tools!

The company blog says it best . . .

"Hosting should be easy and enjoyable. That’s the premise behind our new Host Home. Think of Host Home as your hosting mentor—always there when you need it. Host Home provides you the right information at the right moment, from coaching you through listing a space to allowing you to effortlessly manage multiple bookings. Hosting on Airbnb has never been such a snap."

This is a unique approach compared to other travel and hospitality companies whose mobile apps focus almost exclusively on the consumer. But unlike companies such as Marriott, who have standard operating policies for their hotel staff, Airbnb is at the mercy of its hosts to deliver hospitality.  Many are first time hosts and could possibly look to Host Home as a "hosting for dummies" of sorts. 

If you think about the Airbnb customer experience from search to post-stay, the company's biggest challenge is the guest's arrival and the hospitality they experience during their stay.  These are the ultimate moments of truth, and unfortunately these critical moments that can make or break a customer experience are out of the direct control of Airbnb.  So to the extent that the company can creatively educate and empower hosts on hospitality standards, the better the chances for improved guest experiences.

So it comes with little surprise that the new Airbnb app seeks to influence host behavior and ultimately create a more consistent hospitality experience -- from basic comfort needs all the way to anticipatory service that creates a truly memorable trip.  Host Home provides hosts with best practices on delivering hospitality at the critical moments of a guest's travel experience.  The mentorship comes straight from the legendary Chip Conley, the company's new Head of Hospitality, and is aligned with improving the guest experience at each of the nine moments of truth he and his hospitality team have identified.  

But don't be fooled into thinking that the nine hospitality standards will make for cookie cutter experiences.  There is probably no better guru than Chip Conley to coach Airbnb hosts (or anyone for that matter) on providing authentic hospitality by embracing their unique personalities.  

In addition to announcing the revamped mobile app, Airbnb also announced the follow new features and releases:

Airbnb Stories: A new content marketing platform, Airbnb Stories is a collection of just that . . . inspiring stories that have emerged as a result of hosts opening up their homes to guests and letting their paths cross. 

SuperHost Alliance: Airbnb said it will relaunch its SuperHost program in 2014. The company describes the SuperHost Alliance as "a league of extraordinary Airbnb hosts" whose listings reflect their special status with a badge.

Host Rewards: Also beginning in 2014, Airbnb will run a rewards program for hosts, giving them travel credits, perks, and other privileges.

Host Groups: Debuting in beta in June and formally launching Tuesday, Host Groups now have more than 10,000 participants in more than 300 groups.  Groups allow hosts to leverage their collective knowledge to help each other improve their hosting capabilities.

Hospitality Lab: Chip Conley gave a peek at the inner workings of Airbnb's Hospitality Lab in Dublin, outlining standards hosts should follow in booking (to build trust), preparation (to make a good first impression), and arrival (interactions with guests).