Uber Clean House, one of the first dedicated Airbnb cleaning services in Australia, released a new study into the Airbnb short term accommodation. The aim of the study was to determine why Airbnb hosts should use professional cleaning services for their Airbnb listings.
The study surveyed 1500 Australian residents over the age of 18.
The study was conducted across Australia between 20 and 25 May 2016.
Key Finding:
- Majority of the Australian survey respondents believe Airbnb hosts should hire professional cleaners in order to create a hotel-like experience for their guests
Following the collection of the data, the study analysed 1500 responses from Australian residents.The study found that Australians feel Airbnb hosts should use professional cleaning services in order to create a more hotel-like experience for their guests.
Participants were asked, “Why should Airbnb hosts hire professional cleaners to manage their short term accommodation?” and were given four different responses to choose from.
The results are as follows:
- To create a hotel-like experience for guests – 41.7 per cent
- To receive 5 star reviews which should result in more bookings – 22.5 per cent
- Because professional cleaners reduce check-out and check-in times – 19.4 per cent
- Because professional cleaners use Eco-friendly cleaning products – 16.4 per cent
The data shows that Australians believe the main benefit of using professional cleaning services to manage an Airbnb property is to create a hotel-like experience for the guests.
South Australian residents seemed to most strongly favour the prevailing response while those in Tasmania felt more strongly about using professional cleaners to receive 5 star reviews or more bookings.
Airbnb hinted at the importance of creating a more hotel-like experience for guests when they hired Chip Conley, long-time hotelier, to serve as head of hospitality in 2013. It signalled that the company was ready to create a better user experience in order to minimise the chances of potential guests turning away from the platform.
Airbnb also lists cleanliness as one of their Hospitality Standards. These standards are designed to help better inform guests and hosts alike about the most likely experience if their transaction goes ahead, which explains why the response “to receive 5-star reviews” was second most popular. Guests can rate the cleanliness of Airbnb listings, with average ratings appearing on the listing page. Clean and tidy listings not only help it look its best but will also make it seem more inviting.
Hosts risk receiving fewer bookings if they consistently receive low ratings on their cleanliness. Guests have come to expect a clean place; a clean space will help travellers feel welcome and comfortable. There is no doubt in the importance of cleanliness for the success of your listing.
Airbnb suggests adding a cleaning fee to the listing price, which can then be used to hire a professional cleaning service. This will help to ensure that Hospitality Standards are met since cleaning can be one of the most challenging and time consuming parts of maintaining a listing.
Convenience and customer experience came in at a close third in the study; cleaners reducing check-out and check-in times was selected by 19.4% of the respondents. The check-in experience can also be rated by guests following their stay, so it is important to make the experience as comfortable and trouble-free as possible. The listing should be clean and ready for check-in by the agreed time, so speedy cleaning is especially important when hosts are faced with back-to-back bookings.
Using professional cleaners because they use Eco friendly cleaning products was selected by only 16.4% of the respondents. Study participants that felt most strongly about this response were those from the Northern Territory, with half of the respondents from there choosing this as their answer.
A previous study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that while more Australians are preferring to use “green” services or products, they are generally less concerned about the environment than they have been in the past. This seems to be reflected in the responses given in this new study. However, the ABS study did find that the most notable decline in concern about the environment also occurred in the Northern Territory. It may be that attitudes have since then changed.
Conclusion:
Uber Clean House’s study offers valuable insights into the importance of using professional cleaning services for your Airbnb listing. Guests expect a high level of cleanliness when they come to stay at the property, much like you would find when you stay at a hotel. Having a clean property will also help to ensure better reviews, happier guests and hopefully lead to more bookings for the hosts.
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