Airbnb Research Report

Research Report 1

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Table of contents

Pg2-3

Content Page

Pg4-5

Introduction

Pg6-7

Project Objective

Pg8-9

Methodology

Pg10-11

-SWOT

Pg12-13

- Interviews

Pg14-15

-Persona

Pg16-18 Pg19 Pg20-21 Pg22-23

-How Might We -Ideation -Design Development

-Design Pg24-25 Recomendations

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Introduction

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Airbnb a well-known accommodation app has been around for awhile It is popular with the millennials. It started out as a bed and breakfast place and now currently makes revenue of 2.6 billion USD as of last year (2017).

Airbnb started off mainly in the US but has slowly made its way to provide their services around the world.

Recently they have tired, approaching Asia’s market and have set up a Pacific Asia office right here in Singapore.

Its simple aesthetics and beautiful pictures capture people’s attention off the bat and help them be iconic among other travel apps and websites.

Airbnb services depend on a lot of trusts and it also revolves around building a community and a family providing

travellers with new ways to spice up their holiday.

Not only that Airbnb has also provided other services like accommodation but experiences as well that are tailored to each country’s speciality.

But as of recent Airbnb has been a hot topic in certain countries as they review the rules that Airbnb has to follow in order to continue their business.

Many have spectacular that it is illegal to book an Airbnb in Singapore but it was just a rumour but there are discussions regarding the rule and regulations.

Thus in the report, we will be exploring methods on how Airbnb can expand it’s business while still admitting to the rules and regulation.

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Project Objective

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My research will explore the different aspects, of how Airbnb can strive in Asia’s Market.

Apart from that the research, will also be understanding what the users want from

Which will include - The methods used - The insights gain -Target audenice - Design Recommendations

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Methodology

Observation & Immersion

- Arranging observerations in SWOT -Mapping of my own expereinces

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Interviews & surveys

Persona Journe

- Learning their existing perceptions

-Identitifyin stalkholde

- Identitifying stalkholders

-Identitifyin points for e

- Asseting their options on their expereince

-Mapping p expereince

a & User ey Map

Identifying Insights

ng target ers

- Identifying pain points and highlights via User journey map

ng pain each persona

personas’ e

- Breaking down the pain points and higlights

Identifying Opportunities

-Brainstroming for ideas - Finalize design recommendations

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User Jounrey Map Browsing

Plans 01

02 03

04

05

06

01) Booking of Airtickets for Chiang Mai , Thailand

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02) Moves over to Airbnb to get an accomendation

03) Keys in location and other details

04)Click on the homes cateorgy

06) G litte ch

Booking

09

12

08

6

Gets too hoices

11 07

10 08) Has more decent choices now.

12) 09) Clicks to 10) 11) See the see the Shocked at breakdown Booked details the price of the price the room after placing in the dates

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Immersion (SWOT)

S W O T

trenght

eakness

- Photo and text has a neat layout , readable fronts -Interested places open in new tab ridding the hassle of going back and forward in your history - Categories potential users’ preferences (Family and work) Filters

- No FQA function( app and website) -There’s only 2 main services Airbnb provide; Homestay and experiences -Not all information are given on the front page, especially pricing

- Easier dedicated platform to acess tips and events -Buliding a community -Increase the number of services

ppunities

hreats

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- Authenticy - Security for personal info

Insights Gain Strenght The strength gave some insight into what

well-craved front it is very readable for all ages

Airbnb is doing right.

and types of people which gives the sense of inclusiveness even though it is a small detail.

- Having the neat layout makes it more userfriendly, which does attract some people to

From here we can tell that the site was very

the site as it becomes more comfortable to

well thought out as it is not only user friendly

read and browse the site

but also very inclusive as a mention.

The fronts are important as well, with their

From the weakness, we can see what are the

The main one I would like to talk about

things that can improve the app or website.

it probably about not being open and transparent with the users.

I place having only 2 types of service under weakness as if you are a person who does not

As there are additional costs in place after

travel often these services don’t tend to relate

attempting to book the place. Where users

to the user.

will start to lose trust in the brand as they feel cheated and disappointed

- Having the opportunities section highlight

Why they approach Facebook group because

somethings that the company could do or

there was a certain amount of trust that there

improve on.

are people running the group whom they can be open with.

Building a community, base on that it is not to be taken they don’t have a community they

And there is also no sharing platform for the

do but it is very scattered and usually on the

host to contact each or ask for a piece of

other platforms eg Facebook.

advice, it an closed up community.

Threats identify what would harm the

And being a host, one definitely has a fear

company and what we should fear for the

factor of what happens if my address leaks

company,

out especially if one was famous or a private person.

Authenticity, as the site gets more popular among people it becomes hard to keep it

It is nice to have the security, which will gain

special and true to itself and the company.

peoples’ trust.

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Perception of Airbnb Wanting to experience local lifestyle and having a feel of being at home

Review section and the user verification

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Being able to com selected apartm don’t have the would have to op tabs to com

Create an instant messaging app

mpare a few ments. They function. I pen multiple mpare.

i hope that the option for hostels/guesthouses can be more obvious other than just putting "homes" under the search option.

It is cheaper and I personally feel that the cleanliness is better too

Much more friendly app?

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Avery

Bio Age: 22 Career: Journalist Character:Adventurous A travel journalist, who loves a good adventure and is always down to explo re.

Pain Points

Goals

- Has very few activities that interest her on the app

- To discover unique and out-of-this-world experiences

-Had a terrible experience with the host on the previous home-stay

- To be inspired by whatever and whenever

Browsing

Plans

Booking

02

08

01 06

04

07

05

12 09

03

11 10

01)Receive news on the next job and next location.

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02)Finds a list of houses easily .

any interesting events.

04) Try searching other sites for events and activities.

05) Saw some hotel promotions and advertisemen .

06) Wonder if she should book a hotel instead .

07) looks at the budget given decided to go back to Airbnb site .

08) Found a place within her budget .

09)Discovers 10) Could there hidden not contact host costs. regarding the cost and other enquiries.

11) Recalls a terrible experience of house renting.

12) Decided to take the risk and book the place .

Mike

Bio Age: 38 Career: Engineer Character: Kind A family man, who is very protective about his family and like to spend time with family

Pain Points

Goals

- Hard to gather family on a daily basis

- To spend more time more time with family

-Family has various interest hard to come to an agreement

- To make more memories with his children

Browsing

Plans 01

02

Booking 06

07

05

09

02)Hears that Airbnb is a good platform to checkout.

03) Try to get his family, together to plan the hoilday as a family.

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08

04 01) Plans a holidays

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10

03

05) Recalls old family trips to see he can do something similar.

06)Found a few places that were similar to the past trips.

07) Sharing 08) Family the choices can’t come with the to a family. decision.

09)Calming the situation down Mike ask each to suggest the place of their choice.

10) Found 11) Plans some places out the that match itinerary on the wants for paper and each ask the member. family over dinner.

12) Comes to a decision and book the place.

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Tracey

Bio Age: 35 Career: Buyer Character: Thrifty A successful businesswoman, who travels a lot for work

Pain Points

Goals

- Employer doesn’t book her accommodation for her business trip.

-Gets frustrated easily after spending too much time on the internet -On a tight budget

Browsing

Plans 01

Booking

05

04

07 12

02

06

10

03

11

08 09 01) Has to go for an overseas business meeting

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02) Boss gave very little allowance for her this business trip

03) Looks through her usual hotel/hostel sites, realised it was not within her budget.

04) Try out Airbnb for a cheaper range.

05) Found some 06) Checks good choices her ‘liked’ under the Work locations category. and realised she is spoiled for choices.

07) Opens an 08) excel sheet Frustrated that she has and starts to go back listing the pros and cons and for, to of each place. get the information.

09) Eyes get tired and become upset that it is hard to make a decision.

10) Decided to pick the cheapest few.

12) Booked 11) Rules the out the cheapest ones that one out of are the too frustration. far away.

How might we

How might we ease user's experience and ensure they feel secure while using Airbnb services ?

Having a How-might-we statement gives the research a focal point. After all the interviews and data where collated and express thru out persona.

The How-might-we statement is based on the expreince of the persona and what pain points we would like to target at.

-Tracy’s pain points are that she has too many choices and can’t decide on a place even after browsing for a long time. .

Thus the How might we include 2 important factors; making the expereince easier and a sense of security while using Airbnb’s e-services.

Avery’s pain points, are mainly feeling frustrated that she has diffculty reaching the host and she stills has doubts about the place.

Mike’s pain points are that his family are always out on their own and rarely has time to discuss about Family vaccation, but don’t

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Planning as a group can be quite diffcult so having a shared platformed

Sharing platform

To give the a certain spend o

Break t

How migh user's expe ensure they while usin servic

Reply to reviews Replying to reviews give a sense of transparency and getting a 2nd options.

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Quiz to help decide on places to go like a lucky draw kinda thing

e user a break after n amount of time on the site or app

time

iz Qu

ht we ease erience and y feel secure ng Airbnb ces ?

Pl an ni ng Planning mainly for iternary, information for travel loactions and maps

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Design Development Quiz

Break time

After much more thought quiz doesn’t give the user the security they need if anything it makes people feel for insecure and fear the unknown.

In the recent few months, having a break from the internet is common practice as we are always so engross in the things happening online instead of things happening in front of us

Planning

Sharing

Planning is for a trip is not for everyone, but it is important to take note and orgainse the plans you had in mind, it gives comfort an security that things are in order.

Sharing your plans or trying to decide an option is a chore sometimes.It also puts the pressure off a person when someone else makes the decisions.

Reply to Reviews Being able to reply to reviews, will cultivate a more open and transparent community it would increase user’s trust.

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Final Breaking down the concept - Helping to make decisons - Getting to know the users - Help to collate needs and wants to churn out suggestions

A Virtural guide/ Assistant - In order to feel secure the users must trust Airbnb and their services.

- Having a vitural guide will give users some clairty of what they have decided on and to be more transparent to gain user’s trust - Plus the break time, is add on feature to remind the user to take breaks while choosing their places.

Breaking down the concept -Planning is have the sense of security everything is in order - Whlie sharing gives you the ease of not making a decsion

Breaking down the concept - 2nd otpion - Open and transparent commnunity

A Collabrative platform - Trips are planned usually by 1 person but why not include everyone ?

-Being able to see what your friend thinks / wants and if you have ideas to add on .

Reply function - Instead of waiting for the host to reply it is possible to get other reviews to give a reply -It will be a non-bias option 23

Design Recommendations

A Virtural guide/ Assistant The virtural assitant, Ava will guide the users throught the information that is missed out while scrolling and browsing before booking the place . On top of that it will also assist you in making your decsion after you have seen afew places Ava would be able to show the user the pros and cons of each place.

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A Collab platform

A collabrative plat group chat where y suggestion, and it ca and Cons of the plac can instead their com about th

brative m

tform, is abit like a you can share your an list down the Pros ce. The particpants mments and disscus he place.

Reply function By having the reply function, users can ask or enquire about the place that they are looking at via the review, not only they get a honest review but also a 2nd option, which is quite useful when making a decision.

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Conclusion

In Conclusion, the Airbnb app and website are very well done, but through the interviews and research did, There were some concerns that were express and wish to be solved for a better experience.

Not only that but I believe Airbnb will continue to gain feedback from their users to improve their service for them,

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But thru this research, the insights gained from it were significant and mainly targetted towards the users and has not touched on the business and government aspect which is an interesting side of the business

Credits Airbnb logo http://www.stickpng.com/img/ icons-logos-emojis/tech-companies/ airbnb-logo

Campsite picture New york apartments https://www.pinterest.com/

Sharing platform Google docs Monday.com Quiz Buzzfeed .com anywhr.co

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