Patricia B.

Homeaway's new algorithm program was written by an idiot to benefit Homeaway and VRBO only. Homeowners get rated on their performance and their exposure to potential renters is based on that performance rating. The glitch is that the program makes errors and then penalizes the homeowner. According to their customer support techs, there is nothing that can be done to individually correct that glitch. Here is my personal experience.
1. The number of views to my property differs substantially between this year and last year, almost 75% difference. I call homeaway to inquire about the discrepancy and an informed about their new algorithm system. It seems for three days during Memorial Day weekend, I did not receive text nor email informing me that I had an inquiry and therefore did not reply from the email I set up and have been using for the last 3 years. I am told "it's not their problem" and I should have logged in to my Homeaway account and therefore being penalized with a low rating. The low rating making my listing come up at the end of other listings who might have paid less but responded quicker to their inquiries.
2. I make sure to log in, update my calendar, respond immediately to inquiries and my rating increases.
3. I receive duplicate inquiries from the same person. One at 12:00 and the other at 12:01. I respond immediately to the inquiry and continue to have email conversations with that potential renter. I notice my score is low when I log in to Homeaway immediately call and am told I should have responded to the duplicate inquiry so the computer doesn't penalize me. He says there is nothing he can do about it.
I have spent hours on the phone and all I am told is "I understand your frustration but there is nothing that we can do to correct the situation". Unacceptable answer.