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We talk to
KNOWLEDGE
objective. We charge a small fee for the use of the platform. The host receives the guest’s payment 24 hours after the traveller’s arrival, which makes managing expectations and preventing fraud possible, we ask for a certified ID in the form of a scanned passport, we offer 24-hour customer care...
X. S.: Spain is the third biggest market and Barcelona is the fourth most popular world-wide destination on the website. What experiences does the Spanish market offer? Does Airbnb have one single comprehensive strategy or does it adapt depending on the type of tourism present in a country?
J. M.: Although the company is American, over 50% of business is generated in Europe. Spain is the third largest destination market and there are local realities such as regulation, culture... they are not the same here as in Germany, for example. This led us to open about 20 offices worldwide so we can apply our global vision to the local market.
Jeroen Merchiers
This Belgian industrial engineer settled in Spain over 10 years ago (he had previously been programme director at Business & Decision for Scandinavia, Singapore, China and the US, and project manager at led the growth of Groupalia in the online entertainment sector. Joining the Airbnb team in August 2012 led to a new professional goal, as everyone seems satisfied: “Airbnb is a winwin proposition for users and hosts, and is helping many people in this country face a precarious economic situation”.
X. S.: Focusing now more on personnel matters, what do you value most about the professionals you work with? How do you promote team spirit without sacrificing meritocracy?
J. M.: For me, there are two types of companies: very systematised companies and those that invest in people so they can make decisions. Airbnb is a company that navigates in such a new environment that every day you face something that has never happened before; this is why we seek out proactive people, who take the reins of a situation and act autonomously. I especially value those people who can prioritise tasks that they know will have a positive impact and are dedicated to doing them well.
X. S.: Can you give any advice to ESADE alumni who are undertaking new digital projects?
J. M.: I would recommend taking advantage of being small to personally listen to all their customers while they still can, because once they grow they will lose this ability, and doing it can make a difference. The founders of Airbnb lived with the first hosts for months. I also recommend not trying to predict what the customer will think. They should launch their product onto the market and let this form its opinion.
26 APRIL--JUNE 2015