Some vacation rental management companies absolutely love the idea of automating email responses to their vacation rental inquiries. They have experienced firsthand how automating responses can make their life easier. However, others shake their heads and are determined to stay away from the automation process due to the fact they want to provide personal customer service. But, is customer service responding to an inquiry 5-6 hours after it was received? Is customer service having a rushed phone conversation with a potential booking because you notice your inbox overflowing with emails and each one needed your response hours ago?

There has been some discussion or perhaps you can say concern around how automation eliminates the "human touch."  And yes, automating your email inquiry responses can cut out the personal aspect that property managers pride themselves on providing their guests. But this is only if you choose to step away and let the automation process take over. Have you thought about the additional opportunities you would have if you actually had more time to interact with potential bookers and the possibility of increasing your revenue because you can process more bookings?

What property managers sometimes overlook is the opportunity that is created when the inquiry reply process is automated. As a property manager, here are a couple of things to think about:

•  If an inquiry is responded to within minutes, there is a better opportunity of converting a looker into a booker.
  
  
•  Your office can manage inquiries proactively as opposed to reactively.
  
  
•  There is more time to focus on marketing, administrative tasks and researching actionable opportunities to increase bookings
  
  
•  Most importantly, there is more time to personally pick up the phone and have a conversation with an inquirer that received your response but has yet to complete the booking process.

Automating the vacation rental inquiry reply process only increases the opportunity to provide personal and customized service to your potential bookers. If you are not buried in responding to rental inquiries, answering the same questions over and over, you can pick up the phone and provide the human touch you were afraid might be lost in the automation process. Let's face it, a follow up phone call is an opportunity to reach out to a potential booker and help them with the process and this can be a part of your daily ritual if you're not drowning in email.

Are you still managing your vacation rentals the old-fashioned way? If you are, you're probably not the only property manager or vacation homeowner manually processing bookings. Not all of us have yet to leverage today’s technologies and services that are revolutionizing the vacation rental industry. If you have yet to embrace change and technology to manage your vacation rentals more efficiently, now is the time!  

There are many challenges with doing things "old school" and manually entering and managing vacation rental properties. I'm sure you know firsthand how hard it can be to manage all the data and keep up with daily changes that take place when you are managing multiple properties. Vacancy status is always changing. There is the possibility of double booking properties because you do not have the correct information. It can also be very expensive to hire a staff to manually manage all your properties and bookings in order to keep on top of everything.

You can generate more bookings and manage those bookings easier by embracing today's technology and automating your vacation rental management processes, operations, and online bookings. There are  vacation rental software companies that can take you and your company to the next level. With the technology being offered today, you can fully manage your properties 24/7, automate online reservation bookings, automate vacation rental responses, simplify operations, reduce overhead expenses and spend more time on marketing and other tasks that can increase your revenue.

Here are some perks to embracing technology:

·         You can offer guests the convenience of safe and secure online booking 24/7 

·         Guests can check rates and availability online in real-time with a vacation rental calendar

·         Credit cards can be processed online

·         Email replies for requests-for-quotes can be automated 24/7 

·         Immediate access to reporting to keep you organized and on top of bookings as well as snapshots of what's been paid, awaiting payment and past due....all with a click of a button 

·         You can accomplish more in less time with less effort 

There are an abundance of opportunities to embrace technology and there is a huge benefit to implementing a cutting-edge property management system to streamline your operation. Yes, there is definitely some upfront work on your part, but in the long run....it's definitely worth your time!  

As a vacation rental owner, every inquiry I receive represents an opportunity to book a vacation rental and more importantly an opportunity to generate revenue.  The way I choose to respond to an inquiry is so important for my business and can make it or break it for me. It’s the first form of communication that is generated from me and sent directly to a prospective renter and first impressions do matter! I believe that if I impress a prospect when I reply to their request to rent, my chances of getting the booking increases dramatically. I personally can’t count how many times I’ve sent an inquiry to a rental owner or manager only to receive a lackluster reply that doesn’t satisfy my request to rent or the reply is sent long after submitted and I’ve lost interest. My opinion of that company or owner quickly deteriorates.

Think about it…if you can’t send a quick and complete response to a person’s inquiry regarding the rental of a vacation home, do you think they are going to have confidence in the house and/or the services you provide? Probably not! Because of this, I designed an inquiry response system that responds automatically and includes a quote for requested dates, calls out features about my property, and also includes some simple property rules and/or restrictions. I also give them the ability to quickly link to my booking process which makes it easy to rent my place 24/7. This enables me, as well as my clients, to have the response process down to a science. I assure you that I now have a better opportunity of consistently booking my rentals.

What does an effective inquiry response reply look like? Here are a few tips to set you up for success. 

1.      Respond immediately to inquiries. And by immediately, I mean within the hour. When searching for the perfect vacation rental, people will inquire on several properties at a time. If you are the first to get back to them, you have increased your chances of them booking with you.  It also shows to the potential guest that you are a serious about renting your vacation home.  I have clients that have increased their bookings by simply automating the reply process and immediately responding to inquiries. The prospects are then sent to their website where they can book online 24/7.

2.      Include ALL the details in the response.  I am elated when I receive a response email that contains all the important details that I need to make an informed decision. This saves me time and I don’t have to continue contacting someone for additional information. The information is located in one email and it’s easy for me to refer back to it. This should be your goal….make it SIMPLE for the inquirer to make an informed decision. Your response email should include a general greeting, picture of the rental, ad/site listing number, information about the property’s key aspects, booking website, and most importantly a quote including security deposits, cleaning fees, taxes, as well as payment terms. Renters want to know the total cost upfront and quickly providing this information will help capture that booking while the iron is hot!  

3.       Provide local information.  What cool local features, events, activities, or venues are located near your rental or in the surrounding area? This type of information can save potential renters time researching things to see and do, and helps them in planning their trip.  It can also provide additional benefits to renting your vacation home, especially if there are some cool activities close by.  

4.      Make it professional. Online fraud is such a huge issue today. Professionally crafted responses can establish you as a credible business that a renter can trust to do business with. If your inquiry responses are kept professional and complete, potential renters will be more comfortable with making a reservation and your online payment process. Also, make sure your email address contains your company name or your full name if you’re an owner managing your own rental.  This will allow prospects to quickly recognize a legitimate email address and not a potential scam.

Accomplishing all this manually can be a daunting daily task, especially if you receive an overwhelming number of inquiries each day. With MyVRMS’ vacation rental management system, you can automate the response process and include all these tips to help increase your online bookings 24/7.

Dava Trusner is the founder of MyVRMS. For more information or a personal one-on-one demonstration, contact Dava at info@myvrms.com.

I am always shocked by how few vacation rental owners and property managers take the time to follow-up quickly after a potential guest has inquired about a property. In fact, businesses in general are lethargic when it comes to following up with potential clients and I see a direct correlation with their overall customer service (or lack of). Why is it important to follow up? Simple, because the customer service you provide to a prospective guest will differentiate you from your competition.

Recently, when searching for a beach rental, I was annoyed and frustrated with the lack of response. Here I was, actively looking for a rental and ready to book, but very few property managers and owners would get back to me with the information I needed, let alone in a timely manner. In this situation I was very interested in the vacation rental that was being marketed and advertised as available, but the lack vacation rental management and the absence of a complete response left a bad taste in my mouth.

To ensure bookings, it’s important to respond promptly, engage with a potential guest, and keep in mind the importance of customer service. Here are a few tips to turn a rental inquiry into a repeat guest.

1.   Respond Immediately to Inquiries:  Responding to an inquiry within three hours increases your chances of getting that booking by 54%. MyVRMS’ vacation rental management software can automate bookings and email responses to all your rental inquiries and your prospective guests will receive an immediate response to their inquiry, 24/7. MyVRMS handles all inquiry responses, allowing you more time to follow up with prospective guests so you can be proactive as opposed to reactive.

2.   Reach out to Potential Guests:  After you have responded to an initial rental inquiry, make it a point to send a follow up email or phone call. If for some reason the vacation rental the prospect initially inquired about is not ideal, contacting them directly will give you an opportunity to discuss what they are looking for and offer an alternative property. It also allows you an opportunity to provide alternative reservation dates if the dates they inquired about are already booked. As a business owner, I believe it is important to follow up with prospects until I have determined that they do or don’t want to do business with me. I see it as an opportunity to establish a long term client relationship.

3.   Email Campaigns:  This is another way to strategically reach out to guests who have considered your vacation rental, or guests that have previously stayed at your property. With an email campaign you can easily showcase properties and feature “deals.”  A monthly email campaign will keep you top of mind and in touch with prospects and previous guests. You can also proactively campaign your inquiry contacts to fill upcoming vacancies. Not all prospects that inquire about a rental book immediately and perhaps a week may go by or even longer before a prospect is ready to book. Put plan in place to campaign your inquiry contacts monthly or even weekly and you will have opportunities to turn prospects into a clients. Persistence will pay off!

4.   Follow-up: This is an important step to complete after a guest has rented your vacation rental. A quick telephone call to see how their stay was can reinforce their decision to rent from you again. Some owners actually call the renter the day after a renter has checked in to make sure they are comfortable. A simple gesture such as a phone call can give you an opportunity to connect with your guests and may increase the likelihood of a return guest or a positive review.  Additional follow up ideas include:

·        Send a postcard with a picture of your home, the website or link to easily find you again.

·        Handwrite a thank you note and include a simple refrigerator magnet containing your contact information.

Here’s the bottom line. You can easily differentiate yourself from your competition by making the effort to be customer service oriented and following-up with prospects and previous guests. Don’t take it for granted that they will call you. Be proactive and reach out to them. At the same time, make it easy for them to find you again.

Remember the old saying, “a picture says a thousand words?” It’s a saying that rings true when potential renters are looking at vacation properties. One of the most important aspects in renting a vacation property is having great photography available. Potential renters depend on photos to help them in their decision-making process.  If the photos do not showcase the vacation rental as inviting or in the best light, a potential renter will quickly move on and view another vacation rental’s photos, and if they like what they see, they will book it.

Here’s a fact. No matter how wonderful your vacation rental is….if your pictures don’t show it, you won’t have as many rental inquiries, let alone bookings.  Investing in a professional photographer will pay off. They know the techniques to getting that perfect shot and beautiful photos will showcase just how wonderful the vacation rental is. Yes, paying out-of-pocket for a professional photographer can cost you a pretty penny, but maybe you know someone who might be able to help you out? Or perhaps you can trade a photographer’s services with a weekend getaway at your place.

If you advertise on Airbnb.com you can request for one of their local photographers to shoot your vacation rental for FREE. Although Airbnb.com will own the pictures, this will give you visual proof that professional photos are well worth the investment.

There is no doubt, with beautiful photos you will see an increase in inquiries and bookings. I speak from experience and can show you the before and after pictures. See below:

BEFORE—Taken with my camera.                                                        AFTER—A professional’s touch!

If you decide to take pictures on your own, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• First, make sure you are working with a nice camera that will take quality pictures. If you don’t have one, find one. It’s important to take quality pictures and you’re not going to get the highest quality from your phone’s camera.
• Take exterior pictures during your peak season and when the home’s exterior is truly showcased in the best light. You don’t want to take a picture when there is no foliage on the trees or the grass is brown. If you’re advertising during the ski season, make sure there is enough snow on the ground to make a skier’s mouth water. Also, you want the exterior clean. Do not include miscellaneous trash cans or clutter in the picture. If there is a view to offer, get a shot of the surrounding area ….. mountains with snow caps, an ocean view, nearby golf course, etc. If you have multiple peak seasons, then take an exterior shot during each and change pictures prior to each season to truly paint a picture for the upcoming season!
• For interior shots, make sure the rental is clean and has a look and feeling of “home.”  In fact, the rental should be so tidy, it looks as if the place has been scrubbed from top to bottom and nicely organized. Lighting is also critical. You don’t what the pictures to come out dark and dreary, but rather bright and inviting. Open the windows to bring in the natural light. Also, provide photographs for each of the bedrooms, family room, kitchen and any other room that will enhance the selling point of the rental.
• Once you’ve taken the photographs, invest some time with Photoshop to edit the pictures. Photoshop will enable you to turn good pictures into great pictures.

Yes, a picture says a thousand words. Renters may quickly scan the rental information, but they will definitely spend time looking at the pictures. Invest the money and take the time to do it right. You will definitely see a return on your investment.

When a potential guest is intent on finding a vacation home rental for their upcoming family vacation, they are most often focused and “in the zone.” They are ready to find that ideal rental and check off the task of “Perfect Summer Vacation House Booked.” They don’t want to wait for days to get a response that simply states, “The property you’re interested in isn't available. We will give you a quote shortly." Prospects want to find a place, get a quote, and pay for it, without this task taking days or weeks. Most likely they will book the property that responds the quickest!

In today’s world, technology has added the expectation of immediate response. When an email is sent, we expect a response…..most times in minutes….. NOT hours or days!

Do you want to increase bookings? Then exceed the expectations of your potential guests by providing immediate response to their inquiries. It’s a simple concept and can be achieved with MyVRMS.

Through the success of our clients, we have determined that providing prospects immediate answers to their questions, including the availability and cost, are key to processing more bookings. Our clients increase bookings by simply automating the reply process with MyVRMS, while immediately responding to inquiries and sending prospects to their website where they can book online 24/7.

Yes, it’s a technological world we live in. There is no such thing as 9-5. It’s 24/7 for those of us that want to capture the booking first!

It’s a new year! Forget resolutions….It’s time to take action. Creating or reenergizing your client communication plan is an important business practice you should consider integrating in the New Year to set your business up for success.

The New Year is a great time to refocus your client communication and in so doing enhance owner loyalty and the loyalty of returning guests. It’s important to build ongoing relationships with your clients and every interaction is an opportunity to enhance those relationships. Keep in mind, owner retention as well as returning guests are more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. This year, take the time to include a simple communication plan in your overall marketing strategy.

If you haven’t already, you may want to consider the following:

·         What Works?:  Consider what has worked for you in the past and what has not been successful. You don’t want to make the same mistakes.

·         Editorial Calendar:  Develop an editorial calendar and content to deliver a unified monthly message across all platforms based on timely information, resources, and current offerings.

·         Email Marketing:  Develop a monthly email marketing campaign targeting both owners and returning guests.   

·         Blog:  Create a blog that delivers valuable and useful content, providing a compelling reason to come back.

·         Quarterly Newsletter:  A quarterly newsletter can be sent as a direct mail and packed with valuable content.

·         Facebook:  If you haven’t already, create a Facebook account. It’s free, simple to update, and can be easily incorporated in your overall communication plan.

·         Repurpose Content:  To deliver a unified monthly message you can consider repurposing content from your email campaign for your blog, Facebook postings, newsletter, etc.

·         Birthday Cards: Show them you care…..send them a birthday card from your organization.

The New Year is the perfect time to set your business up for success and begin implementing your client communication plan. The year goes quick, so start today.

The vacation rental industry has gone through amazing growth in the last 10 years. With so many options of renting out your second home, renting out a bedroom, or renting out your own home while you are on vacation is just beyond what I would of imagined for the future. I remember buying my first second home and thinking, would'nt it be nice to rent this out when I'm not able to use it, this was 15 hears ago. I thought to myself, how would I get renters? Will anyone rent from me? How much would I charge? Will I want unknown random people in my home? Well, fast forward 15 years, and I have more business than I can handle. I actually turn away more business than I can accommodate. Funny how things work out!

The industry has exploded with tons of choices to advertise your space or home. From the giant, homeaway, who owns several sites like vrbo, vacationrentals.com, to airbnb, the couch surfing site that acts like a reservationist for you. Where do you begin?

First, with research. Once you are seasoned and understand the business, venture out to other niche sites, like this one I recently read about, surfbreakrentals.com

Now, I love to vacation at the beach, so surfbreakrentals.com is the perfect site for me to visit and search for the fabulous surf side villa. I have always been frustrated searching for a beachfront rentals amongst the other sites, because there are so many and it’s time consuming actually finding a rental directly on the beach without having to sift through tons of homes that are not. You can also search vacation rentals by surf spot. This is truly a surfers paradise to find a place based on the best surf in town!

The best part about surfbreakrentals.com is its FREE to list your property on the website. Now, what is better than that? It was also developed by and intended for surfers, there is nothing cooler than that?

I believe that advertising on niche sites as well as one or two of the larger sites is the perfect advertising blend. The large sites will most likely bring you the traffic, because it’s an obvious site where renters search and a niche site will help bring focused travelers, and you never know which one may bring you the most business, until you give it a try.

With the explosion of the industry, you can find almost any niche site, pet friendly, ski vacations, beach vacations, golf vacations, and now beachfront rentals.

Check them out,  surfbreakrentals

Often I think of new ways to fill vacancies, those unruly reservation gaps that make you want to cry!

When you look at your existing reservation calendar and see an open night in between two reservations, why not try to fill this vacancy by upselling it to your upcoming guests.

Give your vacation rental guests a call and offer the extra night for a discounted rate. Offering this open night at a discounted rate, increases your overall vacation rental revenue with minimal effort. Most guests will be willing to take you up on the offer to extend their family getaway just one extra night. Like the old saying goes, "Ask and you shall receive?"

The beauty in this is that you've got two potential takers, the departing guests and the arriving guests. I suspect one of them will take you up on the offer.

Another option is to offer a late departure or an early arrival for an extra fee.

These days its all about maximizing what you get with what you have! So try it out and keep us all posted on how it goes!

Does your vacation rental have that extra special touch?

My Vacation rental is on the slopes in North Lake Tahoe and I am always thinking of ways to provide extra amenities that would make someone remember this condo for their next vacation.

I thought, what is it that someone might forget to bring on vacation to the snow that I could provide with little or no extra cost?

How about snow gloves for kids. It seems that this is always a necessity that is either left at home or kids are loosing while on the slopes. Since I have young children of my own, I decided to take those extra gloves we have and put them in a box at the condo. This way my renters can enjoy having them there when they need them and I am not spending money to buy them or care too much if they get lost or taken home.

So, I challenge you to think about what it is that you can provide in your vacation rental that your renters would just absolutely “love”

Remember it’s the little things that you can do that will provide the extra special touch that will bring you repeat business over and over.