Month: December 2016

Becoming better at managing your vacation rental business isn’t always a walk in the park. However, becoming better as a vacation rental host can help you to fund your ambitions; such as giving a makeover to your home, getting your children to a better college, or simply retiring with the comfort and security of a second income.

With the turn of the calendar, it’s the perfect occasion for vacation rental owners and managers to think about doing things differently starting on Jan. 1. A recent survey by Fidelity shows that simply making a plan to improve in the coming year can be an important part of your overall financial health. Vacation homeowners have other challenges as well, such as getting guest reviews on their listing, keeping their property booked throughout the year, and achieving a position where the listing sells itself rather than the owner/manager having to do it all the time.

1. Become goal-oriented

Jeff Walker writes that “Don’t underestimate the power of having an effective planning process“. It’s super important to have an effective goal-setting process in place. And, we’ve noticed that a lot of hosts who have excelled at their vacation rental business have done so by achieving incremental goals. They strived to become better hosts, kept their properties neat, clean, and impressive, and they’ve remained consistent in providing good service to guests. They’ve then used the cash earned from their vacation homes for their own vacations across some part of the world, bought a better car, or made an investment in an insurance plan that they otherwise could not have afforded.

Some sample goals for you can be:

• Increasing the number of reviews on my listing
• Change the interior or give a makeover to the bedroom/balcony
• Increase the listing rate by improving services (include dinner/supper in the listing offer)

2. Improve the guest experience

When it comes to vacations, nothing will beat a good vacation experience. This is why you can re-evaluate the whole approach you have towards guests. Put yourself in their shoes and think of any improvement that you can make to improve the guest experience starting from the key exchange all the way up to guests’ departure. Read online reviews and comments of hosts who have excelled by providing better service. Better yet, get the basics of your vacation home right and you will see your vacation home bookings skyrocket.

3. Make connections (offline & online)

Establish relationships with other local hosts. This will help you to understand the vacation rental space even better. When you exchange notes with them, you’ll realize that a lot of issues that you face as a host are not uncommon. There must be another host who has faced a similar problem in the past and has resolved it. The value of this network will outweigh the cost (which is usually in the form of time that you’ll have to invest in building relationships).

• Arrange a get-together where you host a tea party for other hosts. This will serve as an ice-breaker between you and people who face challenges/opportunities similar to you.
• Make a Facebook group of local hosts and share views, opinions, resources, and advice. Remember, there’s immense power in social networks that you can tap to grow as a business person. You may start by participating in the existing Facebook groups such as Vacation Rental by Owners or Vacation Homes by Owners Only. Start a LinkedIn group where you can share ideas, build relationships, and collectively grow as a vacation rental owner (see this LinkedIn group called Vacation Rental Professionals – The Vacation Rentals Group).
• Make a list of quarterly/monthly themes on which you want to interact with the hosts/services providers and association members. Put it in Google Calendar and send an invite to other hosts, service providers, and vendors. Holding such events will give you greater insights and confidence to operate in this space, and with more profitability.

The major improvement can be brought about by carefully taking smaller yet consistent steps, investing in your future by listing your property on a good vacation rental platform, and by carefully working towards your goals.

Browse. Book. Stay.

CuddlyNest provides all accommodations to all travelers at the best price. Find unlimited travel inspiration on our blog and social media channels:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X.

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How to handle guest complaints?
The biggest challenges of vacation homeowners

What’s the number one reason a person decides to book a homeshare listing? Is it because it looks amazing with new paint and freshly cleaned carpet? Or is it because CuddlyNest has made it simpler than ever to book a homeshare listing? Sadly we can’t take all the credit – no, people do things because someone else has suggested them to.

Online reviews have changed how people shop, eat, and travel. Sites like Yelp and Goodreads dictate where people should eat and what they should read. Amazon reviews help people decide between different brands of socks, pots, and pans. Why should the homeshare property business be any different?

When guests leave reviews, the homeshare property in question becomes more likely to be used by others. Reviews let others know that this property was worth staying at – or not worth staying at if you’re unlucky. The problem is this: how do you get these guests to actually leave reviews?

Good and Bad News

While it’s true that we live in a very opinionated world, most people don’t share what they have to say through official channels unless they’re very, very satisfied or even slightly displeased. Sometimes no review can be good news in that it at least means a guest didn’t have a horrible experience.

But sometimes even an average review can help sway someone’s vote one way or the other. For instance, think about two almost identical vacation rentals. One has one review that lists it as an alright homeshare property. The house was clean but it wasn’t as big as they imagined. The other has no reviews listed. Which do you think will be chosen?

The other bad news is that it can be rare for guests to leave reviews – unless they’re prompted to. Usually if prodded, a guest will at least give a review out of obligation. You want to go above and beyond to the point where they want to tell you how incredible your property is, but sometimes the reality isn’t so sparkling. To get a review at all is a step in the right direction.

Keep service level high

First, revisit the above paragraph. While it’s good to get an obligatory five-star rating just because a guest wants to get an email out of their inbox, that’s not ideal. The best way to get ratings is to not take mediocrity for an answer – go above and beyond. When the service is stellar, a guest is more likely to leave a great review.

Reach out

Second, never forget to ask for a review. You’re going to be corresponding with the person who has booked your vacation beach house or holiday rental. Go ahead and ask them for a review and you’ll be amazed at how often they oblige you.

Make a feedback page

Use your website/Facebook page to make a dedicated feedback page where you direct your guests for posting reviews. This not only will formalize the process but also streamline it for your guests. You will get distracted and it will make the process seamless.

Give business cards

You also don’t have to leave things in a conversation or email chain. If you want to go above and beyond, leave business cards around the property in easily accessible locations. These can double as easy contact go-to’s, but including a small “Please Review Your Stay” prompt on these cards can boost your reviews.

Use videos

VRMB writes that “Video allows you to convey a sincerity that’s just not possible with text.” Shooting a video has become so easy. Grab your smartphone or a webcam and try rehearsing a 2-3 minute conversation with your guests when they are staying at your vacation place.

Get reviews on your listing page

Finally, make sure to always direct reviewers to CuddlyNest. Why? It’s great that a guest wants to tell you over the phone that they had a wonderful time, but this doesn’t help your business – other potential guests can see your verbal communication. Thank them for their kind words, but then direct them to your vacation rental listing website like CuddlyNest where they can leave a written review.

Browse. Book. Stay.

CuddlyNest provides all accommodations to all travelers at the best price. Find unlimited travel inspiration on our blog and social media channels:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X.

You May Also Like:

How To Give Your Nest a Memorable Name and Description 
How To Take the Best Photos for Your Listing