Picture this: A guest checks into your vacation rental in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, the lights aren't working. They call you multiple times, but you aren't reachable on the phone number you have provided.
Of course, no one is going to spend time in a rental without electricity. If you're nowhere to be found, the most likely outcome is a booking cancelation and a nasty online review.
Communication can make or break the experience of a vacation rental guest. Check out these vacation rental communication tips every host needs to know.
1. Be Reachable
Being a vacation host often means being present to look after your guests. You need to be available on the phone, just in case something comes up. And if there's one thing about vacation rental hosting, something always comes up!
You have no choice but to be there to receive the call or respond to a text message whenever a guest needs your help. Have a dedicated number for dealing with guest queries. This will make it easier for you to keep track of guest communications.
If you're away for whatever reason, delegate the job to someone. If you leave the phone unattended, you risk missing an urgent call or message from your guests.
2. Provide Crucial Information On-Site
Being a vacation host shouldn't be all about tending to your guests. You should be able to look away from the phone and catch some sleep whenever you want.
You can reduce the need for your guests to contact you by providing as much crucial information as possible during check-in. A guest shouldn't call you to ask where to find the key, for instance. This information should be in the welcome package that a guest receives as soon as their booking is confirmed.
3. Make the Most of Communication Tools Offered by Vacation Rental Sites
Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo are some of the top vacation rental sites where hosts can list their properties. These sites provide powerful tools that hosts can use to make communication with short-term rental guests easier.
On Airbnb, for instance, hosts can automate a welcome message for guests. This message can include important information, including how to check in and how to contact the host for urgent issues. This makes Airbnb management more efficient for hosts.
4. Consider Outsourcing Short-Term Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental is a full-time job. There are no two ways about it.
If you can't give your rental undivided attention, you'll run into several challenges. There's a perfect solution for you, though. Outsource the job to a local vacation management company.
The company will assign you a vacation rental property manager, who will be responsible for everything from managing bookings to handling guest complaints.
Beyond Vacation Rental Communication Tips
Guest satisfaction is your #1 priority as a vacation property owner in Puerto Rico. Effective communication, which is a major challenge for hosts, is one of the keys to achieving this goal. While these vacation rental communication tips will help, what you really need is a vacation property management service.
PMI Puerto Rico is part of a property management franchise that has been in business for 20 years. With us on your side, expect a fruitful vacation rental ownership experience.
Contact us to learn more about our services.
