As a property management company, you’re always looking for those brand new property management services that can improve and maximize the positive guest experience.
In this age of social media and online reviews, getting the guest experience right is an essential ingredient for property management service success. This may seem like an oversimplification considering how hard it is to actually execute.
This can further be complicated when you throw many different properties into the mix. Scaling with an exceptional guest experience can become a challenge. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Here are 6 essential property management services to help elevate the guest experience and make your business stand out.
Communication is key
We recently published a survey about some current highlights and trends in the hospitality industry. We found that a lot of vacation renters responded in a similar fashion.
Much of their feedback centred around communication: returning calls promptly, quicker response times, and more communication overall. Any successful property management services organization should hold communication standards to extremely high levels.
First impressions
Some sayings become cliche’s for a reason. Like the one that goes first impressions are important…or something like that.
When a tenant or a renter sees the property for the very first time, they get a first impression. And frequently, it’s a lasting one.
You can use this to your advantage by turning that first impression into a property management service. A welcome note, gift basket, towels or mints, or some printed recommendations for shopping and dining can go a long way towards creating a welcoming guest experience.
This first impression can even offset any future issues or problems that might arise.
First impressions also extend to curb appeal, cleanliness, and a well-maintained exterior. All of this plays into the appeal and appearance of a property.
Up-to-date availability calendars
Making sure people know when your place is available seems like a no-brainer. However, you may have many units advertised on many different platforms. This can get confusing – thankfully, there are a variety of tools out there to help you connect and sync your calendars throughout the platforms you’re posting on.
Correct availability is critical for making sure a property appears in the search results or is targeted by seekers.
Always maintain a shared calendar and keep it up to date.
Provide 24/7 service – or at least the appearance of it
You cannot be there for your guests 24/7. And honestly, you shouldn’t be. You’re doing this kind of work so you can have a life, not so it can be your complete life.
Property management services should be put in place for emergency situations, yes. A broken pipe in the middle of the night, a sudden hole in the roof, and other things that cannot wait. There should be an emergency line for things like that, and people who handle those kinds of situations.
But a broken oven light, a leaking washing machine, or a clogged sink – these things can wait until morning.
Make a distinction, and stick to it. People will always want their problem to get fixed right now! But be sure to prioritize, and still please everyone while not burning out.
Nail the basics
We mentioned earlier that there is a minimum expectation for customers that do not reward cleanliness, a simple check-in process, necessities, and convenience. Those things are expected. But you cannot take the service to the next level without first providing what is expected and building from there.
This goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyways – make sure listings are accurate, photos are up to date, appliances are working, batteries are installed in detectors and devices, supplies are stocked, and instructions provided where necessary. All of this will provide a foundation for taking the service to the next level.
Solicit feedback from tenants and renters
There is no better source for identifying areas of improvement than the tenants and guests themselves. Solicit feedback and, more importantly, act on that feedback to take your service to the next level. Whether it’s monitoring social media or sending out questionnaires, property managers should seek input if they want to succeed.
In the end, it’s the little things that matter. Guests have an inherent level of expectation that you’ll get the basics right and won’t be impressed by cleanliness and working appliances. To succeed and stand out, the steps and services above will ultimately be the differentiator for property management services, tenants, and landlords.
