It all started with the internet. Like many other industries, the vacation rental business came into its own with the advent of the world wide web. Finally, vacation rental properties could be marketed to the masses. Local property managers were the first adopters and soon every vacation rental business had a website, with online reservations soon to follow. But this just made property owners even more dependent on traditional managers. There just wasn’t any viable way for vacation rental owner’s to independently market their rental properties.
Then came VRBO and HomeAway in the mid-2000’s. They acquired several smaller listing sites and, armed with millions of dollars in seed money, went on to revolutionize the vacation rental industry. For the first time, vacation rental owners could effectively market their own properties on a global scale and deal directly with guests. The vacation experience was vastly improved as owners could now act as host and concierge, providing insider tips on everything from unique dining experiences to little known local attractions.
Enter the sharing economy. In almost every business and service, consumers are sharing their experiences through reviews and rating systems. Inferior properties (and managers) are being called out and are forced to improve their goods and services, or be labeled as a business to avoid. Most negative reviews directed toward managers are for preventable issues; a sub-standard cleaning, a broken or malfunctioning appliance, or something else that could have been easily avoided if someone was just paying attention.
Unfortunately, the missteps your manager makes directly affects your bottom line. If you search the top Big Bear vacation rental managers on Yelp you’ll be alarmed at the amount of negative reviews these companies have generated. Like most consumers, I check reviews before I purchase and I’m certain these reviews are losing them a large amount of prospective business.
Another big red flag for property owners is that most traditional managers won’t share guest information with owners and this makes it impossible to build goodwill for the individual property. This alone is one of the biggest reasons property owners should take a bigger role in their rental business. Vacation rental guests are just like other consumers, they like doing business with people they like. If they have an exceptional vacation experience at your property, they will share it with family and friends. Goodwill can only be developed if you have access to your customers.
What’s a vacation rental owner to do? Well, it’s time to declare your independence. Technology has arrived that provides property owners with ability to access the same marketing channels that traditional property managers have depended on for years. With the number of vacation rentals growing every day, property owners have to be creative and pro-active in order to be successful. There are new services available that will create the listing for your property and distribute it to all the top listing sites. Professionally trained reservationists will answer all guest inquiries and notify you when new bookings occur. You can be as involved as you want to be, or not at all.
Today’s vacation rental consumers are looking for exceptional value. I’m not talking about a low price, I’m talking about a clean, comfortable property with the amenities that vacation rentals are known for, and the information available to them to insure an ultimate vacation experience. Most guests prefer talking to the owner or a local contact that will take a personal interest in seeing that their vacation experience is the best it can be. Traditional managers just don’t have the manpower or the training in place to see to every guest request. This is why property owners need to explore their options. There’s just too much at stake.
Are you ready to join the vacation rental revolution? We’ve managed hundreds of properties over the past 25 years and our hybrid rental program is by far the best service available to property owners. We provide owners all the benefits of ” vacation rental by owner” with the peace of mind of being supported by local professionals. Contact Vacation Rental Services today and let us customize a vacation rental marketing and management program just for you. 909-856-2124