With the overwhelming interest in the use of mobile apps for vacation rental managers, we wanted to know more. How does using a mobile app increase business for vacation rental managers? So we reached out to Tyler Weir at Glad To Have You to find out more.
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The question among vacation rental professionals remains, what does “mobile” mean for the vacation rental industry? Did you know more people own a mobile device than they do a toothbrush? (Source: Hubspot) Although there currently are not any apps that can brush teeth (at least not yet), apps have many uses and benefits that your business might be missing out on from an operations standpoint as well as guest communications and support.
Let’s explore the 5 key benefits a mobile app can provide a vacation rental professional.
1. Guest Engagement & Communication
Communication between vacation rental professionals and their guests is too often a haphazard mix of calls, emails and pieces of paper left for guests in the properties they’re renting. Mobile apps give vacation rental managers the opportunity to engage with their guest in real-time through instantaneous or scheduled push notifications and email.
To address a concern for some VRMs, mobile apps are not here to remove face-to-face interaction between VRMs and vacationing guests but to provide them with the information they need, when they need it, before, during, and after their stay through a communication channel the guest is familiar and comfortable with.
2. Provide Detailed Information
Once in their units, guests are often confused about the features they’ve paid for and the places they could visit nearby. Mobile apps provide guests with the information they need throughout their vacation right in the palms of their hands. Apps allow VRMs to provide any property specific information the guest need such as boil water alert, what the Wi-Fi code is, when the trash will be picked up, how to use the Keurig or troubleshoot that confusing TV remote.
The information provided within a mobile app is endless and remains within the guest’s hand throughout their length of stay. Gone are the days of printer ink and toner, if you so desire to save money on those undesirable binders, by providing all your property information inside a mobile app. Mobile apps also give VRMs the opportunity to provide more detailed, custom information their guest might not normally receive with out the app.
3. 24/7 Customer Support
Mobile apps make it easier and more efficient for your guests to communicate with your staff as well as provide the tools that make their vacations simple and more enjoyable. One of the key benefits of a mobile app is the amount of reduced support calls a number of vacation rental professionals have seen.
By providing the property specific information guests need for their vacation within the mobile app, VRMs are able to focus more of their time on guest value-added work and prospective owners rather than being bogged down with support calls. Unlike usual working hours, mobile apps are open 24/7/365 giving guests the information they may need during those closed business hours.
4. Promotion and Branding
A favorable means of a mobile app is the level of promotion and branding apps can give vacation rental mangers. A mobile app gives many vacation rental management companies the appearance and functionality of a 5-star hotel by utilizing what is known as a white label application. VRMs can take advantage of these white-labeled apps, which promote graphic splash screens and numerous other custom screens throughout the application to reinforce the branding of your company.
5. New Revenue Streams
Many Vacation Rental Managers are finding ways to offset their app cost or better yet, increase their bottom line through new revenue streams. Mobile applications have opened up these opportunities thanks to detailed reports that allow VRMs to show their mobile app usage analytics with local vendors and partners to drive sponsorship revenue. Other alternative revenue sources include significantly increased concierge services, increased mobile bookings and re-bookings through mobile apps. These newfound revenue streams do not count the lower costs of running a business, which mobile apps also impact. Staff productivity improvements with reduced support calls; automated check-ins and checkouts as well as maintenance andhousekeeping management all have seen cost reductions from the use of mobile apps.
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