Smart Vacation Rental Owner Tips for Systematizing Guest Inquiries

According to BusinessDictionary.com, a “business system” is defined as:

“Methodical procedure or process, used as a delivery mechanism for providing specific goods or services to customers in a well defined market.”

In vacation rental owner words, a “business system” automates certain business functions with a focus on your guest and why your service and the features of your property meet their particular needs and desires.

Clear web and written communication regarding expectations is one of the easiest aspects of a business to systematize and provides the foundation of a solid vacation rental owner/customer relationship. Take the time to design and assemble a thorough customer inquiry FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) online and as a printed information packet.

Web FAQ

The best way to automate answering property and policy inquiries is to have an FAQ section on your website. Link every listing of your property online to your FAQ page. If you’re having a hard time formulating questions, go back through some past email correspondence to find common inquiries or comments which required an explanation in response. Check other vacation rental owner websites for common FAQ examples, but use your own words when you publish them.

Also include a link on this page to your Rental Agreement, your payment schedule, a Rules & Regulations page, plus any checklists you use for maintaining the premises and on-site supplies.

Information Packet

Consider the snail mail “information packet” the same as a web FAQ but in expanded form. An online FAQ allows the reader to click links and be taken to external resources for more information, whereas the FAQ document sent via postal service should contain some of the references referred to in the online FAQ, but in printed document form.

Also include a copy of your Rental Agreement, a printed set of Rules & Regulations, payment schedules, checklists, etc.

Brochure

The graphically inclined vacation rental owner could create a brochure with photos, room descriptions, maps, and lists of resources for customers to learn more. You can copy the FAQ as-is off your website with some slight wording changes as needed to make up for the absence of links. Do include link lists, however, plus other travel resources relevant to your product (the property and its features) such as book and film titles featuring the area and any press or magazine coverage of your property.

Choose the best pictures – or hire a professional – to put the most desirable features of the property in the best light. Do everything you can to add value and convenience to your product and the customer will soon picture themselves there, enjoying the amenities, and having the vacation of their dreams.

Include a printed Rental Agreement, Rules & Regulations, payment schedules, checklists, etc.

Keep an “Open Door”

Tell the prospect that the majority of their questions have likely been answered within the web FAQ or documents to be mailed, but also let them know they are welcome to contact you at any time by email or telephone.

Combine automated inquiry responses with being an available vacation rental owner to gain customer confidence while adding incredible strength to the communications foundation of your newly forming business relationship.