Our industry is at a pivotal juncture.
But we can reverse this vicious cycle into a virtuous cycle!
So what makes a vacation rental operation professional?
Together with my swimming buddy Gary, last night we put down some thoughts to get us started (with theme in parenthesis). I will edit this list based on comments in the thread below...
1. You do vacation rentals full-time OR have done vacation rentals part-time for 2+ years (take it seriously)
2. Your reviews demonstrate you are guest focused (hospitality)
3. You generate a profit (business)
4. You create and adhere to safety and cleanliness SOPs or standard operating procedures (standards)
5. You have a physical presence in the community (local)
6. You strive for industry improvement (activist)
Is any vacation rental entrepreneur, large or small, that possesses most or all of these factors a vacation rental professional?
What are we missing?
What can be improved?
If we as a community can all agree on the factors that make us professional, we can distance ourselves from unprofessionals AND ensure more guests get consistent experiences, which in turn bring the professionals many benefits for a long time.
Running List of "How to do this" for each factor above (in italics below)...
1. You do vacation rentals full-time OR have done vacation rentals part-time for 2+ years
2. Your reviews demonstrate you are guest focused (hospitality)
5. You have a physical presence in the community (local)
- Vacation rental demand at all-time high means...
- New owners & managers need guidance and...
- Guests need training or else...
- Unrealistic expectations produce...
- Bad actors who...
- Tarnish the craft and contribute to unfair regulation in your region
But we can reverse this vicious cycle into a virtuous cycle!
So what makes a vacation rental operation professional?
Together with my swimming buddy Gary, last night we put down some thoughts to get us started (with theme in parenthesis). I will edit this list based on comments in the thread below...
1. You do vacation rentals full-time OR have done vacation rentals part-time for 2+ years (take it seriously)
2. Your reviews demonstrate you are guest focused (hospitality)
3. You generate a profit (business)
4. You create and adhere to safety and cleanliness SOPs or standard operating procedures (standards)
5. You have a physical presence in the community (local)
6. You strive for industry improvement (activist)
Is any vacation rental entrepreneur, large or small, that possesses most or all of these factors a vacation rental professional?
What are we missing?
What can be improved?
If we as a community can all agree on the factors that make us professional, we can distance ourselves from unprofessionals AND ensure more guests get consistent experiences, which in turn bring the professionals many benefits for a long time.
Running List of "How to do this" for each factor above (in italics below)...
1. You do vacation rentals full-time OR have done vacation rentals part-time for 2+ years
2. Your reviews demonstrate you are guest focused (hospitality)
- Communication with the guest is paramount (proactive is best) but answering questions via text, email or answering the phone in a very timely manner is vital. If issues arise with clients they are attended to as soon as possible
- Be transparent: don't make false comparisons or unverified claims,
3. You generate a profit (business)- Understand why people want to go to your location, Who your ideal guests are and what they want, Which amenities will satisfy their ideal guests' search filters, How to price their property, How to differentiate and market their property to appeal to their ideal guests (branding, photography, video, copy, reviews, publicity), How to manage guest expectations, Which expenses make money and which don't
4. You create and adhere to safety and cleanliness SOPs or standard operating procedures (standards)5. You have a physical presence in the community (local)
- Add value to both the community (new jobs, philanthropy, etc) and help guests have a "time of their life."
- If you do not have a physical presence there, find someone to be your physical presence there
6. You strive for industry improvement (activist)- Stay informed on trends, best practices, and local and state regulations, set process improvement goals
- You act like an activist or a evangelist on behalf of the professional industry any chance you get
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