Common Guest Communication Mistakes to Avoid for STRs
Stay On Top of STR Guest Communication
Guest communication is more accessible than ever, but that doesn’t make it an easy task. For many vacation rental owners, staying on top of guest messages and inquiries can be challenging. However, despite the effort it requires, effective communication is crucial. By paying close attention to your guests’ needs and preferences, you significantly increase your chances of earning that coveted five-star review.
That’s why today, we’ll be going over some guest communication mistakes that are commonly seen with vacation rental owners and property managers. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be well on your way to a five-star review.
Mistake 1: Not Responding Quickly Enough to Short-Term Rental Guests
Timeliness is everything in the hospitality industry and for good reason. Imagine yourself in a guest’s shoes–you send out several inquiries about an upcoming stay, and one host gets back to quicker than all the rest. The others lag behind, and one owner doesn’t even bother to respond to your message. Who are you more likely to book with: the vacation rental that responded in a timely manner, or those that made you wait for an answer?
Guests appreciate timely communication, but in today’s fast-paced world of automation, it can sometimes be tough to be the first one to the punch. However, if you keep up with guests from day one until their stay with you and personalize your messaging, you’ll be far more likely to be rebooked with and receive a raving review.
Mistake 2: Over Communicating with Vacation Rental Guests
Another common mistake seen in vacation rental communication is communicating too much with your guests. Bombarding your guests with constant messages, updates, or questions is just plain annoying to those who are trying to enjoy their vacation in peace. Although many owners may be worried about their properties or about the guests who have come to stay there, that isn’t a reason to bug your guests too much and shoot yourself in the foot with a bad review.
If you’re tired of having to deal with guests who worry you, look to a full-service property manager like LocalVR. Not only will you not have to handle any guest communication yourself, but you’ll also get access to a multistep guest screening service that will ensure no bad guests can set foot on your property. Click here to learn more about the importance of vacation rental guest screening.
Mistake 3: Not Being Concise With Your Messages to Guests
In a similar vein to over communicating with guests, another common mistake seen with vacation rental communication is not being brisk and concise with your messages. On a daily basis, guests are constantly being sent promotional messages, work communications, and other types of messages–they may not have the time or the energy to read a lengthy essay from the owner of the vacation rental they plan to stay at during their off time.
Instead of sending long and detailed messages to your guests, it’s a good idea to try to be as succinct and brief as you can be while communicating what you need to–although not so much that your guests think you’re being rude. It’s a fine line to balance upon, but trust your instincts.
Mistake 4: Not Following Up With Guests or Reviews
When guests have questions they need answered immediately or inquiries that shouldn’t be dallied upon, many owners will stop the communication there and not follow up to see if their answers were satisfactory. A better strategy to utilize for good communication with your vacation rental guests is to follow up after every question or inquiry, if necessary. For instance, if a guest asks where the TV remote is, they probably want to watch television immediately. Responding in a timely fashion and following up with a quick, “Did you find it OK?” can go a long way.
Similarly, responding to guest reviews is an important part of guest communication that is often overlooked. Check out this blog to learn more about why responding to guest reviews should be an essential part of your guest communication strategy.
Mistake 5: Not Paying Close Attention to Detail
Our final mistake to avoid when it comes to communicating with guests is not paying close attention to details. When guests send their initial inquiries, they might have specific needs that have to be addressed, such as accessibility concerns or location questions.
This is why it’s so important to personally answer questions, rather than automating the process. If a guest does have specific concerns, personally answering if your property is a good fit is better than a generic response that gives them no incentive to book with you. Although it can be overwhelming to answer each guest or potential guest’s inquiries individually, diving in deep and noting down the important details of each guest’s question can make or break their reservation with you.
Let the Experts Handle Guest Communication with LocalVR
The ins and outs of guest communication can be hard to learn, especially if you don’t have a background in customer service or the hospitality industry. However, if you can master communicating with your short-term rental guests, you’ll be far ahead of the curve.
Not sure you want to commit to dealing with all guest communication and messages yourself? Contact LocalVR today to learn more about our expert property management services.