Why You Need Keyless Entry in Your Vacation Rental
Keyless Entry: A Beginners Guide
Handing over the key to your vacation rental might be an easy task when you only have one listing to deal with, but once they begin to stack up, it might be time to look for a more technologically-advanced solution to your security needs. That’s where smart locks or keyless entry devices come in. These nifty little pieces of technology have revolutionized the hospitality and travel industries, and they make it a breeze to manage your vacation rental check-ins, even if you’re not on the property.
In this blog, we’ll explore what a smart lock is, what the benefits and drawbacks of using one are, and what features to look for in these devices.
What is a Keyless Entry Device/Smart Lock?
Keyless entry devices and smart locks are products that are designed to make your life easier by ensuring you never have to worry about guests losing their keys or getting locked out of their accommodations. With just an app on your phone, you can unlock the door to your vacation rental without having to be anywhere nearby.
The Benefits of Using Keyless Entry
There are quite a few benefits to using smart locks on your short-term rental. For starters, you’ll have better security on your property. Because no one without the proper access can unlock your doors, you’ll have a more secure property and your guests won’t have to worry about getting locked out.
Smart locks are also more reliable in case of emergency. If there is an emergency on your short-term rental property, keyless entry makes it easy to get in and out, plus many of these devices come with extra security features that allow you to call for help or set off an alert siren if needed.
In addition, keyless entry enhances owner and guest experience. Smart locks are just more reliable and convenient than handing over the keys to your vacation rental, and it makes both guest and owner experience hassle-free when it comes to checking in and out. It also makes it a cinch for maintenance and cleaning crews to enter and exit your property without any security concerns.
Lastly, keyless entry puts you at the forefront of vacation rental technology. Guests love to see that you’re using the latest and greatest technology, and using smart locks and keyless entry devices puts you right on the cutting edge.
The Drawbacks of Keyless Entry
Although keyless entry options are designed to make your life easier, there can be a few drawbacks to using this type of technology. First of all, they are much more expensive and can be much harder to install and maintain than regular locks. When a regular lock breaks, it can just be replaced for a few dollars, but when a smart lock breaks down, it can be much more expensive and complicated to replace, and may render your vacation home unusable to guests.
Additionally, smart locks typically require a power source, whether that’s regular AA or AAA or rechargeable batteries, which means that you could possibly have a dead lock and be unable to let guests into your rental until the batteries are replaced. Thankfully, most smart locks have the ability to send you notifications whenever the battery is running low.
Finally, smart locks can be difficult to use for people who aren’t comfortable with new technology or those without smartphones. However, many keyless entry devices allow codes to be sent to guests to allow them to get in, so they can still access the rental, and owners can always call them to let them know what the code will be.
The Best Smart Lock Features
No matter how you look at it, smart locks are definitely the future of vacation rental technology. If you’re not using these helpful devices yet, you may not be aware of the different types of features that they can come along with. While not all keyless entry devices are the same, here are some features that you can find them with:
Multiple ways to open the door, including options like fingerprint scanners, pincodes, or with a virtual key through an app
Wifi-enabled, which allows you to lock or unlock the door from anywhere that you are through an app
Anti-intruder systems that prevent the door from being tampered with
A siren and/or emergency button on the app that notifies authorities when unauthorized guests are at the door
A camera that shows you whenever someone is at the door
A way to talk to guests through the doorbell or lock
Real-time notifications whenever the door is used
In addition to these features, you can also find smart locks that will provide other capabilities, including automatic locking mechanisms, emergency override features, and the ability to remotely cancel codes anytime you wish to decline access to someone. This technology is advancing by leaps and bounds every year, and it’s intriguing to see what the future holds for keyless entry.
Never Worry About Check-Ins Again With a Smart Locks
Smart locks are a truly helpful product, and although using them can come with some small drawbacks, they are incredibly useful for short-term rental owners who want to make the check-in process a breeze for guests. Not only do they provide more flexibility for both owners and visitors to your vacation rental, they also allow you to protect your property in a way that you can always access.
Don’t have time to handle the check-in process yourself? Take a look into Going Local. LocalVR’s expert property management for vacation rentals can take all of the worry of check-ins out of your hands. For more information, give our Program page a glance.