How To Automate Your Airbnb: The Ultimate Guide
With the recent explosion of Airbnb listings across the world, it is not surprising that hosts and property management companies are looking to automate. If you have been neglecting automating your short term rental business, now is the time to take action. Guests are becoming increasingly more interested in minimal contact hospitality. That doesn’t mean customers don’t appreciate excellent customer service, it simply means they want to be able to check in, adjust the thermostat, and connect to WiFi easily and without much host interaction.
Automating your Airbnb is the most rewarding part of the short term rental business. If you follow these tips and tricks you will be well on your way to reducing your workload and increasing your profitability!
There are literally hundreds of things you can do to automate your vacation rental, but we will be discussing how to implement the ones that provide the biggest bang for your buck.
What are the best Airbnb automation tips?
How to automate the guest communication?
Airbnb is a platform built on providing top-tier and unique customer service, why would we automate that process? While it is true that Airbnb is a guest-focused platform that does not mean every guest has time to waste on small-talk everytime they need to do something. Imagine you’re staying in a hotel and every time you needed something you had to call the front desk. What is the WiFi password? How do I turn the AC on? Where is the hot tub?
- Install & configure electronic locks (ie. August Locks)
- Take photos of each step to the check-in process
- Ask your friend to follow the instructions and see how well they do
- Avoid using keys at all costs
How to improve your check-in process
The check-in process is one of the most important factors guests use to critique your property. If the process is time-consuming, confusing, or complex you will receive a poor rating.
- Every time your guest asks you a question, write it down and answer that question in the house manual.
- Basic details should be sent in the welcome message a day or two before they check in. Include the exact address, WiFi login details, and how to check-in.
- Print the Airbnb house manual and leave it on the coffee table for when guests arrive. They will instinctively refer to this booklet before contacting you with a dumb question.
When to hire an Airbnb property management company
Hiring an Airbnb property management company is the best way to reduce your workload and automate your business. You need to start thinking of your Airbnb more like a business and less as a side-hustle. You’re the CEO of your company, ask yourself, would a CEO do this job? If not, delegate it to others.
Advantages of a vacation rental management company:
- Increased distribution on multiple platforms
- Pricing optimization software and processes
- Efficient channel management software
- Highly skilled and trained cleaning team
- Increased buying power for supplies
How to quickly clean and flip your Airbnb
Professionally cleaning and flipping your Airbnb is the most time-consuming and inefficient process of operating a vacation rental business. In order to flip the unit in a timely-manner you need to iron out every step of the process.
- Have 3+ sets of linens for each bed
- Start the laundry immediately
- Have a lockoff storage unit for extra supplies (ie. sanitizers, linens, etc)
- Ask guests to remove garbage and tidy up prior to leaving
- Alternate which room you deep clean every flip
The best home automation devices for Airbnb
The most exciting part of operating an Airbnb is researching and shopping for all of the high tech gadgets. The advancements in home automation in recent years has become so sophisticated you can leave your home knowing full well it will be safe and protected.
Electronic locks are the most important home automation device for your Airbnb. August locks seamlessly integrate with Airbnb and automatically send your guests unique access codes. You can monitor and control the locks from an easy-to-use app. With a few clicks you can tell when a guest checked in and out, how frequently they open and close the doors, and remotely lock the door if they forgot.
Remotely control the temperature of your property to help reduce your heating and cooling bills. Nest has an entire collection of advanced home automation devices that are perfect for Airbnbs!
Scared of people throwing parties at your property? No problem. Simply purchase and configure a noise monitoring device in your home. Anytime the noise levels go above and beyond the norm the device will alert you. By monitoring it over a few hours you will be able to know whether or not a party or event is being hosted in your listing!
Why channel management software is critical for automation
Hotels have used channel managers for decades to help distribute their listings on hundreds, if not thousands, of platforms. Many tech companies have jumped into this lucrative space. By integrating with dozens of the top booking platforms you can increase the demand for your listings, by doing so you will drastically improve your occupancy.
