Crafting a seamless guest experience is essential for success in the vacation rental industry. Communication is a key ingredient in this recipe, influencing everything from guest satisfaction to those coveted 5-star reviews. This guide equips you with winning strategies to keep your guests informed, engaged, and raving about their stay.
Why communication matters
Effective communication benefits both you and your guests:
Guests:
- Receive crucial information at key points in their stay
- Discover fun local activities to enhance their experience
- Feel valued and cared for by their host
Hosts:
- Field fewer repetitive questions
- Spend less time managing guest enquiries
Earn glowing reviews that attract future bookings.
The power of automation
Manual communication can be time-consuming. Leverage automated guest notifications to streamline the process and free up your valuable time. Here's how:
- Digital guidebooks: a central repository for all your property information, appliance instructions, local recommendations, and more. Think of it as a digital extension of your hospitality.
- Memo - automated guest notifications: schedule pre-written email and SMS templates to deliver essential information to your guests at the perfect moments throughout their stay. Imagine never forgetting to send access codes or restaurant recommendations again!
Crafting your guest communication plan
How many times do you typically connect with guests between booking and departure? Here's a framework to ensure consistent and informative communication:
Pre-arrival (7 notifications):
- Booking confirmation: introduce yourself, confirm details, and showcase your digital guidebook.
- Guest information request: gather details like guest count, children, pets, and special occasion celebrations to personalise their stay.
- Essential travel reminders: gently remind guests about any necessary documents or vaccinations required for their trip.
- Essential access instructions: clearly outline access procedures in a bulleted format to avoid confusion upon arrival.
- Have a safe journey!: a personal touch that lets guests know you care about their trip and well-being.
Mid-Stay (4 notifications - best sent via SMS):
- Did you arrive safely?: check in the day of arrival or the next day to ensure a smooth journey and reiterate the value of your digital guidebook for any questions.
- Have you found the pool yet?: highlight your property's amenities and direct guests to the relevant section of your digital guidebook for usage instructions and care tips.
- Don't forget: it's rubbish day tomorrow!: a friendly reminder to maintain a clean and pleasant environment for all guests.
- Thinking of going to the botanical gardens? Remember your pass!: remind guests about any passes or discounts you offer for local attractions and how to access them.
Upselling (optional): promote additional services or experiences you offer, like spa treatments, activity rentals, or local restaurant recommendations. Discover how to create easy upsells to boost revenue.
Pre-departure (1 notification):
- Before you leave… : the day before departure, point guests to the section in your digital guidebook that covers departure procedures, such as key return, appliance care, and bin disposal.
Post-departure communication (2 notifications):
- Thanks for staying with us: express your gratitude for their stay and encourage feedback.
- Please leave us a review: a gentle nudge to share their experience with potential future guests. This can be included in the thank you email or sent separately in the following days.
Bonus tip: keep the conversation going long after their stay with an email list sign-up option using the Email Capture feature in your digital guidebook. Offer special promotions or anniversary greetings to cultivate loyal guests who will return for more memorable experiences.
Bonus tip 2: for a better understanding of guest communication, download our free Guest Communication Study. It’s packed full of easy-to-understand data and actionable insights to help take your guest communication to the next level!
By following these communication strategies and leveraging digital guidebook automation tools like Memo, you can elevate your guest experience, streamline your operations, and watch your 5-star reviews roll in!
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