customer service for vacation rentals

1

World Class Customer

Service for Vacation RentalsVRMAWA

May 10, 2016

Amy Hinote, VRM Intel

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Introduction

Amy Hinote

Founder and Editor-in-Chief, VRM Intel

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VRMs Operate Differently: Not Just by Market

VRM

• Pre-stay communications

• Is enough info given

before check-in

• Check-in procedure

• Website experience

• How properties are

listed in channels

• How much information is

provided .

• Linens

• Kitchen Inventory

• Amenity/Luxury Packs

• What information is in

the unit

• How much

communication is there

with the PM

• Check-out procedure

• Post-stay communications

• Post-stay relationship

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Big Difference

Between Vacation

Rental Mangers:

Some manage just

the home, while

others manage the

whole stay.

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Customer Service for Vacation Rental Managers

Online Reputation ManagersCall center managers

Therapists, Anger

Management ConsultantsCity Regulators

ConciergeTechnical Support

HoteliersTravel planners

Leasing Agents

Insurance Sales

Meteorologists, PsychicsLocksmiths, Plumbers,

Exterminators

Real estate agent

Tour Guides

Maintenance Supervisors

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Why are vacation rentals important?Connection

Family

Relationships

Discovery

Love

Multi-generational

Romantic

Renewal

Adventure

Escape

Regrouping

Relaxation

Health

Wellness

Nature

Passion

Purpose

Rejuvenation

Memories

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Sidebar: Why VRMAWA is Important

Every property manager operates differently.

• No existing standards or best practices that

has been adopted by the industry.

• That’s why groups like VRMAWA are so

important.

• Our national organizations have not been

effective in putting together standards.

• As a group, you can determine a service

protocol: Housekeeping standards, kitchen

and linen standards, 24/7 service

guarantee, noise/trash/parking compliance

standards, min. safety standards, etc.

• Then you can advertise that in your

guarantees and in online channels, and you

can approach city councils as a group with

a set of compliance standards that work in

your geo-markets..

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Managing the Whole Stay

01

02

03

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Stages of VacationAnticipation, the actual stay, memories

Customer Service ValuesProfessionalism, authenticity, empathy, efficiency

Customer Service NeedsPre-stay, stay, post-stay, proactive vs reactive

Customer Service ChannelsOnline vs offline, in-person vs written

05 Putting It All TogetherThe right values to fulfill your CS needs using the

right channels at the right time

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2016 Customer Service Values for Vacation Rentals

Professionalism Authenticity Empathy Efficiency

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What Separates Vacation Rental Managers From Vacation Rental Owners

Professionalism Example

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Hotel expectations, vacation rental reality

Professionalism: Customer Expectations

• Marketing channels are bringing in new guests who have

never stayed in a vacation rental.

• Hotels have really stepped up their game in

housekeeping…especially bedding.

• Huge growth in User-Generated Content using social

channels and review sites.

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2016 Customer Service Values for Vacation Rentals

Professionalism Authenticity Empathy Efficiency

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Sales language is changing in front of our eyes

Authenticity: Customer Expectations

• Customers are very tired of being “sold.”

• They want to hear language that is relevant and real.

• Authenticity = Humanness

• Authenticity = Customer Satisfaction

Expectations – Reality = Disappointment

Authenticity sets the right expectation

that leads to customer satisfaction

instead of customer disappointment.

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2016 Customer Service Values for Vacation Rentals

Professionalism Authenticity Empathy Efficiency

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The Human Connection: Vacation Rentals are Still About Relationships

Empathy

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2016 Customer Service Values for Vacation Rentals

Professionalism Authenticity Empathy Efficiency

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Stages of Vacation

Anticipation MemoriesActual Stay

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Stages of the Vacation

1) Anticipation, 2) Stay, 3) Memories

Where are we going to go?

What do we want to do?

Who is going to go?

Where are we going to stay?

Anticipation:

30 days to 1 year

Planning

Excitement

Anticipation

Packing, logistics,

anxiety

Actual

Vacation Stay

How are your

guests going to

remember you?

Are they coming

back?

Memories: For a Lifetime

The pressure is

on.

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Your Customer Service Objectives for Each Stage

• Sales

• Payments

• Signed Agreements

• Expectations

• Logistics

• Generate Excitement

• Establish Relationship

ANTICIPATION

• Check-in

• Clean

• Everything Works

• 24/7 Service

• Make Guests Feel

Special, Welcome,

Pampered

• Nurture Relationship

STAY

• Feedback

• Offer To Return

• Help Them

Remember Trip

.

MEMORIES

DEPENDENT ON YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE VALUES…

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Managing the Whole Stay: Customer Journey

ONLINE SEARCHRESERVATION:

ONLINE/OFFLINE

CONFIRMATIONS/

PAYMENTSCOMMUNCIATIONS

EXCITEMENT LAST MINUTE INFO ARRIVAL

EARLY FEEDBACK SERVICEPAMPERING/

RELATIONSHIPSDEPARTURE

QUESTIONS

FEEDBACK/THANK

YOU

REMINDER OF

MEMORIES

INVITATION(S) TO

COME BACKRETURN

What are your customer service needs for each step of the journey?

Values:

1. Authenticity

2. Empathy

3. Professionalism

4. Efficiency

Will Customer

Service Be

Proactive or

Reactive?

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Are your reactive channels communicating with values:

Professionalism, authenticity, empathy and efficiency?

Online Support Social Media/Review

Sites

Call Center.

Email

Front Desk

VRM Customer Service

Reactive Channels

Reactive Customer Service Channels

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Customer Service Needs: Map Out Your Customer Journey and Identify their needs

STAGE JOURNEY NEEDPROACTIVE/

REACTIVEWHO?

ALIGN

W/VALUES?

A ONLINE SEARCH

INFO (PHOTOS, DESCRIPTIONS, FLOORPLANS,

MAPS, FAQs) WEBSITE FUNCTIONALITY, CONTACT

FORM

PROACTIVE

A ONLINE SEARCH ONLINE CHAT, EMAIL REACTIVE

A ONLINE SEARCH CALL CENTER SUPPORT REACTIVE

APAYMENTS/SIGNED

AGREEMENTSPAYMENTS/INSURANCE/SIGNED AGREEMENTS PROACTIVE

A COMMUNICATIONSPREEMPTIVE COMMUNICATIONS: WHAT DOES

YOUR GUEST NEED TO KNOW?PROACTIVE

ACOMMUNICATIONS

ANSWER QUESTIONS REACTIVE

ACOMMUNICATIONS HOW CAN YOU COMMUNICATE TO CREATE A

RELATIONSHIP?PROACTIVE

A LAST MINUTE INFO ROADS, WEATHER, WHAT TO BRING PROACTIVE

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Customer Service Needs

STAGE JOURNEY NEEDPROACTIVE/

REACTIVEWHO?

ALIGN

W/VALUES?

S ARRIVAL: ONSITE PROACTIVE

S ARRIVAL: OFFSITE KEY CODES, SUPPORT, DIRECTIONS PROACTIVE

S IN-UNT INFO AREA INFO, HOME INFO, CHECK-OUT INFO PROACTIVE

S EARLY FEEDBACK EARLY DETECTION OF ISSUES/POTENTIAL ISSUES PROACTIVE

S SERVICE: ONLINE MAINTENANCE, CLEANING, ISSUES REACTIVE

SSERVICE: IN-

PERSONCONCIERGE REACTIVE

SRELATIONSHIP/

PAMPERINGPROACTIVE

S DEPARTURE PROACTIVE

S FEEDBACK PROACTIVE

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Managing the Whole Stay: Customer Journey

ONLINE SEARCHRESERVATION:

ONLINE/OFFLINE

CONFIRMATIONS/

PAYMENTSCOMMUNCIATIONS

EXCITEMENT LAST MINUTE INFO ARRIVAL

EARLY FEEDBACK SERVICEPAMPERING/

RELATIONSHIPSDEPARTURE

QUESTIONS

FEEDBACK/THANK

YOU

REMINDER OF

MEMORIES

INVITATION(S) TO

COME BACKRETURN

What are your customer service needs for each step of the journey?Stages:

1. Anticipation

2. Actual Stay

3. Memories

Values:

1. Authenticity

2. Empathy

3. Professionalism

4. Efficiency

Will Customer

Service Be

Proactive or

Reactive?

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Grade Your Own Paper

Have you defined and articulated your customer service values?

Do you have a customer service plan for every step in the customer journey?

Are there proactive tactics you can implement to preempt customer issues?

What you can you do to establish, solidify and/or improve relationships with your

customers in the anticipation stage? During the stay? After they leave?

Do you have the right people in your reactive channels solving your customer’s

problems? Are they communicating in ways aligned with your values?

Are you managing just the property, or are you managing the whole stay? Have you

mapped out your customer journey

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World Class Customer

Service for Vacation RentalsVRMAWA

May 10, 2016

Amy Hinote, VRM Intel