If you’re a short-term rental property manager, the summer of 2021 will no doubt have been all about juggling back-to-back reservations.
Great news for your business’s gross income. But, at the same time, no mean feat to deal with rising guest demands and energy bills.
And, at some point, your quest for greater efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profit margins must have led you to consider vacation rental automation.
You’re not alone in this race to digitally transform your property. More and more property managers are choosing to fit short-term rentals with the latest property automation technologies.
Suffice to say, the smart home tech industry is booming, especially as the average short-term rental is now spending $51 every month on such technologies.
Why vacation rental automation?
Successful outcomes are achieved by most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that invest in digital technologies to meet changing business and market requirements. So, it only makes sense for vacation rental owners to also harness smart technologies to optimize existing processes and customer experiences.
Here are the top reasons why 2021 has seen an increase in the adoption of smart home technologies at short-term rentals:
The pandemic effect:
In the “new normal” of social distancing, masks, and sanitizing all surfaces, guests prefer to book vacation rentals over hotel stays for the added space and privacy it offers.
Vacation rental automation really makes all the difference by keeping physical interactions with the guests at a minimum and offering a more thorough cleaning process. Be it via contact-free check-in and check-out, automated cleaning processes, or temporary smart keys to allow touchless delivery of goods, property automation has got you covered.
Improved efficiency:
Sustained high demand for domestic travel and the staycation boom has worked wonders for the short-term rentals landscape. And operational efficiency is key to managing and servicing this skyrocketing demand.
This is why every vacation rental needs a bouquet of connected smart technologies that automate tedious tasks such as switching off the thermostats, lighting, TV units, and other small appliances when they are not in use. In fact, HVAC automation and analytics alone can deliver savings of up to 23% on energy bills.
They can also improve check-in/ check-out efficiency by automating the process. Then, there are technologies for automated water leak detection and contactless arming and disarming of security systems that reduce the burden on property managers and improve home security.
Digital life:
Tech innovations pervade all aspects of life, including travel, especially for the Gen Z and Gen Y. In fact, 34% of US households with broadband service also have a smart home device.
The sheer convenience of being able to remotely control home functions and managing all home devices from one place is very compelling. So, it’s natural for guests to expect vacation rentals to be similarly teched-up.
Recent PointCentral research even points to the fact that guests view “basic” smart home tech – such as keyless entry and a connected thermostat – as hygiene factors. So, to make them feel at home and to create a good first impression, be sure to fit your rental with property automation technologies.
What’s next?
So, the verdict is unanimous – property managers and guests both love property automation for the enormous role it plays in improving short-term rental productivity, convenience, and hygiene.
And the short-term rental industry has only scratched the surface in terms of smart tech solutions. As technologies and guest needs evolve, you can expect a lot more innovation to crop up in the future.
Properties are evolving to be smarter and more connected, and vacation rentals now feature fully-integrated property automation technologies.
But it’s not enough to adopt a few vacation rental automation technologies and forget about them. Instead, we recommend that you constantly upgrade your tech stack to gain access to the latest innovations. This, in turn, will help your vacation rental stay competitive and deliver the best guest experience.
At PointCentral, we’re constantly looking at ways to improve the owner, manager, and guest experience. And we firmly believe in the power of technology and innovation to do this.
Contact us to find out more about our smart home solution.
