With the world on lockdown for months at a time, many people are feeling antsy and restless inside their own homes. Eager to go out and see the world once more, city dwellers who’ve been stuck in their urban apartments are beginning to venture outside their homes. This has resulted in the struggling vacation rental business coming back with a vengeance. Despite a catastrophic loss during the past few months, vacation rentals are now experiencing a dramatic 127% increase in new bookings. Can we say that small to medium bed and breakfast rentals back? You can bet it is.
The New Normal Disclaimer
Since the threat is still out there, it’s best to approach this topic with sensitivity in mind. As business owners, safety should be a priority so it goes without saying that disinfecting your rentals after every client is a must. With that out of the way, let’s go back to discussing how to revitalize your vacation rental business.
Reinvigorate Your Rental Business
But with the spectacular return of vacation rentals comes a new challenge: how do you attract new clients to your rental? Well, of course, a hospitality marketing consultant can give you an insight into how to market your property to potential guests. But even then your rental must be enticing enough for guests to want to come.
During the lockdown, we’ve all found out how deep our reliance on technology goes. We’re more aware of the comforts of conveniences of smart devices thanks to having to stay around them for longer than ever. And that comfort and convenience are what your property should bring. Yes, we’re talking about using smart devices to spruce up your vacation rental.
Install a Smart Mirror
What’s a ‘smart mirror’? Well, smart mirrors, also known as ‘magic mirrors’, are two-way mirrors with a monitor behind it. The monitor is connected to a small computer, and it can display information like time, date, temperature, top news, or even a message. This gives off a similar vibe to the magic mirror in Snow White’s story, much to the interest of many. Your guests will definitely remember their stay in a unique house when they’re greeted by a magic mirror that not only shows them their reflection but also relevant information. Smart mirrors can be priced average or really high, but they’re relatively easy to make. Don’t worry if you’re not the maker type, there many popular independent developers you can tap to create a customized smart mirror for your business.
Get a Virtual Assistant as a Concierge
Virtual Assistant technology is rapidly developing. Every year, VAs get more and more intelligent, being able to comprehend more complex sentences and give answers with high accuracy. And the pandemic saw a major increase in its use. Bringing this convenience from their home to your rental will definitely boost your clients’ experience.
And with the recent release of virtual assistants geared towards hospitality, a virtual concierge is now a reality! With programmable requests and information, you can easily customize the virtual assistant to give answers credible to your area. Think about that- a computer as a concierge.
Smart Lighting for Intelligent Atmosphere
c*&ior(5H^*WUshhnqNOne thing that many people miss going out is how varied the lighting of buildings and spaces are. From dimly lit cafes to colorful entertainment centers, each place has its own atmosphere thanks to its lighting. And your rental could probably use some upgraded lighting scheme too. Nothing compares to a good atmosphere, what more an atmosphere that you can control? Smart lighting allows you to shift the brightness and color of your space- you want bluish light for a calming feel, you got it. How about yellow for cozy and comfortable? Done. There a number of benefits to smart lighting beyond the changeable lights. It also means you have control over the power consumption of your property, or even set schedules to light up porches or hallways at certain times of the day. Plus, your guests will immediately think that your business has a high tech feel with this.
You and Your Guest’s Convenience with Smart Locks
Keys get lost easily. They’re small and we tend to forget where we place them. It’s a hassle to both business owners and guests, so why not use a smart lock instead? And research agrees, as 70% of rental clients would rather prefer a ;keyless locking system than a traditional one. For business owners, this means not having to maintain a set of keys- and not having to reuse one all the time at that (something really appreciated nowadays).
Smart devices make our everyday lives more convenient, so why not bring them to your rentals? This ensures maximum comfort for your guests, leaving only a positive reputation for your company.
