It is no longer necessary to prove it, owners wishing to make their real estate investments profitable by offering them for short-term rental have every interest in calling on rental management professionals to achieve this. It is still necessary that these experts (concierges, agencies) are able to offer a service corresponding to the expectations of their customers. That’s where technology comes in!

Among the services provided, a well-established organization must be at the center of the concerns of vacation rental managers. Optimizing the management of tasks in the concierge service by setting up a well-defined process and automating them wisely, will certainly save time and therefore significant growth in a sector with strong competition and always booming. Here is an overview of the points to highlight regarding the daily logistics of housing and collaboration with its teams or subcontractors.

1. Manage different household types according to the period and characteristics of the dwelling

Promising travelers to enjoy their stay in a consistently impeccable place is one of the most important things to consider as a concierge service. To ensure receiving more positive feedback on the cleanliness of the premises, it is important to carefully consider the procedure to be put in place to make maintenance as efficient and smooth as possible. First, plan for adequate staff based on the size of the spaces to be cleaned. One person can take care of several studios in a day, while a whole team may be needed to clean and prepare a luxury property with a garden and pool. To organize this effectively, it is advisable to implement several tools.

Maintaining short-term rental properties requires more than just a quick wipe-down.                           

That’s why it’s necessary to clearly outline the essential tasks to be performed between two periods of occupancy. These tasks can, of course, be adjusted based on the specificities of each property, but it is important to always adhere to a certain number of non-negotiables, such as (non-exhaustive list):

• Vacuuming.
• Dusting furniture.
• Cleaning floors and all surfaces.
• Disinfecting the kitchen and bathroom.
• Checking and cleaning all appliances (refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, etc.).
• Replacing consumables.
• Washing sheets and other linens.

Implementing a checklist

By implementing such a process, concierge services can ensure that they don’t forget anything when it comes to tasks to be done and checked for each rental property. In this way, the cleaning staff only need to follow this logistical route which may include, for example:

• The number of properties to be cleaned and the time slots during which to intervene based on departures and arrivals. There may be periods of intermediate cleaning or more in-depth cleaning during low season.
• Checking for any damage or other deterioration possibly caused by certain occupants.
• Assigning specific roles or tasks to each staff member.

There are obviously many other tips and best practices for Airbnb cleaning. 

💡 Tip: It is with the need to implement these business processes in mind that at Yaago, we have developed powerful task management features. Such as customized checklists for each property and type of task, for example.

2. Manage guest arrivals and departures

💡 Tip: Yaago stands by those who wish to develop their business through software dedicated to concierge services. This traveler journey can be fully automated thanks to our automatic messages.

3. Collecting information from teams in the field, another good way to improve the management of tasks in concierge

Good communication with different stakeholders in short-term rentals is essential to ensure that they are always impeccable and can perfectly meet the visitors’ expectations. Allowing a housekeeper or maintenance worker to provide immediate feedback on the condition of a property before, during, or after tenants’ stay is an excellent way to quickly identify any necessary repairs or cleaning.

Sending real-time comments, photos, or videos of any issues encountered can lead to quick decision-making on the actions needed to remedy them (e.g., cleaning, repairs, appliance malfunctions, etc.). This approach also enables the on-site staff to ensure that they have properly completed their tasks and meet the concierge’s expectations.

Yaago, via its application, offers a system dedicated to exchanges with teams, to the implementation of adjustable schedules in real time according to the authorizations of each. Proof once again that they have thought of everything to improve the management of tasks in concierge service.

Yaago is a French platform that aims to revolutionize the seasonal rental market through ultra-performing digital tools. The goal of these tools? To help all short-term rental professionals, whether it be seasonal rental agencies or concierge services, improve their customer relations and rental process for increased productivity, time savings, and greater comfort.

Yaago is the perfect complement to any PMS / Channel Manager (compatible with Yaago), and if your concierge service is a partner of the Airbnb Luckey program, you can synchronize and manage all of your operational activities from a control center using our application (and benefit from a special discount). Our concierge software covers all the daily needs of a manager. We detail below all the advantages of dedicated software for seasonal rentals.

1. Create your interactive digital welcome booklet

Automate and personalize your welcome booklet

One of the first things to think about after renting a property is to ensure that travelers have all the necessary information for a smooth stay, to avoid repetitive and time-consuming questions. Extremely easy to use, Yaago allows the creation of a personalized welcome booklet (for each stay), in which you can share all the information related to the rental of your accommodations. You can then choose with whom to share this information. On this booklet, you can include, among other things:

• Digital guides (geolocation, photos, videos of presentation and/or 3D tour, documents, descriptions, …);
• House rules and manuals;
• Your recommendations and good addresses on an interactive map;
• An automatic translation to offer your content in the language of your travelers (but you can also use your own translations);
• A direct communication space with your clients and the possibility to receive a notification for each message received, to maintain an optimal responsiveness rate.

This is just a glimpse of the features and possibilities included in the Yaago digital welcome booklet, as you will have noticed that we go much further than just a welcome booklet.

2. Secure and advanced access management

Our software also allows you to streamline logistics, such as the guest journey, and gain even more productivity and time, with features such as:

• Pre-check-in, including the collection of your guests’ arrival time, as well as their personal information and/or specific requests, etc.
• Online check-in, to secure each stay by requesting security information from guests (ID, signature of rental contract, etc.) as well as the online deposit with Swikly (which allows the creation of a bank imprint or a payment link for each stay, outside of Airbnb).
• Establishment of the inventory of fixtures at check-in and check-out, with photos and videos and a joint inventory of fixtures made by the tenants.
• Self-check-in codes, up to remote opening of common areas, with connected locks and key boxes (Igloohome, Nuki, TheKeys).
• Sending notifications to guests in case of noise disturbances with Mînut.
• Customization of the digital welcome booklet with the purchase of a Yaago QR-Code keychain (with your brand design!).

And other features to discover.

3. Automated communication, with everyone and for everyone

Communication management

Although not mandatory for short-term rentals, establishing an inventory is highly recommended and is therefore becoming increasingly popular. Indeed, some recurring damage to accommodations can have catastrophic consequences, especially financial ones. They can thus jeopardize the development of such an activity. This is why some owners, concierges, and other managers try to impose it on travelers, even if they are far from accustomed to it. To achieve this, it is necessary to be able to present this process in the best possible way. Here are some elements that will allow you to understand the mechanisms, implementation, and above all the benefits of an Airbnb inventory, both for hosts and tenants.

1. Put this system in place at the arrival and departure of travelers

2. Establish a proper Airbnb inventory

This real inventory, usually done in the presence of the host or their representative, follows certain recommendations in terms of procedure and content, and must be annexed to the rental agreement.

The most common way to do it, both for check-in and check-out, is to:

• Go through all the interior and exterior spaces (if applicable) and highlight any remarks for each one (cleanliness, wear and tear, etc.).
• Use the list of all the equipment available to note the condition and operation of each item.

This can be done on paper or electronically, but it can become tedious over time.

But don’t worry, Yaago provides solutions to digitalize this step. This means that travelers can report any issues they notice upon arrival through their traveler’s space, by sharing a text comment and/or photos corroborating their remarks directly from their smartphone. This saves considerable time for property managers and is a great way to provide an optimal customer experience.

Wondering how to integrate this step into your guest communication?

You can include a link to this feature in the automatic messages sent by Yaago to travelers. For example, in an email about pre-check-in or the day after arrival.

This will maximize the use of the feature by travelers. You can also make the feature available to travelers in their Yaago welcome booklet without necessarily highlighting it.

3. The benefits of an inventory

Winning your case with booking platforms

If a platform like Airbnb offers a host guarantee for damages caused by the tenant, arbitration of the dispute can be complicated in the absence of an inventory. If the tenant disputes the facts, it is solid proof of your good faith.

Take full advantage of your insurance

If you use an insurance solution to cover potential damage caused by travelers, in this case, the inventory will be requested by the insurance company in order to hope for compensation in the event of a claim.

Avoid theft and other unpleasant surprises

By having photos taken upon arrival and departure, it is much easier to realize if something is missing during the stay. This joint inventory will also highlight the condition of furniture, walls, and other parts of the accommodation that may be damaged by travelers.

Note that with its digital welcome booklet, Yaago allows you to provide travelers with as many guides in photos or videos as possible about the equipment available in your accommodation. This is an additional way to prevent their deterioration by ensuring their proper use.

Guarantee expected services to travelers

By conducting an inventory with your tenant or allowing them to do it independently (as Yaago offers you the opportunity to do through its platform), you give them the opportunity to realize that what you promised in your listing corresponds to reality. The fact that they can notify you of any remarks will give them the feeling that they will be heard in case of a problem, that any pre-existing damage will not be attributed to them, and that they will be able to recover their entire security deposit.

Yaago supports rental professionals who want to generalize the Airbnb inventory by providing them with dedicated tools.

This user would like a translation in English of the following text: This house manual is an essential element to implement in an accommodation. All owners or property management companies who wish to provide an optimal traveler experience to their visitors know the importance of creating a proper seasonal rental welcome booklet. Originally available on simple paper support, notably in the Gîtes de France bed and breakfasts, industry professionals have been able to evolve this guide to the perfect stay to make it even more comprehensive. In addition, all modern digital means allow all those who enjoy the accommodation to consult it much more easily and quickly. Here is a complete tour of the questions you have about this tool that facilitates both the lives of tenants and managers.

1. What is a welcome booklet for seasonal rentals?

Historically provided upon arrival at the traveler’s destination, it is a document that gathers everything there is to know about life on site. They can find all the information and resources they need regarding the furnished accommodation where they are staying, as well as about the local life and points of interest. This should provide them with all the answers to the questions they may have during their visit to your place. This can range from how to use the oven to the address of the nearby restaurant with the best value for money, for example. In short, it is a kind of manual that simplifies the lives of occupants to the maximum, who can sometimes be a little lost or stressed when discovering an unknown place.

2. What’s the point?

Firstly, the booklet serves to welcome newcomers. As they say, first impressions often last. If they feel welcomed properly right from the start, it will only reassure them about the rest of their stay. Secondly, rather than being a set of rules to follow (although, as we will see below, it is good to specify a few), this collection should give the impression, throughout its different sections, that you have thought of every detail to make the lives of the people who have chosen your apartment or house as pleasant as possible. This is a great proof of your professionalism in the short-term rental industry.

💡 Tip: do not hesitate to customize your booklet as much as possible according to the type of tenants

3. What are the benefits?

For travelers:

• Feeling of enjoying a personalized welcome, almost friendly hospitality.
• Anticipation of any problem or difficulty they may encounter during their stay.
• Obtaining the contact details of a dedicated contact person, capable of answering all their questions.
• Being able to consult all kinds of advice and recommendations, saves them from getting lost in internet searches or queuing at a tourist office.

For the manager:

• The main advantage is time-saving, especially if you are in charge of several properties. If the booklet contains all the help that tenants may need during their stay, then you will avoid a lot of emails, texts, and other phone calls that can be quite time-consuming.
• In addition, by feeling taken care of without having to ask, they will be grateful to you and leave enthusiastic comments.

💡 Tip: You can put tutorialless videos for the use of each household appliance. Another considerable time saver for everyone.

4. What does a welcome booklet look like for a seasonal rental?

There are plenty of examples of welcome booklets that you can use as inspiration to create your own. However, it must contain a certain number of almost indispensable pages. Among them:

• A cover page displaying a title, a nice picture of the property, and the words “welcome booklet” (or manual).
• A personalized welcome message in which you introduce yourself and provide a brief history of the place.
• A practical sheet with all the phone numbers, codes, passwords, and other information they may need.
• A table of contents to make reading much easier.
• A summary of the arrival and departure conditions (times, key handover and return, among others).
• All information about living in the accommodation, such as how to use the equipment, the waste management policy, or any small peculiarities to pay attention to.
• As mentioned earlier, it is still good to remind guests of the rules to follow in the accommodation (noise, smoking, pets, for example), to avoid any misunderstanding with the neighbors, in particular.
• Finally, a page listing all the good addresses, tips, and various points of interest around the rental.

This is essentially what you need to include in your guide. To learn more, come and discover in more detail what a good Airbnb welcome booklet model contains.

5. How to create it?

As you can see, any successful stay begins with a welcome booklet in seasonal rental in due form.