Why Customer Service Is So Important in the Vacation Home Industry

• 2023-06-27

Customer service is important in every industry, and none more so than in the hospitality industry. When people are on vacation, they have plenty of choices for where to stay and what attractions to visit, and they expect to be treated like royalty. The hotels and resorts that deliver on that can expect loyal customers who return time and again; the ones that don’t can expect negative reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor. There’s no two ways about it.

The same is true for the vacation home and short-term rental industry.  As with hotels and resorts, the mission of the customer service department is simple and direct: to be available to guests during their stay, and to meet any and all needs they have. It’s also about providing information, being friendly and courteous, and helping the guests feel comfortable while they’re staying with you. What every property manager wants is for the guests to associate excellent customer service with their property. That’s how you get loyal clients.

So, how can a property manager ensure they’re providing the absolute best in customer service? They do that by not only meeting their customers’ expectations but exceeding them. There are plenty of ways to do that, so read on.

Does Customer Service Follow a Set of Rules?

Customer service is all about expectations. Every guest has them. The hospitality industry knows that.

It’s why hotels, resorts, and vacation homes hire professionals to become the face of the company and to make that amazing first impression. From the front desk staff to those answering the phone calls, customer service is always about helping people, solving their problems, giving them the sense that the resort cares about them. It’s about recognizing that customers are not just paying to rent a room but are also there for an experience. Customer service advances that.

Because when a customer has a problem with the staff, they go to management – and to the internet. Review sites online overflowing with negative reviews are a headache for the hospitality industry.

With the possible expectation of very low budget discount motels, customers usually show up at higher-end establishments with lofty expectations. Employees in the hospitality industry typically start out by following common rules, which include being:

• Courteous, which means polite, respectful, attentive, friendly, reassuring, and easy to deal with.
• Confident, projecting that no matter what issues or concerns arise, the establishment can quickly solve them to the customers’ satisfaction.
• Competent, meaning employees know how to make quick decisions, and the right ones, when problems arise.

Your customer service workers should always have empathy with the guests and go out of their way to understand their needs. They should have an extensive knowledge of the resort and what resources are available to assist guests. This is how they can provide a positive experience to guests, and it requires constant work and effort from your employees.

How Can You Improve Your Customer Service?

To advance your customer service even further, there are some proven methods for exceeding customers’ expectations.

1. Use property management software (PMS) to get as much information about your guests as possible, so you’re well aware of their likes, dislikes, preferences and sore points. The more you know about them, the better you can serve them.
2. Launch Satisfaction Surveys on your website to collect as much feedback as possible. This can help you figure out where you need improvements in the future. 
3. Find ways to thank your guests. Go beyond simply thanking them for staying with you. Show your sincere gratitude in other ways, including by offering them something free or discounted in the future, providing something extra in their room, and highlighting their fun trip on your social media accounts.
4. Follow up with customers later on. Check in on them, ask how their experience was at your vacation home, and reconnect with them. That’s a great way to remind them about your short-term rental when they begin planning their next vacation.

Another good opportunity for improving your customer service is to offer guests something special, like extra products they may want while staying at your vacation home. That can include backyard grills, baby cribs, extra furniture, kids’ toys and games, walkers for seniors in the family, and anything else that guests might feel they need during their stay. The best way to do that is to partner with a company like Honest Sherpa, which provides rental gear for the vacation home industry.

When you give your guests the option of exploring the hundreds of products that Honest Sherpa has available, and renting anything extra needed during their trip, this is going to leave a stronger lasting impression on your guests, and gives them the feeling that you truly have gone that extra mile to keep them satisfied.

Learn More About Partnering With Honest Sherpa

To boost your customer service and keep your guests happy, start a partnership today with Honest Sherpa. We are the leading provider of rental gear for the vacation home and short-term rental industry, and your guests can scroll the list of our products and select what they want, and our team provides free delivery and pickup 24/7.

We can create a new landing page on your website that provides access to our products, and we host it and process all orders. We provide our property managers and homeowners with an Affiliate Fee for each rental they bring us, while we do all the work. This is a great deal for property managers, so contact us today to learn more.