Last week I told you all about how I’m starting a themed Airbnb business. I started looking for properties on Sunday and Friday I’ll be going out again. While I have not found the perfect home, that has not stopped me from researching what I need to do to manage my property. One thing I’m interested in is automation. I have a very busy schedule throughout the week and the weekend. That means I don’t have time to go back and forth between work, my home, and my new property. I’ve been doing a lot of research, and here is how I am going to automate my Airbnb business.
Remote Check-in
I don’t want to meet guests and bring them keys every time someone new checks in. Instead, I’m going to automate that process. To do so, I am purchasing a wireless keypad lock for the front door. This will allow me to send the guest a code they can enter to unlock the door upon arrival. There may be some questions about how the code is generated and if it is ever changed. The answer to that is simple. The lock company will generate a new and unique code for each new guest that checks in. They will link to my Airbnb account for check-ins and automatically generate and send new codes per the schedule.
Automated Communication
A big part of your overall scoring with Airbnb is all about responsiveness to your guest. That starts when guests email you even before they decide to book your room or house. It also includes when they’re communicating with you about problems, the check-in process, or any other matters. You have to be sure to always message them back and maintain an adequate response time to maintain a high-level status. Someone like me, who is very busy, may not always get the opportunity to maintain that high responsiveness rate. To help fix the problem, I have been researching how to automate messaging in the Airbnb system. To do this, I have to go into the hosting inbox on the Airbnb platform. From there, I can schedule messages. I can set up templates, shortcuts, and triggers for when messages should be sent. Host use these features to send check-in information, thank you notes, house rules reminders, and so much more.
Cleaning
Another thing that I don’t have time for is cleaning up or constantly calling my cleaners to set up appointments after every booking. Instead, I want to automate it. I will link my cleaners into my Google calendar so that every time there is a booking, they will be alerted to what day the guests are checking out. They can set their cleaning schedule accordingly and do a Facetime walk-through with me when they are finished.
There are many other ways to automate my Airbnb business, but these are the top priority right now. Are there any other things you guys can think of that I need to automate? Or anything that I’m leaving out? Got tips? Drop them in the comment box below.
Read More
Starting A Themed Airbnb Business
How To Make Money on Airbnb Without Owning Property
Shatel Huntley has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. In her spare time, she works with special needs adults and travels the world. Her interests include traveling to off the beaten path destinations, shopping, couponing, and saving.