A lot of people rent out their properties on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, and even though it might seem easy to do, the entire process can get very complicated without software assistance. Arguably the best way to organize your properties is through vacation rental management software. However, that doesn’t mean that you can just pick whichever one you come across first, as there are quite a few things you should know beforehand.
What this means is to not go for the very first management software you find. Doing research means spending some time going through all the different types of vacation rental software you can find, and then taking notes on which ones you prefer the most. You might even want to compare notes to other people that have done similar research, as it’s always better to get assistance from someone you deem has more experience than you.
In any case, finding the perfect rental software will not be a totally easy task. However, once you do find the right software, you’ll immediately notice it makes a world of difference. Just make sure to spend as much time as you can because there is no such thing as too much research.
Learning the basic and most vital functions of the software should be your priority once you’ve narrowed down your options. Things like understanding the short-term rental income calculator, the booking engine, and the channel manager are very important to know because streamlining and simplifying your work process is the entire reason for using such software. You should stay clear of anything that makes that process more complicated. For example, you don’t want to be bogged down in unnecessary details, and you really want to avoid double bookings. Things like that can do significant harm to your business, which is where the core functions come into play. You want to be able to know how to distribute your listings on several different distribution channels, you want to be able to keep the calendar up to date, as well to manage everything in one place. What’s the point of using management software if you’re unable to do everything in one place efficiently?
This one seems very obvious, but it’s easy to get lost in the features the software offers you. Your needs might be simpler than what the full suite of the software is offering, so you might be better off with another option. Or, the opposite might be true and you might be looking for something more complex. In any case, such software should be able to streamline all your needs so that you’re not stuck managing the software, but rather you’re focusing on managing the business itself. That’s why it’s important to familiarize yourself with the features the software offers, and eliminate any software that either goes above or below your needs.
Being aware of how much you can spend on the management software you need should be one of your top priorities. However, there are a couple of misconceptions when it comes to purchases like this one. In regards to price, just because something is very expensive doesn’t mean that it’s going to be the best option for you. Perceived value comes from what the software can do for you, and not how much it costs. The opposite is also true. If what you found seems very cheap, it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad option. Sometimes, affordable software can perform way better than its expensive counterpart. To avoid being stuck in a loop where you just evaluate prices all day long without being able to make a choice, always opt for the trial version of the software. That way you can easily evaluate how much value it can bring to you and your properties.
Every good piece of software should be reliable to use in pretty much any situation. One of the very first things you should check for is the software’s customer support. You don’t want to purchase software that ends up having either no or very little support. Having 24/7 technical support for the software is only going to make things smoother for you and your business. Additionally, security should be a big priority for the software. Things like data protection and secure payment should be top of the list when you’re choosing software. You want your customers’ data to be as safe as possible at all times, which goes double for your own information
Finding the right vacation rental software can get tricky at times, but it’s definitely doable. It might take a bit more extra time than you thought at first, but that shouldn’t stop you from choosing the one you’re most comfortable with. Make sure to take your time, and before you know it, you’ll have chosen the right software.
