COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out across the globe, but even with a successful vaccine, concerns over hygiene and social distancing are likely to persist. In fact, Dr. Anthony Fauci warns that the need for masks and social distancing will endure long after the distribution of vaccines.
Whether you are managing a short-term or long-term rental property business, this means that you need to take extra disinfection measures to make sure renters feel safe. In addition to these hygiene measures, smart property and smart home technology can also help you rebuild the trust of your renters. Below, we’ll look at how different smart property tech can help you rebuild renter trust in this regard.
Virtual Reality (VR) Rental Property Tours
Short-term property rentals offer more space and privacy than hotels. This makes them an attractive alternative to hotels during COVID times. However, there are so many variables when it comes to short-term rentals that guests may not trust what they are going to find when they get to a property. Thankfully, property owners and leasing offices can coordinate unattended showings using keyless entry and smart scheduling technology. PointCentral’s Unattended Showing feature allows the leasing staff to provide a temporary code by phone or email, or interested tenants can register for a showing online. Once their appointment is confirmed, they will receive a code automatically.
Additionally, Virtual reality (VR) property tours overcome this challenge. By allowing guests to take a close, interactive look at the property in advance, VR tours help guests feel safe when making a reservation. VR technology can offer potential guests a 360-degree view of your property along with virtual reality experiences that simulate being inside the property itself. VR technology will help new guests — especially those who have never reserved a short-term vacation property — to feel safer and more comfortable renting from you.
VR tech is useful for long-term renters too — mainly because it allows them to tour your property without risking virus transmission during COVID times. However, it also gives prospective long-term renters the convenience to explore your property without much of a time commitment.
Smart Property Automation Work Routines
Another critical element in rebuilding renter trust is the ability to offer “hotel-like predictability.” Most hotels are extremely good at providing predictable service to their guests. However, service quality varies when it comes to short-term rental properties, vacation rental properties, and long-term rental properties. One way that property managers can achieve hotel-like predictability and consistency is to use smart property workflow automation technology.
PointCentral’s property automation system allows you to automate workflows from check-in and check-out to cleaning, repairs, and unit turn-over. By guiding staff members on an automated workflow journey, the PointCentral system assigns tasks to different team members and automatically triggers the progression of the workflow after each task is done. For example, when it’s time for cleaning, inspections, or repairs, the appropriate staff members receive a notification of the pending task. Property managers can then monitor the status of pending tasks from a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Here’s a quick 1-minute video that illustrates how the PointCentral vacation property automation process works.
Smart property automation systems encourage accountability, better workflow organization, faster unit turnover, and a smoother check-in/check-out experience for guests. At the end of the day, PointCentral will help you achieve the hotel-like levels of service — regardless of the type of rental property you’re managing.
Remote Check-Ins
A lot of short-term rental property businesses continue to use in-person meetings for check-ins and check-outs. Either your guests have to stop by a central office to pick up the keys, or your staff will meet the guests in person to give them access to the property at check-in. These in-person meetings are problematic during a pandemic because they increase the chances of virus transmission. They also waste the time of your staff unnecessarily.
A simple way to help guests feel safe from virus transmission — and save time for yourself and your staff — is to eliminate in-person check-ins and replace them with remote check-in procedures. PointCentral property automation systems use smart locks with an easy-to-use keypad for remote check-in. New guests receive an access code that expires after the duration of their stay. Remote check-ins like this allow guests to access their unit without meeting anyone in person, which can save a tremendous amount of time and money for everyone involved.
PointCentral: Smart Property Automation Tech for a Post-Pandemic World
PointCentral smart property automation systems offer unique solutions for rebuilding customer trust and feelings of safety in a post-pandemic world. If you’d like to learn more about how a PointCentral automation solution can help your short-term or long-term rental property business, schedule a free demo from the PointCentral team now.
