According to studies carried out by different companies dedicated to the tourism sector, many hosts of vacation homes and hotels can spend an average of 8 hours on the check-in process of their guests. For these cases there are two types of procedures, those who think that the best way to manage it is self-management, that is, taking charge personally and those who delegate this function to an external company that provides a solution to optimize management.
But the question is, what is the best option for my business?
There are three alternatives that we consider for the management of our homes:
The alternatives that we consider now in the management of check-in are the following:
- Self-management or self-management.
- Hiring a professional manager.
- The use of technological tools.
Self-management, as we have said before, is one of the most used by small companies, by those managers, who may be able to live near the accommodation. Tasks such as sending the reservation confirmation email, answering frequently asked questions about arrival time or how to get there, if there is parking nearby, etc. They are done through your own email or WhatsApp.
Some of the disadvantages come from the fact that when receiving guests, it is necessary to go to the apartment in advance to deliver the keys, welcome them and inform them about all the services that the house has. You also have to manage the travelers’ register, fill in the part and send it to the authorities. If guests are late in their arrival, things get complicated, since the handover of keys can take place late in the day or at night, having to wait for the guest until they arrive. This manual process can take you approximately 4 hours a day.
The second option is to delegate this function to a consulting firm or a property manager, who will be in charge of the entire management process of your guests, these services are outsourced, and they are in charge of checking in, receiving guests, show them the house, give them advice about the city and be the means of contact for everything they may need during their stay. This option is recommended for owners who own multiple accommodations. Professional managers can charge a commission of around 5% on each reservation or a fixed amount per check-in that normally amounts to approximately € 20.
The third option is to opt for a technological tool that makes everything easier for you by digitizing the guest registration process. In the market this is one of the options that is being used the most by property managers, since it reduces costs and above all time. With this type of contactless technology like the one offered by Chekin, your guests can check-in remotely, even access their accommodations remotely, which will give you the advantage of being able to manage your reservations and long-distance stays. , without having to wait for a guest to arrive late or having to mediate with an intermediary.
For the use of this type of technology, from Chekin we want to give you 5 tips.
1.- Choose a tool that is intuitive, easy to use for you and your guests.
2.- Choose a tool that allows you to integrate with your Channel Manager or PMS, and that connects to your entire reservation system quickly and safely.
3.- Choose a tool that can allow you in the future to add more functionalities, payments, tourist taxes, reservations, it is always good to have a complete tool.
4.- Choose a tool that allows you to manage all your properties from a single account, so that you do not have to create different accounts to manage them, this is essential since it will give you the advantage of being able to control all your properties under the same account remotely.
5.- Last but not least, choose a tool whose cost is proportional to the service provided. But how do you know? Simple, many tools have the advantage of trial or free trials, take advantage of them.
In conclusion, the form of management you choose will largely determine the success of your accommodation, so think very well, which one to choose, always take into account that your time and that of your guest are worth gold.
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