Why Text Messaging Is The Future for Vacation Rental Managers and Their Guests
No matter where your guests come from, chances are good they’ve got one thing in common. They like to communicate on their mobile devices. And that includes when they’re on vacation.
With more than 3.5 billion users worldwide, text messaging is “the new language of the globe,” according to Skift, the travel industry news platform. And it’s the hospitality industry’s hottest trend.
Hotels are blazing the trail, led by large and small chains alike, from behemoths like Marriott and Hilton to Palace Hotels, an eight-property beach chain in Mexico and the Caribbean.
According to a study from OpenMarket, a whopping 90 percent of hotel guests in the United States and United Kingdom said they would find using text messaging to communicate with a hotel “very” or “somewhat” useful.
Providing reservation reminders, alerts about upcoming events or specials and answers to frequently asked questions are a few of the ways hotels are utilizing text messaging.
It’s not much of a leap to conclude that text messaging can be just as important in the vacation rental home business.
Here are six reasons text communication can help your vacation rental company.
| 1 |
Text messaging is instantaneousWith text, guests are never put on hold or made to wait for an email response when they have a question. |
| 2 |
Everything happens on a mobile deviceThis means your guests can get in touch with your business whenever and wherever they want, be it in the car, at a coffee shop or soaking in their rental house hot tub. It also means you and your staff can text back on your phones. |
| 3 |
It’s like a virtual front deskWith text, you or your staff can always be available to interact with guests. This is an obvious benefit for property managers with vacation rental homes spread over a sizable geographic area. |
| 4 |
Text messaging saves timeIn many instances, texting is faster and more efficient than answering guest questions by phone, sending emails or speaking face to face. This allows you and your staff time to concentrate on other aspects of your business. |
| 5 |
Texting is tangibleWith text messaging, guests get the information they need in writing, whether it’s a WiFi password or directions to the nearest grocery store. You, in turn, have a record of each transaction if you use a product like the RueBaRue Guest Experience Platform. This way you know how quickly and efficiently you or a staff member responded to each question. |
| 6 |
A text messaging system makes your business look goodTexting shows that your company is up-to-date, tech savvy and on the lookout for the latest ways to accommodate your guests. |
As text messaging gains in popularity with hotel guests, it’s natural that they will expect to use it when they book a vacation rental property. This is the perfect time to add it to the way you communicate with your guests.