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Whether it may be through a social media success story or an online advertisement for Airbnb, you’ve most likely heard about the shared accommodation industry one way or another.
Whether it may be through a social media success story or an online advertisement for Airbnb, you’ve most likely heard about the shared accommodation industry one way or another. If you’re an entrepreneur or accommodation that’s been looking to make a killing in the sharing economy, however, then the ins and outs of the industry aren’t foreign to you.
When it comes to running a short-term vacation rental, it makes perfect sense to market your listing on more than just one platform. The basic principle dictates that more platforms mean more customers—and more customers mean even more profit.
Common problems that accommodation owners face
After months or weeks of managing across multiple platforms, accommodation owners will realize that marketing a short-term vacation rental is a tedious process. The majority of issues that come about when managing a short-term vacation rental can be narrowed down to:
● Conflicting reservation schedules
● A difficulty in marketing a listing on any platform
● Constant competitive pressure from other similar listings
Problems that come about with managing a short-term vacation rental can rob accommodation owners of time to do more important tasks related to their business. When this is the case, owners will do better when they have extra hands. A channel manager for your short-term vacation rental can provide you the much-needed help.
What is a channel manager?
A channel manager is a digital specialist or online accommodation professional that is trained to assist any accommodation owner in managing their online listings across various channels. From streamlining prices and monitoring availability to facilitating reservations, channel managers are more than capable of providing high-level assistance for your needs. By putting a channel manager’s skills to work, you can benefit from saving yourself the time, effort, embarrassment, and negative reviews that come about with fumbling online operations.
The challenge now is how you can find the perfect channel manager when there’s a lot to choose from. No matter where you look, you’re most likely going to find a channel manager that you can work with in-person or online through a virtual assistant (VA) system.
What should you look for in a channel manager?
To ensure that you select the perfect professional for your business’s logistical and management needs, here are a few qualities or traits to watch out for:
1. They should have a PMS and booking channel that integrates every operation in your business
Managing various accommodation and online rentals can take quite a lot of work, especially if you’re often on the go and always move back and forth from property to property. The fast-paced nature of work requires a dependable logistical back-end. This means that channel managers have to be ready with a PMS and booking channel that can provide you the right information.
2. Competent channel managers should be able to integrate your listings with at least ten or more online booking channels
The problem with sticking to top platforms, such as Airbnb, Agoda Homes, and Booking.com, is that competition can be fierce, which eventually leads to your listings being buried. A professional channel manager recognizes the difficulty of standing out on top platforms, which means that they’re inclined to connect your listings with ten or more online booking channels. Diversification is essential for finding success as an accommodation owner, so make sure you have a channel manager that keeps the same concept in mind.
3. The best channel manager to work with uses analytics tools and provides detailed reports
A highly-skilled channel manager has an ingrained orientation that prioritizes results, which makes it essential for them to have tangible data. Channel managers that pull their clients to success use viable data often that allows them to suggest and make better decisions in the long run. When interviewing a channel manager candidate, make sure to ask what analytics tools they use and how often they can report relevant data.
Final words
By enlisting the help of a channel manager, it will be much easier to ensure the success of your short-term vacation rental business. Whether it may be your first time to look for a channel manager or not, follow the three aforementioned tips when choosing the right professional that can help you run your business better than ever.
We specialize in channel manager software for hotels & holiday rentals. If you’re looking for a hotel digital marketing agency in Thailand, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.
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