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Right on the heels of last week's major update, we've just released another pile of features.
Custom listing sites
Most users receive inquiries from more sources than just the major listing sites like VRBO or FlipKey. For instance, you may have a personal website with an inquiry form, or you may be listed on a regional listing site in your area. You can now track these inquiries with your own custom listing site names.
Click on the account dropdown menu and you'll see a new option for Listing Sites.
Click on it, and you'll see a new page, showing both your own custom listing sites and the system listing sites.
Click to add and the process is straightforward - provide a name and an optional domain name and you're done. The name can be anything you want.
After you save, you'll see your new listing site show up everywhere in the system that listing sites appear. For instance, the inquiry grid will show it in the filter bar.
You can also add new listing sites directly from within the inquiry verify page. If you determine that the inquiry has a blank listing site, simply select the "-- Create New --" option and enter a name inline.
Export to CSV and TSV
Use a Mac or like working with text formats? All of the grids now export to comma and tab delimited text, in addition to the existing Excel option.
We've also added extra export columns that only appear when you're exporting. These extra columns will help you analyze your data more effectively offline. If you need more fields or different information, please let us know. We'll be adding more columns soon.
Disable old properties
Over time, as your business expands, older properties may be sold or no longer operate as rentals. While you don't want to delete all your data, you also don't want that old property showing up throughout the system.
You can now disable properties that are inactive or old. The properties grid will now help you sort and filter by enabled/disabled as well.
To disable a property, navigate to it and then click the Disable Property link in the top right corner. From there, the process is straightforward.
You can also re-enable the property later if you made a mistake or decided that you want it show up again.
Editable calendar pager
The calendar pager - that thing above the bookings calendar that lets you scroll to previous/next months - is now directly editable. Instead of having to click the 'previous' button a hundred times to go back a few years, you can now click into the month/year box and type the month/year directly.
The month/year box accepts many different types of formats. You can separate month and year with dashes, commas, spaces or colons. You can write the month part in full word, abbreviation or number. You can write the year part in 4, 2 or 1 digit notation. Play with it and see how versatile it is!
Set the default booking view to whatever you want
In the last release, we made the booking overview page sticky - that is, it shows the view (calendar or list) that you visited most recently. Some users rightly pointed out that one might wish to see the calendar or list, by default, regardless of what happened last. You can now set that on your profile page.
General styling improvements and bug fixes
We're hard at work straightening up the interface in lots of little ways. For instance, every property list is now sorted by name, no matter where you are in the system. Little tweaks like that go a long way towards increasing the efficiency of the system.
Every time we have a new release we thank you for being patient while we fix the bugs. We appreciate your emails showing us if we missed something. The general style of the site keeps on improving and we are excited for the next release coming soon (just a few days)!
Great job, Sam. Thank you!
Claudia
We have been hard at work for the past several months on some upgrades to the back-end OwnerRez software that will make it possible for us to release updates faster and more often, provide more powerful configuration tools for users and open up the API. It took us far longer to complete than we originally thought it would, but we've finally released the update!
What does this mean for you? Well, for starters, we gave OwnerRez a facelift. This started earlier with the search section, but now is applied to all the menu overview pages.
The new top bar lets you easily navigate from place to place, see how many unread inquiries you have at a glance, and search from anywhere. As part of this, we're working toward a responsive layout that will adapt to any screen size so you can use OwnerRez on your computer, tablet or phone and get the best experience on any device.
The menu bar, itself, already does this. As the browser shrinks to smaller devices, the menus disappear to make way for a single button that slides opens with a single click (or touch) as does the search and account buttons. This responsive layout will continue to permeate the application until every page is easy to use on every device.
We've also upgraded the grids, adding a filter bar under the column headers and adding Excel export functionality. Anywhere you see a grid (Bookings, Quotes, Inquiries, etc.), you can now click the Export button to download an .xlsx file containing the full contents of the grid. We'll be adding CSV export in the next couple of weeks for those of you that don't use Excel.
We've improved the grid filtering, particularly for properties. You can now select multiple properties to filter any grid.
You can also filter by name on any grid that has name columns. In the future, the filter bar will continue to be upgraded to include filters in every column and a variety of extra options.
Throughout the application, we've tweaked options, fixed bugs and added enhancements.
Want to collect the second payment in person when the guest arrives? You can now do that. Go into the property or quote and set the Second Payment Rule to not automatically collect.
Want a quote to remind you about the security deposit release at a different number of days than usual for that property? You can do that.
Now that this update is out, we'll be doing more rapid updates over the next few weeks to add things like CSV export, custom listing sites for inquiries, resolution fields for inquiries, manual inquiry entry, new email templates, email templates per property, custom email template fields, custom email events, auto responders, rules, moving bookings between properties, a ribbon view reporting and a lot more.
Great work. These tips are very helpful and necessary in these days to promote your vacation rentals business.
From the first moment a potential guest looks at pictures of your rental you are setting the tone and expectations for your renters. Your guests are more likely to treat your rental with respect and feel secure when processing their payments.
One of the ways to start (if you haven't already) is to build a website that makes it easy for people to inquire about bookings. Having a user friendly website that looks professional and easy to navigate through will make your rentals much more eye catching.
Pictures and location are the two most important to a renters perspective. If you can't do anything about your location, at least use pictures that are honest and inviting. Take pictures in the day and at night. Update them every year. If you have the extra marketing money, hire a professional. A professional photographer understands lighting and has the lenses that can catch more property per image, and they know how to set them off for best effect.
Another way to look professional is to create an email template. It makes you look consistent and professional. Remember that you are a business. It makes your record keeping easier and gives your renters a sense of formality.
Using a booking site like OwnerRez gives your renters a sense of security. Your forms and payment processing are professional and your rental agreement is easy to read and legal. From the moment they are emailed their quote, they feel like they are dealing with a legit owner.
Why is your rental different from the one next door?
Okay, so you have your website, and you've posted your pictures on booking sites. Now what? Look inside your home. Does it have binders containing useful information about local attractions? Does it have emergency information about where the breaker box and the water shut off valves are? Maybe a map or directions of the local grocery store, best restaurants or ice cream shops? These types of details show the renter that you have put a lot of thought into the quality and enjoyment of their stay.
I would recommend investing in an entertainment coupon book ($40) or leave discount vouchers in a clear folder for your renters to use. Those extra touches can make or break the difference between them returning. Try to stay organized. If you have DVDs, put a list in your binder along with any Wi-Fi or alarm system passcodes. This can save time or an unnecessary late night phone call.
Items for purchase
Convenience during a vacation stay is a high priority. A great way to add revenue and make your guests feel more comfortable is by selling non-perishable items, sort of like a mini-convenience store.
Bottled water, chips, wine and candy bars are a great way to make your guests feel more at home after a long day of activities. It also puts a little extra money in your pocket. Just remember to have a checklist of items before and a checklist of used items, so you can charge their deposit upon departure.
Referral and comment cards
One of the best compliments an owner can receive is the renter referring other guests. Reward them with 10% off their next stay, or a free night with a 4 night booking. Not only have you gained more customers, but they are your new walking billboard.
Finally, leave comment cards or guest journals for your guests to fill out. Ask what they liked the best about their stay or what you can improve for next time. Have them rate your property. Don't take negative comments personally - use it as a way to improve the property for their next stay.
These are some of the details your guests will notice and appreciate. Not all of these tips are original, but every one is a good reminder of how to make your vacation rental an amazing experience for your guests!
For the past year, OwnerRez has offered Travel Insurance as an option that guests can add to their booking, and we're planning on adding Damage Protection as well.
Damage Protection is a small fee - $30 to $50 - that covers accidental damage to the property and precludes the need for a security deposit.
Many guests prefer paying a small non-refundable amount instead of a large security deposit for the following reasons:
You might be wondering why you should care. After all, security deposits work - why mess with a good thing?
Here are some reasons why it is to your advantage, as an owner or manager, to encourage your guests to buy Damage Protection instead of holdings security deposits.
You have a larger source of protection against major problems.
The average security deposit ranges from $250-$500 while Damage Protection can cover $1,500-3000 depending on the policy.
If windows or appliances are broken, the fees can run significantly more than the security deposit amount covers, leaving you with no option but to go back to the guest and demand more money. There is no guarantee they will pay it.
Damage Protection, on the other hand, is collected by the insurance provider and is a straightforward process. You submit a claim, and they send you the money.
Don't turn your guests into enemies and avoid awkward confrontations.
When their money is on the line, guests tend to quickly change attitudes about what was broken and whose fault it was. They sometimes get angry and vindictive when they disagree about what was collected.
With Damage Protection, you'll never have to worry about guests leaving bad reviews or seeking revenge because of disagreements over the security deposit. Claims are paid by the insurance policy, not the guest, so there are no awkward confrontations.
Keep your guests happy; keep them coming back; make them want to refer you to their friends and family. They are far less likely to do these things after an awkward confrontation over damages.
Make sure broken stuff is actually acknowledged and addressed.
Let's face it - knobs and dishes break, walls get dented and scratched, towels and sheets get stained. And even worse than having to fix these things is not knowing about them and leaving them for weeks or months on end while other guests come and experience an inferior product.
Guests tend to hide problems when their security deposit is on the line. It happens over and over again. They know their kids broke the lamp cord or cracked the remote control, and they know that their security deposit is going to pay for it unless... you never find out. So they stuff the lamp cord behind the couch and place the remote control on the table in a way where the crack doesn't show. And many times you don't see it until it's been too late to know which guests caused the problem.
With Damage Protection, the guest has nothing to hide. The accidentally cracked remote control is left in plain sight and in many cases they'll call to let you know or leave a note. After all, it's not their money on the line. You can fix it and move on, leaving the house proper for the next set of guests.
Avoid chargebacks and credit card problems.
At times, angry guests will go to great lengths to get their money back. Often, this includes lying to their bank about the credit card transaction and claiming fraud. This can lead to chargebacks if the bank wants to side with the guest, or at least create a hassle for you in terms of proving your case.
With Damage Protection, there is no credit card hassle or chargeback issues. You're paid by the insurance provider, not the guest. Your merchant account will stay squeaky clean.
Best reason of all - we'll pay you every time your guest buys Damage Protection.
Yep, you read that right. We get paid royalties by the insurance provider whenever guests buy Damage Protection, and we're going to pass part of that along to you. We think Damage Protection is a great option for guests and owners, so we want you to encourage guests to buy it and we want you to be happy about using it.
We haven't fully finalized how much we'll be paying out, but that will be coming in future weeks and months, and we'll inform users well in advance.
As always, you'll be able to configure how you want to use Damage Protection with your properties. You'll be able to show it on quotes, have it selected by default or even require it across the board and stop collecting security deposits entirely. If you want it hidden completely, you'll be able to do that too or pick different options for different properties.
We look forward to rolling out Damage Protection, and we hope you'll start sending feedback now about your questions and concerns.
First, a prelude. Here at OwnerRez, we constantly hear feedback from users - including some funny and interesting stories - and we've been looking for a way to share some of that with the community. We've created a Vacation Rental of the Month blog post in which we will chronicle a different user each month, their properties and whatever they'd like to share. If you're eager to be included, contact us directly and let us know.
We selected Cardigan Cabins as our first Vacation Rental Of The Month because, as some of you already know, Cardigan is owned by the same guys who built OwnerRez! As the first user, Cardigan Cabins has used OwnerRez for thousands of inquiries and quotes, leading to hundreds of bookings.
First up is Chris - one of the owners. We asked Chris about his history with both Cardigan and OwnerRez.
"When we started Cardigan Cabins, I shopped around for awhile and tried out other vacation rental software, but nothing had all the features we needed. We built OwnerRez to save time and make us look professional to our guests when we send quotes and collect payments. OwnerRez is different -- we're owners ourselves, so we know what it needs to do to provide maximum benefits for owners and property managers."
- Chris Hynes
Co-Owner, Cardigan Cabins
Cardigan's properties include Bear Bluff, Bear Valley, Bear Meadows, Shenandoah Stars, and Bear Timbers - all located in Luray, Virginia right on the shores of the Shenandoah River. Cardigan Cabins are all newly renovated and come with luxury features such as hot tubs, high speed internet, satellite tv/dvds, pool and ping pong tables, canoes and gas grills.
When asked about some of their successes and struggles and how we helped them, this is what they had to say:
"We recently added Bear Timbers, a beautiful cabin opening in April. We bought it unfinished which gave us the flexibility to add features such as appliances and furniture that we wanted. We are excited to add this property to our portfolio and can’t wait to break it in!
Last year, we faced a setback on July 4th. There was a devastating storm that knocked the power out for a week at our cabins (and therefore the AC) and we had to give refunds to multiple guests. A few guests decided to ask for discounts on future stays, which is still affecting us even now.
I was able to ask OwnerRez questions on how to deal with this situation so it didn't hurt the bottom line. They were able to give me direction on how to go about refunding the customers without it affecting our relationship. Thanks OwnerRez!"
- Veronica
Guest Manager, Cardigan Capital
We want to thank Cardigan Cabins for sharing their stories and wish them a successful rental year!
When you are deciding on whether or not you are going to accept pets, think about the pros and cons before making your final decision.
By allowing animals in your rental you will most likely gain more repeat bookings throughout the year. Guests will have also have a chance to stay for a longer period of time, because they can bring their pet along.
Most people decide to stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel because of two reasons: children and pets. Having a strict no pet policy can push away many of your future guests. This also makes your rental twice as hard to rent during your off peak season.
If you do not accept animals, one of the problems we have ran into are the rules about "service animals". Some people claim they have a service animal to avoid pet deposits or cleaning fees.
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) states:
You are not allowed to ask what disability a person has that makes them require a service animal and the person with the disability does not have to provide you with any proof, unless they are trying to gain employment or find permanent housing
A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for person with a disability.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.
The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed.
Conventionally, when owners decide against accepting animals, it is for a number of reasons such as animal hair, pet accidents, noise/barking and the possibility of property damage.
ADA does not allow service animals to be charged as part of regular pet fees so owners can run into problems charging if it's a service animal. You can get around this by charging an "extra cleaning for pet hair" or an additional fee for heavy cleaning because the ADA does allow businesses to charge if the pet made a mess. The ADA also allows you to evict the person if the pet is unruly or dangerous to others.
If you've overly concerned about messes, you might want to install an animal friendly access way such as a doggie door or dog run.
A good way to go about allowing animals is having a case by case policy. If an animal is under so many pounds, or not allowing certain breeds ect. Some people have severe allergies to animals and can cause a problem for other potential renters.
Guests should always inform you that they are bringing a pet, even if it is a service animal. Some states have up to a $1,000 fine if a person is falsely stating they own a service animal to gain access.
No matter what you decide on, make sure you review your state's pet policy before disclosing anything on your website. You never want to deter guests from booking, but sometimes it can hurt your ROI allowing animals into your premise.
Security is very important to us here at OwnerRez. We protect your data in many ways, ensuring that it's safe from hackers and backed up securely.
This week, we added an additional layer of security -- we made the entire site connection secured, whether you're logged in or not. Before, the site was only encrypted while logged into the OwnerRez app.
Now, you'll see a green security bar in your browser indicating that your connection is secure at all times when on the OwnerRez site, whether you're browsing, in the app, or in the forums or blogs.
Hi Paul - Done, I emailed to help@ownerreservations.com. Hope it helps. Unfortunately their format for inquiry requests on some of the fields are free-form - the arrival date, length of stay, adults, children... some people type in all sorts of crap that makes no sense.
Hi Jon, Paul here - one of the developers. Can you send a couple of sample inquiry emails to us from RentalBug? Ideally, we need at least one that has all fields filled in (guests, comment, etc) so we can get a sense of what to parse. Send it to help@ or use the Contact Us form, and it'll get routed to the right place.
Great question Jon! We understand this feature would be very useful to our users. This item is on our to do list, and we will keep you posted when it is finished. Please feel free to send us that example.
Thanks,
-Devin
Support@ownerreservations.com
Hey Michelle this is great, but I'm wondering if it would be possible for you to add automatic parsing of inquiries that we get from the front-end site we use, Rentalbug.com. It is a very popular site in Michigan and surrounding states.
I can forward you a sample property inquiry if that would help.
Killer feature!!! Nice job
Most of you have a personal website for your vacation rental, and the website includes a "contact us" or inquiry form of some kind.
Previously, when sending those custom emails to our system, you were presented with the What's This wizard that forced you to manually copy/paste the email data into an inquiry form.
Now, we support automation for those custom inquiry emails just like we do for the major listing sites.
You'll need to change the format of the email you're sending to match a special format our parsing engine looks for.
Learn how it works by reading Inquiry Parsing For Custom Emails.
There are many ways to go about hiring people to take care of your vacation rental. They can range from property management companies to a caretaker/housekeeper, to yourself being the cheapest option, but not the most time savvy.
Some of the benefits to property management companies include taking a lot of the worry and hassle out of letting people in and out and watching over or hiring the housekeepers and handymen.
When deciding on a handyman, you should be consistent and try to use the same person or company every time. Make a checklist for them to go over so you can be proactive and prevent many of the problems like leaky pipes or a broken ice maker before they become costly issues. Also, try to choose one that is available 24 hours in case of emergencies.
Another option that people like to use is having a neighbor watch your rental. You can set up some sort of arrangement so you always have someone you can rely on in case of emergencies and to help reduce the chances of criminal nuisance. This can range from a certain fee or trade to watch their property when they are out of town.
Having multiple options is a bonus. Remember that your goal is to have positive cash flow. If a property management is not in your budget, you can trade with your handyman or housekeeper. Reserving them off peak times in your calendar for services they provide can be a very cost effective way of minimizing overhead. Plus you gain a customer.
If your second house/condo is in a an ideal location desirable enough to be a vacation rental, it's a great way to supplement your yearly income with not a lot of time commitment if done correctly.
So you picked out the furniture, all the appliances and properly working and you have had new landscaping put in. All set and ready for the cash to roll in? Think again. In order to make sure you are going to be making a profit and not just breaking even or worse losing money, you need to come up with a modestly estimated number of weeks you expect to your home to be rented and divide that by the total cost it takes to cover your monthly bills.
According to a survey conducted by HomeAway, owners who rent their second homes make, on average, more than $33,000 a year in rental revenue. Renting your second home just a few weeks each year could help offset some costs, such as your homeowner's insurance, power bills, or HOA dues.
However one on the downsides can be not having enough rental income to cover the cost of your mortgage and monthly maintenance costs. A great way to manage this is making realistic goals. Are you in this for the long haul? Could this be a mortage free retirement home for the future? Would it make sense to partner with someone to cover monthly costs?
One of the best ways to avoid not being able to cover the monthly costs is choosing a vacation rental property that can be easily rented. Here are a few things to think about:
Choosing a location that is easy to market will save a lot of time when trying to book qualified renters. The second step to making a profitable return on your vacation rental investment.
Hi William,
Great question. We have had a few other users ask about this, and I assure you that it is in our queue of things to do. It is very important to us and we want to make sure it is done correctly. I can't give an exact date, but I will inform you as soon as have it set up.
Thanks again,
-Devin
Any plans to develop a check in template that can be sent to renter days prior to check in?
Martin, I just took a look at the FlipKey website to get you some specific instructions.
To get your property ID from FlipKey (to plug into our system) do the following steps:
1) After logging in to FlipKey, click on the "Listings" menu
2) Look at the property you wish to integrate and notice the "listing # 12345" underneath the title. Each property shows a unique listing #.
3) Take that listing number and plug it into our system where we ask for the Property ID when turning on FlipKey calendar sync.
Hope this helps,
-Michelle
Hi Martin,
Our integration with FlipKey (ie. our system updating their calendar for you) does indeed still work.
The pictures that you see above, in the blog post, are most likely stale. The FlipKey interface changes from time to time.
If you can find the property ID of your listing in FlipKey and plug it into our system, our system will keep your FlipKey listings up to date.
Every day, we update hundreds of FlipKey calendars with new dates.
Hope this helps,
-Michelle
THIS DOESN't WORK ANYMORE! FlipKey now uses a code to widget system
OwnerRez has offered TrustCommerce integration for some time.
Recently, we've been working with TrustCommerce to become one of their certified solution providers.
We wanted to work closely with TrustCommerce because they offer state-of-the-art reporting, fraud risk mitigation, data storage, and business continuity service. They also offer other services that can be helpful to small businesses.
We're proud to announce that we have completed the certification process!
This means that our integration with TrustCommerce has been tested and validated at the highest levels, and you can rely on our payment processing to provide rock solid transactions.
To see a list of all the secure payment options we offer, please visit the payment methods area in OwnerRez.
Hi Claudia,
Not yet, but there will be. We're going to have a public form (similar to the quote acceptance ones) that shows a full page calendar display of what the widget does now.
If you have your own website, you could also embed the widget for now and link to that.
Is there a way I can send a link of the calendar in my response letter, showing the same thing when they click on it... Reserved/Booked?
Right now there is nothing out there that I can click and show my availability without directing them to a site.
Claudia
This is an interesting summary, but in our experience we have found our own website to be the strongest generator of bookings. The geographical location and competitor set of each owner's holiday rental will also play a major part in forming their marketing strategy.
In our case in particular, by offering something out of the ordinary (a villa where guests are welcomed, looked after and cooked for by a local family), in a location that is off the beaten path and away from the over-developed tourist hot spots, this unique niche becomes our most important factor.
Hi Glen,
Glad you like it. Inquiry forms are already in the queue. No ETA yet, but we realize how important it is to get those out.
FYI - you can already send any email message to the email address we provide in your OwnerRez account. I'm referring to the "inquiryspot" email addresses you see here:
https://app.ownerrez.com/inquiries/instructions
You can send email from your existing form to that email address. Since the system can't parse it automatically, it will ask you to fill in the information with a simple wizard screen.
I embedded it in my site and it works very good!
Actually though, this brings me to a request/problem I have. My website builder has a tool to add and customize a form. When the user fills it out, it will send an email to the address of my choice. I customized the form to look somewhat like the forms of the big sites (VRBO, Flipkey, etc.) and tested it out. However as expected, the inquiry system here did not recognize it. Is it at all possible to have OwnerReservations define the acceptance a 'generic' email inquiry? Perhaps you guys could specify the format of the email needed and then on our private websites, we could design forms to match that specification. Seeing that the availability calendar is on our personal sites now, it would be nice if we could have an inquiry form below.
Glenn
Nick, great idea. And you're right. I'll see if we can add that to the roadmap.
It would be great if there was a preview widget capability..
