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Here's an example of what many users have in their House Rules on Airbnb:
"We supply our own renter agreement and waiver that you must sign after booking on Airbnb. We're happy to provide a copy prior to booking. You must provide a real email address and phone after booking, so that we can contact you directly without messaging through Airbnb for important/emergency matters."
So that satisfies the Airbnb rules of notification. Once a guest books, you send them the signing link from OwnerRez (automatically by trigger) which collects their contact info and gets a signed renter agreement all in one go.
We don't have the identify side yet, but you can certainly ask the guest for a card on file which is encrypted and stored in a way that you can't get human-readable access to. We are fully PCI compliant for storing and managing cards. As long as your House Rules on the channel tell the guest that you are going to do - ask for a card on file and place a hold before arrival - it should be fine. Many others do that.
Those are channel settings that govern how our system will interact with HomeAway based on the couple differences that HomeAway requires.
For payments, there is only automatic because that's the only way to it works for HomeAway. They push us the booking live, along with the guest's card info, and we process it internally using your own merchant account (eg. Stripe, Lynnbrook).
Ignore the rest of those settings for now. Just save and add the channel. Then you'll see an Instructions tab with what to do on the HomeAway side. What to fill out and who to contact. That's the important part to get this started. They will work with you on what all needs to be cleaned up or finished.
Take a look at Tools > Listing Quality Analyzer which will run through your properties and tell you what needs to be fleshed out more. This helps a lot when getting ready for API integration. Otherwise, your HomeAway integration specialist will keep emailing you things that need to be fixed first.
ISSUE:
*** I need to collect 3% from each AirBnB guest to pay my local county lodging tax. The 3% is assessed against the total of: the total rent, plus the cleaning fee plus the admin fee (all of which ABB collects, and each of which are listed separately in my ABB listing).
*** I live in Tennessee, where ABB automatically collects/pays our state and local sales taxes (9.75%). Those taxes are calculated based on the three charges mentioned above.
*** I am trying to see if there is a way to create a Custom Email Template that will pull the three amounts against which my local lodging tax needs to be assessed. I am not active on ABB yet so I don't know what fields OR pulls. I also don't know the specific definitions of many of the "field inserts" OR offers.
*** When writing a custom email it would be great if I could use a field insert like {BTGUESTFEE}. But that specific field won't work if it includes the 9.75% sales tax ABB is assessing. (Because I obviously don't want to charge 3% against ABB taxes.)
*** So, need to know if pulling those three fees is possible and which field insert it would be.
THEN, IF ABLE TO DO THE ABOVE:
*** Is there a way to calculate a 3% against those three fees using something like {BFPPOA}? (I know that's not what that was intended for, but trying to think outside the box here.)
Hahahaaa! Hope I explained that properly. Trying to work smarter, not harder, so setting up something like this thru a trigger email would be amazing. Thanks for any/all ideas!
I found an error in a security deposit amount (I had $200 in OR, should have been $100) but can't see a way to generate a new agreement for the guest to sign.
In my first year I have months with zero bookings. The Booking Statistics report showing cumulatives (ie: annual) nights per booking clearly includes months with zero bookings.
The report shows my annual at about 1 booking/night for the year, when every month with bookings is 2 or 3 nights.
Can y'all fix this? Would be best to calculate the annual across the full year, same as I imagine is being done for each month. Using an averages of averages isn't the right approach here.
The report I'm
from what I've read, it seems that Spot Rates are used to update Seasonal Rates. In the sense that the base rate is set using Seasonal Rates and then a Spot Rate will affect just the given date.
But when importing from a spreadsheet vs VRBO it seems rates are handled differently
a) importing from VRBO (via OR page) rates end up as spot rates
b) importing from a spreadsheet rates end up as seasonal
Can y'all give some insight into the best approach here? My goal is to maintain a permanent spreadsheet with dates per night.
From reviewing the import rates template (rate-import.xlsx) I think I could set individual dates like this:
Season Name = On Season
Start Date = 11/1/2019
End Date = 11/2/2019
Type = Night
Amount = $299
But I don't see a way to simultaneously set the minimum nights, unless it's in the 'Rate Nights' column perhaps?
I like having daily granular rates in a spreadsheet so I can have a permanent record of the initial (and reduced as dates get closer) rates.
To date I've been manually setting in VRBO, but I'd prefer to have a master spreadsheet which I import to OR and then push to VRBO.
Email gets to them. I set up trigger when booking arrives, to send them "please sign rental agreement" email. In the process of e-signing RA, OR collects their actual email, phone, address etc
That worked - makes sense, and thanks for the quick response !!
To put a value in there always, go to the Rules section of the property and set the default check-in and check-out times.
Those merge fields look at the times set on booking, and if a time isn't set on the booking they fall back to the property. If no time is set on the property, then it'll say "Standard". As long as you've got a time on the property it will show that instead of "Standard".
Also note the field you're using does include the "early check-in" language if applicable where the booking time is different from the property time. If you're using that field you may want to rearrange it a bit so the sentence reads better, like:
{BCHECKIN} on {BARRDAY} {BARR}
which would show
Early Check-in at 12:00 PM on Thursday Jul 11, 2019
Or else if you always want the time and don't want to denote early/late here use the {BCHECKINTIME} and {BCHECKOUTTIME} fields which only show the time.
I've seen various results using this custom field, sometimes with the at xx:yy PM and sometimes without.
Am I using the wrong field? I would like the actual time to always be presented in the email.
My template:
Arrival: {BARRDAY} {BARR} at {BCHECKIN}
Departure: {BDEPDAY} {BDEP} at {BCHECKOUT}
Results from the last three time the automated email was sent
Arrival: Thursday Jul 11, 2019 at Standard Check-in
Departure: Monday Jul 15, 2019 at Standard Check-out
Arrival: Thursday Jul 11, 2019 at Early Check-in at 12:00 PM
Departure: Monday Jul 15, 2019 at Standard Check-out
Arrival: Saturday Jul 13, 2019 at Standard Check-in at 4:00 PM
Departure: Wednesday Jul 17, 2019 at Standard Check-out at 10:00 AM
I didn't realize airbnb didn't provide an email. The triggers are sent to the '@airbnb' email then right? Is it recommended to request a real email address? Is that possible?
I'm looking for a way to verify a guest's identity that doesn't require me to physically (or electronically) maintain a copy of their credit card or driver's license.
I'm uncomfortable maintaining such guest personal infomation because of potential ramifications should that data be compromised. In the state of Colorado where my units are located, there is legislation addressing this (see link below) which requires me to create and adhere to a data privacy policy. As an an individual that's burdensome and a risk I don't want.
I found that Docusign has an identity product that matches up with their e-sign product. I'm not a fan of Docusign ($$$) but it could be a solution, perhaps something that could be included with OR's e-sign process.
Alternatively I could require a credit card authorization through a processing company (eg: Lynnbrook) for both direct and VRBO guests which would allow me to charge damages that exceed my allowance.
Ultimately my problem is this - I'm relying upon my signed rental agreement to help in an unlikely/extreme situation, but if the agreement were fraudulently signed by a person other than the guest I might be out of luck trying to pursue legal recourse.
So two questions ....
1) Is there some other approach I haven't thought of?
2) Could OR add this kind of identity verification in some manner?
(2018 CO legislation)
https://www.lrrc.com/colorado-makes-sweeping-changes-to-protect-consumer-data-privacy
I am looking at setting up HA/VRBO channel on https://app.ownerrez.com/settings/channels/edit?listingSiteType=HomeAway
I admit to being a little baffled by this screen. ABB channel connect has an Instructions tab, that would be useful here
1) If I already set up triggers and templates on OwnerRez, are they completely nonapplicable on this screen, just for direct booking?
2) SEE MY COMMENTS/QUESTIONS INTERPOLATED BELOW
Credit Card Payments
Credit cards will always be put on file if they exist.
Mode
Automatic THERE IS ONLY ONE RADIO BUTTON? WHAT IS THE OTHER CHOICE?
HomeAway integration requires a credit card and a direct processor account. Payments will be processed automatically upon booking.
ARE WE NOW ABLE TO TOTALLY USE LYNNBROOK AND NOT THEIR ANNOYING YAPSTONE? I SET UP BOOKING.COM TO COLLECT PAYMENTS, BECAUSE IF I DID MY OWN, BDC WAITED UNTIL GUEST ARRIVES TO COLLECT. IF I USE LYNNBROOK, IS MY GUEST BILLED AT TIME OF BOOKING, IN BETWEEN, OR WHILE THEY ARE STAYING AT PROPERTY?
Schedule a security deposit using OwnerRez property rules WHERE IS THIS PULLING FROM? WHAT PROPERTY RULES? OWNERREZ DEFAULTS? CAN I MODIFY THIS (HOW)? IF I DONT CHECK THIS BOX, THAT MEANS NO SECDEP OF ANY KIND, CORRECT?
If Card Fails
Make the booking pending for
1
days
Send template: WHICH TEMPLATE? WHAT IS SYSTEM DEFAULT TEMPLATE?
The pending booking will send the guest a daily notification that a card is required. If the deadline passes without a valid card being applied, the action below will be performed.
If Pending Expires
Automatically cancel the booking
Send me a warning notification
What action should be taken if the pending deadline is reached without the requested item?
Channel Rules
House Rules WHAT GOES HERE? - SIMILAR TO ABB, WHERE YOU CAN TYPE IN FREEFORM TEXT AS RULES? LIMITED TO THE THREE ROWS HERE OR DO WE COMBINE MULTIPLE INTO ONE IF NEEDED?
Rental Agreement Example:
I ASSUME THIS INTENDS TO BE THE LEGAL AGREEMENT UNDER https://app.ownerrez.com/settings ?? WOULDNT IT BE EASIER IF THAT APPEARED IN THE DROPDOWN AS A SELECTION, NOT JUST UPLOAD A FILE FROM OUR PC?
Wanted because it is available at home depot, but I will probably use ResorLock due to the integration.
I dont think so. OR seems to only integrate with certain locks that allow ResortLock (I think), errentallock, etc
In other words, it can control checkin/checkout time functionality.
Likely needs an API
errentallock uses a schlage.
why do you want this one?
Is the Schlage Encode WiFi lock set up for automation with owner res?
Great question Chris. I am trying to send that "7" day out email automatically. I typically send a note the day prior that includes the door code. I would like to send a note to remind of checkout.
The only thing I plan to do, is set up all prices within PriceLabs per my various specifications and have it determine all prices entering OR and then onto BDC, TA, BDC, ABB.
No seasonal, special, discount, events or other rates on OR or listing sites. I don't want to add the chances of confusion or dissonance.
Perhaps this is naive?
"You'll also be able to drop the extra Airbnb channel on PriceLabs and just keep the OwnerRez connection because we will be pushing the rates to Airbnb at that point."
Meaning that PriceLabs just updates on OR and you do all the price pushing, I assume?
BDC has a complex multi step process for activating properties where you request, we approve, and then you confirm. If we start pushing rates before you confirm it causes all sorts of errors.
Because of that we don't automatically turn on or let you turn the channel -- you have to contact us to turn it on.
We sent you an email/support ticket about this yesterday -- once everything's set up, respond back on that and we'll enable the sync.
For the Airbnb calendars, use our calendar sync to keep everything updated automatically: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/calendar-sync
Once you have some bookings, you'd run channel bridge to import the bookings and it'll help you map the property id's at that point: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/channel-bridge
PriceLabs has it's own separate support for pushing rates to Airbnb -- you'll have PriceLabs connected to both Airbnb and OwnerRez.
When we release the official Airbnb API support in September, you'll turn off the old channel and create a new channel of that type -- it won't be an automatic switchover that would overwrite things in Airbnb. At that point you'll have the option of updating everything including listing content from OwnerRez (like HomeAway) or just rates and availability (like BDC). You'll also be able to drop the extra Airbnb channel on PriceLabs and just keep the OwnerRez connection because we will be pushing the rates to Airbnb at that point.
Discounts combine with any spot rates you set. PriceLabs (and other pricing tools which we do not yet support) operate by setting spot rates in OwnerRez. Spot rates are nightly rates that override seasonal rates, but they do not override surcharges and discounts.
For example, say you've got a discount that kicks in for last minute bookings of 30% off if arrival is < 10 days away. That discount is going to apply to the spot rates. So if PriceLabs is including a last minute discount in the rates they push to OwnerRez, you don't also want a rules based discount in OwnerRez because you'll be double discounting.
In this PL setup URL: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/pricelabs
You say: "WARNING: discounts are still applied with spot rates. If you use a pricing tool to set spot rates, make sure to remove any last minute discounts etc. so you don't double discount."
"pricing tool" - you mean PriceLabs or something else??
discounts applied with spot rates - like on a listing site or OR?
not sure what exactly this sentence means.
OK, I put my properties on AirBnB (was definitely easier than BDC).
I believe you said AirBnB integration is targeted for September. ("Will I see you, in September...")
Can you tell me precisely what I should do now to get the AirBnB properties (IDs) to be recognized by OwnerRez? (So I dont double book and can use PriceLabs?). I am assuming Channel Bridge will be part of the answer - I have not used it yet.
And then what I should do differently once integration happens? Will it overwrite my work in ABB? Will there be a hiccup that could cause issues, etc?
On this site https://app.ownerrez.com/settings/channels
My Booking.com is showing Pending activation
Yet when I drill down (Pencil icon), the status of the properties is showing enabled
So, what do this apparent contradiction mean?
For automatic replies, what are you trying to do exactly?
For inquiries, you can set up an autoresponder in OwnerRez but that's limited because VRBO doesn't allow you to send quotes or links through email before a booking anymore.
For bookings, you can do triggers on booking created for a "thanks for booking". But be careful with those because guests can get confused if they just also got one from VRBO.
Or are you talking about something like a 7 days before arrival welcome letter? Here's an article on that: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/pre-arrival-email-templates-triggers-custom-fields. Booking created triggers will be similar to that but on the booking created event.
We support both iPhone and Android as long as it's got a browser version within the past year or two. Any phone will work, bigger screens are better. We do responsive UI so it will adapt to smaller screens but the bigger ones can see more at once so it's worth getting something at least medium sized.
I am looking for an article that explains automatic replies.
I am looking to generate automatic replies, especially for VRBO reservations or inquiries.
Also, I am looking to get a phone to give to my service guy that will allow him to be able log in with. Does that need to be an iPhone or Android? Does it matter? Looking for recommendations on what type of phone would provide the best mobile experience. He does not he a computer or email (yet). What is the best phone for him to basically see the calendar ribbon view that I give him permission for.
they can also share the link among family members in case they want to split the payments among them.
