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Tons of other channel managers are hooking their hosts up to Google Vacation Rentals.
If it's supposed to be so difficult, how are they able to do it?
In regards to the unique TouchStay links pushing to OR... I've been in touch with Andy. Here is what he said:
"About pushing the link back to OR, we are going to discuss with the OR team, there was some limitation on their side the last time we spoke but we'll be revisiting it. If we do it, this year for sure. But if/when I can't say for sure at this stage. Sorry!"
🤞 it will be rather sooner than later!
Our recommendation is to put the unique TouchStay link in a custom field on the Booking, and the generic one in a custom field on the Property. This way you can embed a generic link in property descriptions and quote templates, and the unique link in booking templates.
To automate inserting the TouchStay link on a Booking custom field will require TouchStay to modify their integration. If you reach out to them and let them know that we have released a Fields API for setting custom field values, perhaps they'll be able to add that feature.
Beyond exposing the option in the API as we have done, there is nothing further we can do to achieve this feature.
Yes, we've seen many use cases for defining separate headlines and/or descriptions for each OTA. We're planning to release a new feature to support that. We're really close, but I can't give an ETA.
The 50-char limit makes this even more important.
And I have to respectfully disagree on the valuenof a shorter heading. Guest scan search results and title is the 2nd best way to grab them with the property features (photo is #1).
We experimented on our listings and we found engagement and click-thru much higher with longer titles. I believe this is mostly due to the markets we are in being so large. The OTAs, especially AirBNB, don't seem to really understand large vacation markets.
Guest profiles (avatars) for OTAs are different too. Vrbo more family oriented, larger groups than AirBNB. So we need different titles.
The problem is the custom expiring url for each guest guide book is still not being pulled into OR from touchstay. You can only use a generic unexpired link in OR messaging set as a fixed custom field in OR. All this makes the ability to pull OR fields into touchstay a bit pointless until this loop is closed.
Great if you only want to use touchstay messaging but I would rather keep all messaging in OR as it just gets way to confusing. The OR inbox is not fully unified anyway without adding another place to check if messages have been sent.
Thanks, Paul, for confirming the current functionality and laying out the best way to get this accomplished today. I've been pinging Joe Jones, TouchStay's COO about this feature for the last year. He's definitely aware that automating through thru the current API with OR would be VERY helpful. Yes, we can copy/paste each time we get a new booking, but it just adds 1 more manual step whereas automating it through the API would be AWESOME. Joe indicates that's still happening sometime in the future - just hope it's sooner than later. :-).
Mike
Hi Mila,
Each of your guide books has a live website link that you can share with your guests. For a fast and easy way to download all those links simply click the button and choose the download format. (screenshots below) If you have a single property and don't want to use the download option, head to the Invite and Share tab of each guide to find the Quick Share link. Touch Stay does not currently send the guidebook links back into OwnerRez. You will need to create your own email templates/triggers inside OwnerRez and then add your guidebook link/links. I would suggest creating a custom field code for your guidebook links, then just add the field code to your email templates. Here is a doc on field codes:
https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/custom-fields
We're actually planning to do more or less the opposite - when you change the checkin/checkout time to something other than the default, a tag automatically gets added.
Yes, this is already in the planning stages.
Not worth the time and energy on owers/mamangers end.
Over this busy season, and thinking about workflow, it would be very handy to be able to auto-assign tags to various items.
For example: Bookings to PropertyA would get tags of "Need Drivers License" "Need Parking Pass" "Must Send RA Addendum"
A rudimentary task system where we can then show items with these tags for task assignment. When complete, we remove the tag.
Another example would be if we do an AirBNB bad review, add that tag to the booking and the guest contact record.
Lots more power in tags, but I am sure you know that. Just putting my 2-cents for future features.
Chuck
Dori,
Several years ago we tried bookings. Has the EXACT same experience with them, so after 4 years NOTHING has changed, so history tells me its not going to change. LOTS of cancelations, poor guest quality, payment issues, all the same as you are describing. My advice, cut your loses, save your valuable time for a platform that really cares, they DONT! Good luck!
Hello,
I was looking for exactly what you were asking, did you find a solution? Did Touch Stay build the feature you were asking or if you found a solution, I will appreciate your help.
thank you
Mila
Would be great if we could add a tag, late check out tag for example, and the booking check-out time is automatically updated to the desired. Would save time and works well with smart locks that automatically reschedule the access code.
Would like to see this get some more effort. Been waiting for a while.
I agree about segments not needed at our level.
Likely we will do Zapier integration which will allow for Mailchimp plus myriad other email marketing solution options (e.g., Constant Contact).
Thanks Shawn. That would be a huge upgrade. I’ll keep my eyes peeled!
Likely we will do Zapier integration which will allow for Mailchimp plus myriad other email marketing solution options (e.g., Constant Contact).
There is significant ongoing work planned around messaging, which wouldn't necessarily be exactly this, but is related.
The only thing that a true app can do that our responsive website can't, is alerts on your smartphone.
And, Google has announced that they plan to add that capability to Chrome browser. So that would be a far easier solution to the need. No ETA on this of course, but hopefully they'll actually do that.
We use the automated inquiry and quote response. But we sometimes get inquiries with questions through our website. To respond on the Inquiry screen is a bit convoluted, having to select ANSEWR tab and then "Answer Again".
Couldn't we have an "Email Inquirer" button that would also have a drop down to sleet a template?
Chuck
If there is not an actual mobile app on the roadmap (and PLEASE let there be - PWA just does not do it - navigation is terrible). Can you at least consider an app that just does messaging and can perhaps pulls up booking info?
As you are rolling our more messaging features with AirBNB, SMS, and (hopefully soon) Vrbo, it would be helpful. Much of our interaction is actually messaging, in some way or another.
Chuck
Also very interested. Please let us know!
hello @ arriveandthrive.co
Interested. I think this integration could provide a lot of value!
We are building out an integration between OR and Mailchimp right now. Let me know if you’re interested in using it too and I can talk to our developer about getting you access to it. It would sync contacts and tags from OR to Mailchimp. We might look at an ActiveCampaign integration as well.
Since as is pointed out, a whole slew of other channel managers are doing it.
It's really a bummer that OwnerRez is not wanting to do this. Something I don't understand.
Quite a few connected partners with Google if it is so manual how is it:
Google is removing ad listings if you are a vacation rental and not in there program..
https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/11946834?hl=en&ref_topic=10062823
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Our Custom Cancellation Policies integrate with Vrbo, so are limited to what they support - and they don't. We have asked them for this as well as some other additional customization options, and will implement them as soon as they allow, but, I wouldn't anticipate that happening in the near future.
Thank you Ken, I understand.
Our Custom Cancellation Policies integrate with Vrbo, so are limited to what they support - and they don't. We have asked them for this as well as some other additional customization options, and will implement them as soon as they allow, but, I wouldn't anticipate that happening in the near future.