Bill's Bountiful Blog

May I keep you posted on my thoughts, ideas, observations, and silliness?. Am I serious? Is it relevant?. Does anyone care? Probably not much.

But in today's age of everyone has something to say, why not me? And who can blame me for jumping into to the pool? For speaking up For laying it out?

"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." - Thomas Wiley, Journalist


Everything Instant - Lodging Newsletter September 30, 2024

By Wm. May
Published: 09/30/24 Topics: Education, Investment, Lodging Management, Profit, Selling, Vacation Rental Management, Yield Management Comments: 0

Instant Always

Long ago with some partners, we made an offer to purchase (of all things) a radio station.  
 
The partners had experience at managing radio stations, but no experience at the process of actually closing a business purchase that included a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license application, tangible and intangible assets sale, engineering evaluation, and how to write all the necessary contracts.
 
The attorney engaged to facilitate the closing, had dozens of questions, when one partner innocently said, "Well, how long will it take for you to prepare the documents so we can close the deal?"
 
He informed us that he could have the first-draft of the closing documents in about week, then it would take the FCC about a month to review our application.
 
The partners were crestfallen. What could possibly take up to a week to type up some papers? The attorney was cordial in saying that this time is shared among numerous clients and, more importantly, the work must be done carefully and it must be done completely.
 
Overtime, with the advent of overnight document delivery services, then email, then mobile phones, and now texting, consumers and even business people have come to believe that everything little thing can be done immediately. But smart businesses still benefit from knowing when and when not to make things instantaneous.
 
We like to quote John Wooden, the head basket ball coach at UCLA from 1947 to 1975, won the NCAA national championship 10 times (7 consecutively). No other coach has come close. Many experts consider him to have been the best sports coach (in any sport) of all time, famous for admonishing his players to perform:
 
"Be quick. Never hurry."
 
That is especially helpful guidance in today’s era when more communications methods have caused everyone to want everything instantaneously. 
 
Later in life, Coach’s players admitted they not only fully understood the wisdom at the time. It helped them navigate life ever since.


============================

 
In the vacation rental and lodging management business, the list of duties, tasks, and obligations is long and varied. Of course, it is necessary to maintain and clean the physical properties, to assist guests in every way they may need, and to communicate with the property owners.
 
Over decades, the list of obligations continues to increase. Create and maintain websites. Continually invest in technology to synchronize rates, dates, and information with "Online Travel Agency" (OTA’s) websites (such as VRBO, AirBnB, Expedia). Produce web-optimized still photos, drone aerial photography, 3D Tours, and even floor plans. Utilize devices to monitor guest behavior, while also being available 24-7-365. And help with government permits. 
 
Along the way, an unexpected burden has been imposed.
 
Communicating in new ways is a good thing. Years ago bookings came in by phone, with confirmations sent by mail, or even fax (remember faxes??). The arrival of email was helpful. Online bookings facilitate bookings. Mobile phone ordering convinced guests to book on the go, and also helps coordinate housekeeping. Texting allows guest and manager to reach out and touch at any time.
 
But is that all good?
 
More communication methods have actually decreased personal communications. OTA’s interfere between guests and managers. SMS texting makes for overly short words, requiring much back and forth. Guests  demand to text at 3AM with non-essential questions. Owners install security cameras to surveil guests (who just hate that).
 
So to provide top service to everyone we embrace that John Wooden quote, "Be quick. Never hurry".
 
No one method takes preference. Bookings, phone calls, emails, texts, online chats, are parsed to determine priority. Quick - guest onsite property services. Quick - weather and utility interruptions. Quick - housekeeping and maintenance scheduling and tracking. New bookings ae processed quickly, depending on arrival date.
 
All the other hundreds of duties, questions, and requests come after those. Accounting is scheduled. Advertising is planned far in advance. Owner reports are periodic, but not daily. For owner questions about projections, accounting, or other inquiries, time is taken to ensure that responses are accurate and complete.
 
Coach Wooden also advised, "It’s the little details that are vital."
 
So by following prioritized communications, we can achieve the best outcome for owners, guests, and staff alike. 

Read more

Author: Wm. May – Administrator, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 1000 – 09/30/24

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Frozen Guests - Lodging Newsletter August 31, 2024

By Wm. May
Published: 08/31/24 Topics: Education, Investment, Lodging Management, Profit, Selling, Vacation Rental Management, Yield Management Comments: 0

Vrozen Guests
 
For twenty years, visitorship of vacation rentals has been on a steady increase. But it has not been a straight line. Always upward, but erratic, too.
 
Short, medium, and sometimes long-term trends have slowed the industry. The dot com boom, 9-1-1, of course, and the 2008 real-estate depression. These large scale events squeezed bookings, rates and sales.
 
But there is good news. Every time, eventually, the vacation rental industry rebounded and the upward creep continued. All because vacation rentals are a better "product" for certain travelers, at certain times, who have certain goals.
 
Then an upward event further revealed good volatility, when there was a revenue surge never seen before. To escape "cabin fever", consumers flocked to private vacation rentals to get some enjoyment, while avoiding other people. (Hotels suffered.)  
 
Even long-time lodging advertising experts were astonished. Never had there been a splurge of buyer (guests) frenzy as big and as fast. Beginning in late 2022, 2023, and now in 2024, as vacation rental demand returned to what might be called "normal seasonal" levels.
 
In 2024, the softening nationally has continued for many reasons. But most pundits fail to voice a trend which has returned every four years, since our first office opened in 1964 and, of course, that would be the presidential elections.
 
The downturn affects many industries, not just travel, as each candidate and each party screams at consumers that the end of the world is near unless they vote for one candidate over the other.
 
And when people feel fear they "freeze", stop making decisions, put off purchases, travel less and become enamored with the battle. It may be sacrilegious to say, but the sky is never falling as fast or as much as presidential candidates want to make consumers believe.
 
In this month’s newsletter, let’s explore why humans are so easily manipulated.
 
 
================
 
 
Even with a degree in advertising, a first career in an advertising agency, and decades of ad management, the study of advertising still confounds me because it is directly tied to consumer psychology.
 
First my excuse - In business, we are only trying to get guests to buy our products instead of something else. We are only asking them rent our houses instead of the other houses.  
 
We aren’t hurting anybody but the same cannot be said for politicians, who have always used proven advertising techniques to scare the hell out of people.
 
Exaggeration - It is not enough to say "my opponent is wrong", but instead "Voting for that other clown will be the end of the world." But a biologist once said. "Humans are so self-centered. After an atomic war the cockroaches will be celebrating the feast they find." Humans are laughably self-centered.
 
Superlatives - It is not enough to be a good person, smart, well meaning, and hoping to represent voters well. Instead, the words are "Very motivated because (fill in the blank)", "Extremely intelligent" and "First in the class, the professional, the community."
 
Tribalism - People all want to be part of something bigger - a country, a state, a town, a club. They feel, "the other people are fools if they do not look like them, talk like them, dress like them.  
 
Personality - Strange to say, but no one likes everyone else. Mostly we appreciate people like ourselves. Or the opposite - the beautiful people, athletes, celebrities and people who have what we do not. We are fan boys and fan girls and seldom understand why.
 
Contemptibility - Contrary to feigned sincerity, politicians have always found their opponents foolish, knavish, and devoid of intelligence. Some say it softly, but they all say it.
 
Voters fall into this trap because, as the comedian George Carlin said, "Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."
 
Loyalty - In wars, every soldiers wants their fellow soldiers to be loyal to their cause. In politics, it is the rare voter who can separate their intellect from their loyalty. Once you join the team, you seldom switch teams out of loyalty.
 
Scarcity - Every party says, without us you won’t do as well. Then they paint a picture of utter doom should you be stupid enough to vote for the other person. There will be no jobs, no money, no stability, and even your friends will desert you. It’s not true, but it sells well to voters.
 
You Too - If you believe it is only the "Other party"  using manipulation to woo voters, sorry to say you have been wooed and manipulated. From the modest to the momentous, getting elected has always required despicable adverting techniques. Students of advertising recognize it. Should you?
 
Prediction - If politicians and parties would stop using despicable methods, then consumers would thaw out and get traveling again. I predict they will never drop the methods.
 
But the good news is - it will be over in a few weeks and then consumers can get back to life as usual. For lodging there will be an upturn. No one knows when but there always is. Let’s call that optimism.

Read more

Author: Wm. May – Administrator, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0999 – 08/31/24

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Wallowa Valley - Lodging Newsletter July 31, 2024

By Wm. May
Published: 07/31/24 Topics: Education, Investment, Lodging Management, Profit, Selling, Vacation Rental Management, Yield Management Comments: 0

After decades in lodging management we have learned a few things. Actually many things. More accurately, hundreds of things. Maybe even thousands. All are valuable to clients.
 
They could be called "Best Practices" or "Proven Policies" or "Operating Procedures." But we like to call them "Fingers in the Dike" because, if you know where the holes, are you can prevent a flood.
 
That is why we approach every new question, issue, idea, compliment or even complaints in this way:
 
First - Solve the problem, issue, or new (never been seen before) situation. ASAP.
 
Second - Formalize solutions into training, documentation, and actions, so if an issue comes up again, everyone here knows exactly what to do well before they need to do it.
 
That second point takes us extra effort, time, and sometimes money, but it saves that amount over and over again.
 
As a young man, I did not stay in Boy Scouting long, but I did memorize their motto. And over the years I have come to realize it is exactly what is needed to run a business, take on life, and even manage vacation rentals:
 
Be Prepared
 
Our competitors range from small local companies, to giant corporations, to newbie free-lance title "Co-hosts". So, it is surprising how ill prepared all of them are.
 
It is enjoyable to explain how our advertising, marketing, reservations, rate setting, photography and other skills will generate more income and profit for owners than the other managers can hope to do.
 
But most of all, owners need us because we have been-there, done-that, and are fully prepared with what may come.
 
================
 
Many variables are at the owners discretion, but we will always chime in with which finger should go where in the dike. Here are just a few:
 
Instructions - It is not enough to just provide the address. Emailed, mailed, or online instructions assist guests in flying, driving and finding the property. Even so, staff must answer phones 24-7-365.
 
Arrival - Whether using elocks or keysafes for entrance a toll-free phone number must be posted for guests who forget their code, can’t turn a key, or are lost in the dark.
 
Guest Books - It is fun to read that visitors love the house as much as you do. But not so fun when they complain about the weather, or draw in nasty photos. (It does happen.)  Instead a professional handy "Welcome Book" that thanks guests, gives them home details, and mentions area attractions is better.
 
Signage - The old slogan goes, "Tell them and then tell them you told them." A few professional strategic signs inside houses called "Notices" pleasantly remind guests of the rules.
 
Pet Friendly - Allowing dogs (no other pet type) will increase income. Accidents are rare, and visitors willingly pay a pet cleaning fee. If you reject dogs, but bring your own, people will presume the property is dander-free when it’s not.
 
Support Animals - Federal law prohibits refusing service to people with support animals. A few qualifying questions are allowed, but intimidating questions result in large penalties. Don’t question those people. (Currently, emotional support animals are NOT required to be allowed.)
 
Wine Basket - A bottle of wine sounds hospitable. But that is not legal, and eventually a wine snob will give you a bad review no matter quality. The solution? How about a bottle of Martinelli’s non-alcoholic cider? Everyone loves it. Kids can drink it. And it’s far cheaper.
 
Water Craft - While providing kayaks, paddle boards, or even boats sounds like a surefire way to attract guests, that presents a huge liability risk. And surprisingly, it won’t increase occupancy, rates or net income. Don’t include photos of anything that will not actually be provided, or the guest will demand a credit.
 
Games - Jig-saw puzzles are a joy for families, but soon pieces go missing, prompting a guest to leave a snarky review about that. Puzzles without pieces are best.  
 
Door Web Cameras - Surveillance must be disclosed in writing to guests. But they won’t get approval from their invitees. So some will scream murder when they feel spied upon. If you must, limit cameras to those mounted high and facing the driveway only.
 
Guest Monitoring -  Incidents of misbehavior are very rare, but newly developed noise and Wi-Fi monitors help managers monitor occupancy and keep neighbors happy.
 
Telephone - Yes, everyone has a mobile phone, but they may not be reachable or may turn them off while on holiday. Installing a "land line" can be done inexpensively and your manager can always reach guests.

Read more

Author: Wm. May – Administrator, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0998 – 07/31/24

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Vacation Rental Greed - Lodging Newsletter June 30, 2024

By Wm. May
Published: 06/30/24 Topics: Education, Investment, Lodging Management, Profit, Selling, Vacation Rental Management, Yield Management Comments: 0

In the movie "Wall Street", actor Michael Douglas’ character Gordon Gekko proclaims:

"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit."

In 2015, the "U.S. Open" Golf tournament took place near Tacoma, Washington. Promoters said it would be a massive boom for tourism. But they failed to say - only if you know what you are doing. With our first office having opened in 1964, we have watched how many events affect lodging. Our advice? If you don’t have sophisticated yield management to maximize profit, greed will cause pain.

Normally, clients are not allowed to set rates for the very reason that played out at the U.S.Open. But in this case, a large client insisted his rates be raised ten-fold. To our later chagrin, we gave in.

But by now you may have guessed what happened: It seems that the golf watchers prefer to stay in hotels where they can gossip with like-minded golfers, and maybe rub elbows with pros. The privacy of a private home is not what they come for.

Then the owners of usually non-renting homes, on and near the course, arranged to move out of their houses to offer rentals during the tournament. The market became flooded.

Although our property was very nice, it was far away from the action. Attendees wanted to avoid driving back and forth several times a day for a whole week.

As the championship week approached, our client panicked and screamed "Drop the rates! Let’s get some bookings, any bookings." We did not say, "I told you so." But we could have.

But it was too late. Event travelers plan far ahead and there were no guests to be had. While the property could have earned $10,000 that week, instead the owner made zero, zip, nada.

Setting proper rates is difficult even for skilled experienced managers who have research on rates, dates and competition. Clients do not, so they should drop their ego, ignore the greed, and let the pros make maximum profit for their homes. Sometimes the author Ron Rash, is correct:

"A small profit is better than a big loss."


Making a profit is good. Being greedy is dangerous. Here is how we pursue profit.

Authority - Let us do our jobs for you. Accept Yield Management as the powerful tool that it is - even if it seems not to work to you at times. Follow our recommendations, approve our ideas, and invest in the little things that make a difference.

Pride - Swallow it during seasons when no one is coming to town and as rates drop. Remember rates will soar during high seasons and yes, even during events. The telemetry we buy considers past, present and future events. It reacts quickly to changes such as weather, travel challenges, and everything competitors are doing - hotels, motels, inns, resorts and vacation rentals, of course.

Doll It Up - It is an old phrase my father was fond of as he "dolled up" his business, his car, his garden, and his 3 boys as he dressed us up for Church every Sunday. As a six old boy I swelled with pride as our teacher reminded students to see "Billy’s garden on the way home. His father grows the most beautiful roses." Dolling up a rental home is more than just good amenities, it is special touches that make a difference.

Buck Up - Ok, here is another phrase from my dad. Because rentals deal with consumers, accept that someday some guest will hate your town, your neighborhood, your resort, your house, your furniture, or even your manager. They are wrong of course, but the best defense is to make your place very nice and keep it that way.

Wise Up - I mean this as no disrespect, but this is the third phrase my Dad trumpeted - be wise. We pay attention, we study, we watch the competition, but we also search for new and innovative ideas. To operate properties tightly, advertise widely, and generate the best results.

Digest - Owners are subjected to the neverending hype about vacation rentals, even as the market supply grows and even if demand does not keep pace. Our team members spend countless hours mastering this seemingly simple industry and all so that our clients don’t have to do so.

Cooks - Yes there can be too many in the soup. And yes my dad told me that too. Repeatedly. It is wonderful to receive tips and ideas about the industry. Keep us posted as we spend overtime working for each and every client.

Do Your Part - Keep your home in tip-top condition, with upgrades, replacements of textiles, kitchen wares, and more. Or you can just call and authorize us to spend money where necessary. Every day, every owner competitor is improving steal your guests. If your place looks a bit worn, your income will drop. Guests won’t return. Or they’ll leave a negative review.

Passion - This last one from my Father is the most important. Tiring of how everyone tells young folks to find something to be "passionate" about, he said. "That is the wrong. He said that success is easy if you are passionate about everything. Do your best. Give a damn. Find the joy. Work your patootie off. Be good at what you do. That is the joy."

We can promise every client. That is what we do here. Thanks to all clients for allowing us to work on your homes. The best is yet to come. It always is.

Read more

Author: Wm. May – Administrator, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0997 – 06/30/24

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Sycophants Invade Vacation Rentals

By Ron Lee
Published: 04/22/24 Topics: Government, Legal, Lodging Management, People, Regulations, Software, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

Sycophants Invide Vacation Rentals

 

Vacation Rentals have been around for centuries often called by many names: lodging, sharing, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, and now short-term-rentals.
 
It has only been in recent years that cities, counties and homeowner associations have conspired to attack rentals and all without logic, reason or adherence to the bundle of real estate rights codified in the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and other laws for 250 years.
 
Did you know that property rights are the most mentioned right in the Bill of Rights? Because without being able to protect those rights, all other rights can be further trampled on. For example, you can’t have freedom of the press, if government can take away your right to occupy your property.
 
The reasons for those vicious anti-rental attacks are false and found to be based solely on another age old situation - Xenophobia - the fear of others. The incidence of noise, parking, and even garbage collections are so statistically small as to be non-existent.
 
Def: Xenophobia  [noun]
Aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of strangers.
 Synonyms: Bias, Bigotry, Animosity, Classism, Hatred
 
Now, however, governments have found new sycophants to help them batter responsible private homeowners and, as might be expected, it is none other than Artificial Intelligence software developers taking up the war.
 
The dictionary points out the threat of these:
 
Def: Sycophant - [noun]
A self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.
Synonyms: flatterer, fawner, flunky, toady
 
In the war on property rights, governments are turning to profiteering software soldiers to encourage neighbors to spy on neighbors and to report them for any perceived slight, real or imagined. (Neighbors hating neighbors is nothing new, but now governments are rewarding that hateful conduct.)
 
One participant in the war on vacation rentals is Deckard Technologies of San Diego, California. Their website, (www.Decard) fosters the idea they are mainly in the business in helping local governments with "tax". But parse their words more closely to learn that Deckard is in the "compliance" business. In other words, governments hire them to control humans.
 
That makes them sycophants for the same reason court jesters bowed and scraped to kings. It is all for the money. Deckard says governments can fine neighbors using their expensive software to bust them.
 
With those software contracts costing hundreds of thousands of dollars for cities and counties struggling to balance budgets, those governments will learn that this kind of A.I. ("Awful Intelligence") generated system produces complaints that won’t hold up in criminal court where rules of evidence abide.  
 
And yet counties fall for any pitch that says it won’t cost them anything. Even if they then suspect, and later learn, that the huge cost of such software can never be recovered.
 
Even if officials admit there is no pay-back for that software, busting people for gossip appeals to government officials who don’t base their decisions on fundamental concepts like property rights.
 
To see how their xenophobia functions, substitute their words "Vacation Rental" or "Short-Term Rental’ with the names of minority groups to make their rational sound just like what it is, just another form of hate crime.
 
With apology to the people of south Africa, and the terrible harm they suffered for so many years, it can be seen that segregating vacation rental property owners and guests is used by people who insist on oppressing vacation rental property owners and guests. They steal their rights while allowing others those same rights.
 
Def: Apartheid [noun]
Rigidly segregating and economically and politically oppressing people.
Synonyms: Segregation, Bigotry, Chauvinism, Injustice, Intolerance
 
On the Deckard company website, Nick Del Pego CEO claims to be a mathematician, a seasoned corporate senior leader and a U.S. Air Force SpecOps veteran. Isn’t that the service branch who can be called in to attack people with no regrets?
 
Del Pego and his software soldiers make it easy for neighbors to hate other neighbors who use their Constitutional right to share and rent out their homes.
 
Plus, his software makes it comfortable for nosey neighbors to report people anonymously, as if they were Peeping Toms. And the penalty for false reporting is - you guessed it - nothing. No liability, no accountability.
 
In his novel 1984, George Orwell warned about a society where government watched over every little thing done by every little citizen.  
 
And now Del Pego’s Deckard Technologies gets paid to help cities and counties do exactly that.
 
It must be asked, why would Craig Brown, Greg Rose, Jess Flanagan, Chloe Sasson, Tom Hemmings, Tony Moriarty, Matthew Duggan, Dr. Victor Xie, Loren Vasquez Rivera, Vicki Lane, Dustin Reilich, Stacey Kurtz, Rob Piskorowksi, Dave Brown, Melissa Mijia, Faith Chaza, Dana Lormer, Branden Reese and all the cronies at Deckard agree to help him do it?
 
Perhaps, they enjoy facilitating gossip and think hate mongering is good. Probably it is that, like everyone else, they just need a job.
 
Maybe those employees should look for employment in a more reputable industry, where their actions do not deprive others of their basic property rights. There are many worthy causes. How about ending poverty, feeding the poor, volunteering at charities, working to end war, etc.?
 
Of course, those kinds of jobs don’t pay as well as promoting Deckard’s hateful service.

 

Read more

Author: Ron Lee – Contributor, Vacation Rental Association, Inc.
Blog #: 0989 – 04/22/24

Working With Leavenworth Getaways

By Wendy Thomas
Published: 04/11/24 Topics: Guest Behavior, Guest Management, Interview, Leavenworth WA, Lodging Management, Vortex VIP Comments: 0

Read more

Author: Wendy Thomas – Contributor, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0985 – 04/11/24

Continuing Versus Continuous Education

By Wm, May
Published: 02/29/24 Topics: Education, Employment, Government, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter, Vortex VIP Comments: 0

Continuing versus Continual Education

 

How would you rate the teachers you had in school and professors in college?
 
Like all professions, there are people who perform well and those who do not, with the majority sitting somewhere between those extremes and with most doing well or good enough.
 
After formal schooling, most workers find there are continuing education requirements for their chosen career. Doctors, Dentists, Accountants, Lawyers, Real Estate Agents and many other professions require participants take courses to learn fundamental skills and periodic classes to brush up or learn new and improved methods.
 
Long ago, formal requirements for continuing education were unusual. Today, Federal, State and even local governments, along with professional organizations (such as the Legal "Bar") set standards and demand practitioners take classes and pass exams. States have hundreds of licenses. You'll need a training to operate a cemetery, sell cars, or operate campground sales.
 
In a prior career as a mergers and acquisitions intermediary selling mid-sized companies, having a real estate brokerage license was required. Taking the classes was not a burden, but provided zero instruction on how to market, structure and sell corporations.  
 
Unfortunately, the by-product of excessive licensing implies that people who have a certificate are qualified to do the work for which they have a license. For example, it implied that someone who has taken only 60 clock hours, is qualified to help a corporation sell out. That is dangerous for business sellers and buyers. So such a requirement deceives consumers.
 
Lodging operators of inns, resorts and vacation rentals have no such requirements for continuing education. But meetings, seminars, and conferences have sprung up where participants can hear from experts, learn techniques, and even argue about best practices. Like many other industries, lodging education has become dominated by vendors to the industry, who have something to sell, rather than the people who are actually out running properties.
 
So how is a property owner to know which managers are qualified and which are not? The answer is to look for managers who are committed to continuous self-education, not just continuing education. This month's newsletter provides a guide for doing just that.
 
- - - - - - - - - -
Lodging Newsletter
by Wm. May, for March 31, 2024
 
There are vast differences in the competence of lodging managers. Education is helpful, but does not reveal the manager's commitment. Technology affects income dramatically, but do they have the correct tech? Experience is helpful, but not if the manager does not apply lessons hard learned.  
 
In recent years, AirBnB has suggested owners could just hire a nearby neighbor to manage their homes. Or find another self-managed owner and entice them to take on your house. Unfortunately, using amateurs is risky because they know not the whole picture.
 
Ours is a seemingly simple industry, but saddled with hundreds of tasks, and requiring knowledge that has changed dramatically almost every month for decades, and should be expected to continue to continue to morph forever. Think of these things when interviewing prospective lodging managers.
 
Needs: Fully outline your expectations and needs. Do you want a manager to hold your hand on a daily basis or one who performs their duties well and reacts swiftly to changing demands like rates, competitors and, even, the weather.
 
Knowledge: Admit what you already know and what you do not know. Ask managers about their procedures for each and every little thing. Then, let the manager perform.  
 
Questions:  Ask manager candidates deep questions. Require that they have proven policies and procedures for most anything you can imagine. If its not written down, they do not.
 
Continuous: Ask how they learned their craft, how long they have been doing it, and how they continually educate themselves and staff members. Without that your house is at risk.
 
Commitment: Are they are available 24-76-365 for guest and property needs? While after-hours requests are rare, you want leaders who always step up and take charge. Most managers do not.
 
Attitude: You may find this idea unusual, but in a consumer facing business, managers who are up-beat, unflappable, and happy to serve elevate your property above the rest. (It is not easy.)
 
Managers who are newer will be unable to answer every question, and may be unable to answer most questions. Experienced, leader-type managers will have seen about every possible scenario when it comes to managing homes. Such as:
 
Guests who arrive early before the home is re-cleaned or leave late, cutting cleaning time. Storms that flood roads. Counties that fight rentals. Advertising websites that act irresponsibly. Guests who try extortion a free stay. Credit cards that bounce.
 
Professionals who already know how to handle those situations are primed to take care of them without fuss. These are the managers who will produce the best possible outcome for your property.
 
Cost: The first question that most property owners ask managers is, "what is your fee?". While that is important, there are dozens of other questions that will affect the property's profit even more. Rates, advertising, reservation staffing, accounting and, even, legal staff. Balance them all to get success.

Read more

Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0986 – 02/29/24

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Gear Box - Lodging Newsletter July 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 07/31/23 Topics: Aberdeen Washington, Education, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Gearbox

At age 14 my best friend and I were conscripted. My father ran a Kenworth brand truck dealership in Aberdeen on the coast of Washington State which promised "Parts, Sales & Service". He was moving into a new building in the town's port dock area. Hundreds of heavy metal racks had to be assembled and wrestled into position. It was a big job and took weeks.

At 15 I started to deliver parts all over Washington's Olympic Peninsula, driving a one-ton pickup with no power steering. It was like wrestling a steer down the road. No problem, because I loved listening to the scratchy AM radio that played rock and roll for hours on end.

Arriving from school at 2:30 pm, Dad might say, "You go to Port Angeles today" and hand me a list of 10 to 20 truck shops, logging yards and government warehouses to visit. The truck was loaded to the gills with big, greasy heavy parts. I was expected to wrestle them out at every stop.

I would say, "I won't get home until midnight." And he would say "Ah, it ain't gonna kill you." "But I have class at 8 in the morning." And he would say, "It still isn't gonna kill you. Best start and go now."

Monthly, I drove three hours to the company's headquarters in Seattle. Behind its shiny corporate offices were 20 bays where giant trucks could be serviced at once. It was a beehive of activity.

On the south of the building was a quiet mysterious place called "The Gear Room" where men slinked about working on transmissions, rear-ends and even steering boxes. Other mechanics did not speak to "Gear Heads" and they didn't speak to each other. They tinkered and worked as if doing open-heart surgery.

If you have never looked inside the transmission of your own car, you have missed a work of art. Inside are gears of all sizes, and bearings spinning at enormous speeds on one axis, and others in another. If you stuck your finger inside it would be sliced and diced instantly.

Gear boxes are a whirling indecipherable maze that only the experienced, skilled and studious experts could disassemble and reassemble correctly. It has dawned on me that lodging management of Inns, Resorts and Vacation Homes is a bit like that. One can pretend to be a manager, but only those with a the right mentality are truly Gear Heads.

====================

Vacation Rental Management is like a Gear Box, with everything running in many directions. Renting out a private vacation rental home is a seemingly simple concept but there are more moving parts, gears, stresses and strains than imaginable. We do it well by employing experts just like the Gear Heads. So many people and things to deal with.

- Guests are the folks who kick in the money to pay rent on properties.

- Property owners are clients because they have an investment at stake.

- Neighbors are clients because they have the potential to be clients in the future.

- Staff members are also clients because their input & performance are critical.

Generally guest goals are much alike - go on vacation, bring the family, rest, relax and recreate and all for the lowest price they can find.

But our other clients, the property owners, have goals that differ from those of guests. Landlords are aware that making guests happy is what brings them back to rent again.

 

Property owners who try to self-manage their homes remotely get a rude introduction to the world of dealing with consumers, with houses that need maintenance, and with advertising channels that are overbearing and monopolistic.

Engineers, Architects, Doctors and even Lawyers make good clients because they too live in a professional world where the nuts of bolts of performing are often invisible to their customers. Their time is valuable and they leave transmission repairs and vacation rental management to the experts.

Owners who are new to landlording, unaccustomed to business, or have invested too much in their homes, live on pins and needles. They worry about the home and want to make every decision.

When they use a manager they bug the manager with questions, concerns and emotions never realizing that every minute they demand is time stolen from the manager's primary duties - to take care of homes, take care of guests, and spend long hours advertising, marketing, reservationing and pursuing money, most of which goes to the property owner.

There are still Gear Heads in every truck shop in the world, working quietly and uninterrupted. Now they have many high tech tools, but it is their experience and concentration that ensures the gear box will work flawlessly for hundreds of thousands of miles. To disrupt a Gear Head is to risk a slight mistake that could cause major problems. So truck shop managers are careful to let their scientists do their work alone.

Wise Vacation Rental Owners use their lodging managers like Gear Heads. They let them work alone to fine tune every vacation rental gear and bearing of every vacation rental home. They set rates, scrub toilets, advertise everywhere, persuade guests and coordinate cleaning every home 50 to 100 times a year come rain or shine.

In the end vacation rentals can perform like a well-made giant Gear Box which causes the entire process to run smoothly.

Read more

Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0965 – 07/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Why Rules - Lodging Newsletter March 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 03/31/23 Topics: Education, Guest Behavior, Guest Management, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

rules

It’s a good question. A fair question. Guests ask and property owners ask, too. Why are there rules?

In a perfect world we should expect that people would behave well without teaching them manners. In fact, in the hospitality industry (lodging, food service, events, activities) most consumers do comport themselves fairly well.

But not everyone.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine which customers will be respectful and considerate and which one of them might not be.

So, like all organizations, it is necessary to outline rules and regulations, to communicate to those guests (repeatedly), to include those requirements in legal terms, and then - very rarely - to enforce them. These rules can be thought of as "Fingers in the Dike".

The tale. "A little Dutch boy saw a small crack in a dam. Knowing the crack, if not repaired, could cause the dam to break, he put his finger in the hole, staying all night in the cold until adults found him and patched the hole. He saved the entire village."

Over decades of managing guests, by learning to plug every little weakness that a visitor might find to do something negative, we are less likely to suffer from that unknown one person who misbehaves.

To avoid offending well-meaning guests, rules must be presented in a friendly manner and explained should they ask. To the vast majority of people who don't need to be told, properly presented regulations are not offensive and barely noticeable.

But to that one person who might pose a problem, our methods of communicating can decrease the chance of negative outcomes.

In the attached newsletter are a list of just a few of the fingers we put in the dike.

==================

Call them "rules" or "house-rules," or "guest rules", or legal "terms and conditions," Vacation Rental Managers who use proven mechanical procedures, produce safer operations.

Advertising - Describing a property affectionately and in full detail attracts guests. But it also should inform guests of details which make the property unique, helping them to select the property most appropriate for them - the property that best meets their needs.

Disclosures - If a home has security cameras, nosey neighbors or a front-desk check-in, these comfort some guests but warn others they will be watched (we highly recommend against doorbell cams because they result in negative reviews).

Channels - AirBnB, VRBO and others are slowly distancing guests from properties. They want to make a commission on the booking but worry guests will book direct.

Book Online - Guests love to make reservations on websites or mobile devices. Whether on our websites or thru channels, our staff telephones or emails guests to offer friendly services, but also nicely notify guests they are to follow the rules.

Sleeps Normal, Sleeps Maximum - We explain occupancy as "Normal" (how many can stay for the rental rate). "Sleeps" is for the places for people to sleep. "Maximum" is if babies and toddlers can be above sleeps. Together these subtly inform customers that the number of occupants is being counted.

Per-Person-Cleaning (PPC) - A base rate for normal occupancy, with a small additional fee per night per disclosed guest generates a bit of income. Better yet, the legal terms can specify a much higher fee for "undisclosed" guests . This is to dissuade guests from knowingly violating occupancy.

Registration- This euphemism describes the kind of "sign up" that hotels required when guests check-in at a front desk - to know the registering guest's name, address, phone and email. Guests should not be anonymous.

E-Contract - Where not prohibited by the channel, guests are required to click and easily sign for their stay, done instantly on our websites and requested via email for channel bookings. Other Managers who shun e-signatures put their properties at greater risk.

Check-In - Guests are to confirm bookings 24 hours in advance, and to telephone upon arrival. Many do not, but this impresses upon them that their behavior is being observed.

Notices - House rules are posted prominently inside the property. Additional, small professional signs warn of no-smoking, quiet-hours and more.

Devices - Sound, Wi-Fi and mobile phone signal detectors are an option that can legally monitor guest occupancy and sound without being obvious.

Terms - In most states, guests who stay for less than 30 days are not "Tenants", and if necessary can be ordered to depart on immediate notice. Doing so is rare, but Managers know the law and will take action to have guests removed if necessary.

As with any public business, Managers can guarantee that all these steps will prevent a difficult Guest from violating the rules. But Managers who skip steps put homes at increased risk.

Read more

Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0957 – 03/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Vacation Rental Life Guard Lessons

By William May
Published: 03/07/23 Topics: Behavior, Education, Lodging Management, Sports, Weather Comments: 0

Most people should never attempt to rescue a drowning swimmer.

This seems counterintuitive, but drowning people will do anything to get above the water. Approached by a rescuer the swimmer will jump on top of the other person and drown them both.

You see the problem.

At age 15 I took classes to become a "Junior Lifeguard". At 18, more classes to become a "Senior Lifeguard." In college I barely completed a strenuous 13-week course to earn a "Water Safety Instruction" certification.

In addition to even more lifeguard training, a "WSI" requires the student to become proficient at every swimming stroke and how to teach them.

I took my WSI training while in college at age 21 while (I must say) I was in the best physical condition of my life. The final exam almost drowned me. Repeatedly.

Lesson Learned

The octogenarian female drill sergeant instructor set up one final task to convince students that the only right way to respect water was to pound into us a respect for the water that bordered on absolute terror.

Her message - no matter your physical skill, the ocean, lake, river or pool can kill you quickly if you don’t know what you are doing. It can even kill you if you do know.

And drowning people drown those who try to save them.

Life Lessons

Oddly, all these years later it is safe to say that many aspects of life -- specifically related to careers and business -- are exactly the same. You must know what you are doing or you are taking unnecessary risks.

In the lodging industry, after the gratefully appreciated surge in occupancy, rates and bookings the inevitable has happened.

Travel -- especially drive-to destinations and especially here in the Northwest United States -- is returning to pre-Covid seasonality, affected by all the things which have always affected travel:

  • The economy
  • Employment
  • Regular work weeks
  • School vacations
  • Weather
  • Pesky politics
  • The ever present drum beat of TV, radio, newspapers and the good old internet media anxious to push negative stories.

Unfortunately, that means some property owners will panic, just as a drowning person does. Especially those who bought thinking Covid income would continue forever, even though they were well warned long ago.

Those owners that are desperate for more income are likely to drown their lodging manager, just as the drowning person kills their rescuer. They demand answers to questions they don't know, when there are none.

How We Help

Just like a lifeguard, we are not allowed to turn our backs and ignore a drowning client. So we must push. Persevere, and be patient. We must help in all possible ways.

Unfortunately, the care and hand-holding of these clients diverts time better spent pursuing every possible advertising, pricing and service tool that we full-stack managers have in our quiver. As well as tightly administering all other services.

We do that of course. But we also must politely ask property owners to leave us to our craft and to judge us by our work ethic, not by the state of the economy.

Read more

Author: William May – Contributor, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0950 – 03/07/23

VortexManagers.com

Clean, Wipe, Soak, Scrub, Brush, Scour, Polish

By Ron Lee
Published: 04/18/20 Topics: Covid-19 Virus, Housekeeping, Lodging Management Comments: 0

How to Clean and Sanitize Vacation Rental Homes

Since our first office opened in 1964, we have been rigorously cleaning and sanitizing properties for decades. This is nothing new to us. In fact, our homes are cleaned to a degree higher than most people have at home. It has always been our commitment to have every home safe and ready for guest arrival.

Get a Real Getaway

If you need a vacation, holiday escape, spring break, fresh air and time alone, vacation rentals are the best option. Bring kids or not. Bring the family or just your spouse. Most homes are free-standing, so you can avoid crowds. Even in our condos, the homes are open corridor, so there is no need to pass through common areas, like lobbies and dark hallways.

When Guests Depart

After guests depart, housekeepers arrive at every home to clean, wipe, soak, scrub, brush, scour, mop and polish bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, common spaces and even decks and patios, linens, towels and surfaces. Hot tubs are disinfected. This entire process - called "out Clean" - takes many hours. Then homes are spot checked by managers to ensure good work. When departing, all staff members use bleach rags, so that even the door knob and key-safe are sanitized. Wow!

Sanitation Cleaning Products

We use a variety of products to clean, disinfect and sanitize. All are approved for high health standards. We still use bleach for some areas because it is still the gold standard for killing every kind of bug. In fact, if you enter a home immediately after housekeepers depart, for a few minutes you may detect a slight cleaning smell. That is your assurance of sanitization.

Bathroom Super Scrub

Cleaning bathrooms is not a fun task, but we carefully clean all sinks, mirrors, toilets, drawers, bathtubs and shower enclosures until they sparkle. But they have also been sprayed and later wiped with disinfectant. Soiled and unsoiled towels are removed before cleaning starts to avoid cross contamination. This is a hands-and-knees job, but housekeepers pride themselves on meticulous cleaning.

Proper Wipe Downs

You might think that spraying and wiping surfaces with disinfectant is sufficient, but it is not. Instead, disinfectant must be left on surfaces for a period of time before it is wiped away. This gives time for the liquid to kill all the germs.

- Door knobs inside and outside.

- Window switches.

- Light switches and sockets.

- Lamp switches.

- Cupboard doors and surfaces.

- Table tops including night stands.

- Appliances - top and sides.

- Counter tops.

- Reachable walls.

- Outdoor furniture.

- Stairs and deck handrails.

- Toasters and coffee makers.

- TV and other remote controls.

- Stereos and computers.

- Door bells and key safes.

- Toys and board games.

- Pet toys and blankets.

- And more.

Vacuuming, Mopping, Sweeping

Are you ever tempted to do floors fast? By slowing down the process and covering every floor surface carefully, dirt, grime and germs are removed. We keep equipment new and well maintained to get the best results. Housekeepers are never limited to cleaning hours. Instead, they are encouraged to take all the time they need to do the job right.

Kitchens and Dining Rooms

Kitchens get splattered on, baked in and used heavily. It is a big job, but to get kitchens spic-and-span is essential, from the stove to oven to refrigerator, but also microwaves, cupboards, fans and light fixtures. Cleaned inside and out. You will notice we remove condiments, such as ketchup and mustard left from prior guests, because leaving open containers violates health standards. You'll have to bring your own, but you'll know they are new and fresh.

Hot Tubs and Spas

Every hot tub is completely disinfected after each booking by trained staff members. Sand or debris is removed, filters are inspected, and chemicals are adjusted. In addition, the hot tub cove, top and side surfaces are disinfected. If you arrive to a tub that is not yet fully heated, please wait because we had to empty and refill it. Takes time to reheat.

Towels and Linens

Washing and drying linens and towels is an obvious step, be we wall all of them, even if a bed does not appear to have been slept in. They are transported to the washer-dryer using rubber gloves and laundry bags, and they are returned to beds in baskets to avoid cross contamination. Along with quality detergent, additional disinfectant is added to all washing to ensure germs are eradicated.

Deep Cleans

In addition to our rigorous out-clean, homes receive deep cleans regularly to cover hard to access areas, including heating ducts, cupboard sides and ceilings, high surfaces, fans, carpets and more. This takes many hours, and ensures the cleanest possible property.

When Guests Depart

You may notice that we do NOT as guests to do laundry or to remove linens and towels to the laundry area. We do it all to ensure that every textile has been washed and cleaned properly without dragging it through the house.

Call Us Quick: 206-504-2744

If at any time during your stay, if you find any issue, call our 24-7-365 day phone number for assistance. If necessary, our staff will happily come to the property to ensure all is right. And if you want daily cleaning, we can arrange that too, for a small additional fee.

Avoid Crowds, Stay in a Private, Vacation Home!

Year round, in every season, and no matter what is happening in the rest of the world, vacation rentals offer a respite from the rate race, a chance to get away and to enjoy a sparkling clean, sanitized home.

Read more

Author: Ron Lee, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0742 – 04/18/20

The Little Things - Lodging Newsletter January 31st, 2020

By Wm, May
Published: 01/31/20 Topics: Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

If you have been reading these monthly updates for long, you know we have a propensity to quote songs, stories and even poetry. That is because creative endeavors remind us of obvious truths, and say it in a way we might all remember.

Property management is a seemingly simple career. Talking about it can be a bit dry. And the real work of those who serve is invisible to clients. Most cannot imagine the intricacies of the job.

In recent years, our industry has been plagued by self-promoting, venture-capital chain management companies, who want to manage homes from thousands of miles away. They are willing to lose millions of dollars per month in hopes they buy up the market before they run out of cash.

We see this a bit differently. Actually, we see it much differently.

Yes, we have every tool they have and then some. But we also vest our work in little things that make a big difference to guests and to property owners. Focus. Focus. Focus.

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent van Gogh

==================================================================

Hundreds of little things contribute to great guest experiences and hundreds more provide property owners with complete service. Our daily regimen avoids problems and ensures quality.

Penny - Every human can learn how to be calm and helpful to every person who calls, even when guests lock themselves out of the home at 3AM. It's not by accident, but rather by determination.

Jackie - If a home has been vacant for more than a few days, we go to each of them to double-check for dust, turn on the front door light, check the heat and - it's odd to say - flush the toilets to make sure there is no "ring."

Jon - It astounds me that other managers don't create floor plans for every property on their website. Of course, they haven't figured out to do them great and affordably like we have.

Kylee - Software speeds up the monthly statement closing process, but every item on every report is double-checked by hand because, well because we would be embarrassed if it was wrong.

Simon - No one likes criticism, but no one is perfect. So email surveys are sent to every guest. We sell them great stays but need to know if any little thing was off the mark.

Salman - Advertising on every possible website is the only way to ensure maximum demand for every property. That takes technical integration for rates and dates, and daily tweaks to the system are incessant.

Kate - When starting with a property we have the world's longest checklist. Would you want to get on a jetliner where the captain did a short checklist? Same thing with rentals. We do nothing by chance.

Fahim - In addition to our management websites, we build local tourism websites. Maintaining lists of activities, events, shops and restaurants takes far more time, but we attract even more guests than the other guys.

Bronson - In a hotel, it's is called "Night Auditor". Here we just call it constant auditing. Reconciling inbound payments from websites and guests requires great attention to details plus thousands of key strokes.

Lenny - After a long day running to properties with a checklist, I make a list of anything that might have been overlooked. And then I double-check it the next day.

James - After 15 years paying for Dynamic Range photos I am happy to report the competition never catches up. Superior photos gather more attention and produce more income. I hope they never figure it out.

Quinn - Answering the same repetitive questions from guests can be tiring, But some guests have been planning for years and its my job to make their dreams come true. It delights me.

William - My father once said, "It is necessary to master that we dislike the most" and then everything else is easy. We challenge everyone here to embrace the little things every day. It really is the secret to doing great work.

Read more

Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0718 – 01/31/20

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

What Guests Want - Lodging Newsletter September 30th, 2019

By Wm, May
Published: 09/30/19 Topics: Advertising, Channel Management, Dynamic Rates, Employment, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter, Photography, Vacation Rentals, Vortex VIP Comments: 0

This month's letter is intended to be a marketing 101 primer for everyone who wants to know more about marketing, advertising, and public relations.

What makes our lodging managers think they are such hot shots about the marketing anyway?

Simply put, some of our partners have spent decades helping clients sell millions and millions of dollars of stuff, and we know our stuff.

Oh sure our explanation could be lengthy and include a lot of fancy words, but whether selling clothes, groceries, soda pop, yachts, or nights at a vacation rental, the process is exactly the same.

One of our partners said it best. "Marketing is easy. Ask customers what they want and then give it to them."

This update is all about that - giving customers what they want. Plus we'll sneak in a little about how we do it and how the competitors don’t.

Why would we publish this when competitors could learn the secrets? Because it's not a secret and they won't do it all anyway. We double dog dare them.

======================================================================

The only trouble we have with giving customers what they want, so we can produce absolute maximum income for owners is pleading with and even begging owners to do the little things necessary. Here is what guests want:

WHAT WE DO

Hospitality clean - Yep we can do that for you. Guests absolutely want that.

Hospitality maintenance - Fix everything, all the time and quickly. Guests expect it.

Personal - When the guests call, we gotta go take care of them. Guests require it.

Personality - Answer the phone with a genuine smile, or guests will bristle.

Photos - Crisp HDR photos help guests choose. Guests want to see.

3D Tours - The best in the industry. Guests want to see everything.

Floor plans - Professional water colors, so guests can plan who sleeps where.

Website - Custom e-commerce website for each property to help guests return.

24/7 Bookings - Online, phone, chat, and email. Guests book when they want.

24/7 Service - Onsite at any time, we take care of guests or we lose out.

Visible - Advertise on 400+ websites, with dates and rates. Guests find us everywhere.

Social - Posting, commenting, and cooperating. Guests want to interact.

Materials - Rack cards, postcards, bookmarks, etc. prove legitimacy to guests.

Payment - Credit cards, payment plans, occasional incentives that guess want.

Dependable - No double bookings. Guests expect no errors when booking.

Returnees - Extra benefits for loyal guests. Keeps happy guests happy.

Dynamic Rates - Up and down by many factors. Guests accept variability.

WHAT YOU DO

Internet - 49% of guess say no internet wrecks their vacation. Gotta give it to them.

Cable - Gotta have a big TV and cable. Guest don’t book homes without it.

Hot Tubs - Number one requested amenity. Guests can not resist them.

Leftovers - Don’t slough off your used furniture. Guests hate that.

Design - Comfy chairs, quality tables, books, and mattresses. Guests demand comfort.

Color - Creative paint colors, art, and throw pillows, Guests are impressed.

Sleeps - The more beds, the better, with night stands and lamps. Guests read.

Luxurious - Quality towels and linens, replaced regularly. Otherwise guests seethe.

Furnishings - Lots of pots, pans, flatware, and tableware. Guests cook a lot.

Outdoors - Patios, decks, and yes that hot tub. Guests want to lounge.

Now that we see this list, it doesn't seem so very difficult does it? Just follow the list, do your thing and let us do ours. A winning combination.

Marketing is easy, give customers what they want. But will you?

Read more

Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0705 – 09/30/19

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Vacation Rental Picante Sauce

By Wm. May
Published: 09/01/17 Topics: Lodging Management, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

Vacation Rental Picante Sauce

Yet another corporate vacation rental management company has announced gobbling up tens of millions of dollars in investment, in hopes of dominating the vacation rental management industry in America, and perhaps even the world. But they are risky for property owners.

Beginning as far back at 1989, Pace Picante sauce began running television commercials. In one, grizzled cowboys threaten to lynch the camp cook when they learn he has been serving them picante sauce from "New York City?"

The cow pokes become offended because Picante sauce should be made by "places in San Antonio with fresh vegetables and spices by people who know what picante sauce is supposed to taste like."

Watch it here.

While the huge vacation rental management companies want to convince property owners that they can manage every home just right, even though they are located hundreds of thousands of miles away, the truth is - they can not.

One of these giant companies even has over 300 negative complaints and reviews online about shoddy housekeeping and lack of response. The average for vacation rental managers is zero, one or two over time. Something is seriously wrong with having 300 unhappy guests, because that means there are far more who don't take the time to post complaints.

For another competitor, their complaints reveal a wolf in sheep's clothing. Although they profess to be managers, they quickly throw owners and managers under the bus whenever there are any complications, as the following complaint answer proves:

COMPLAINT: "2 days before my trip receiving a voice and email telling me that my reservation had been cancelled because of a double booking."

ANSWER: "Booking was canceled within 48 hours prior to her arrival when it became apparent to the Host that there was a conflict with a previous client who'd booked."

And then they accidentally revealed the wrong problem, (our company) "The Host (homeowner) is the party responsible for resolving any conflicts. [Our company] is a marketing and booking service that Hosts use to assist with reservations. . . The rental agreement. You accepted . . . Clearly states that the booking is directly between the Guest and the Host."

And then they reveal the unreliability of their services by saying "Double bookings are an unfortunate side effects of the vacation rental and travel industry as a whole."

Well, duh, no that is not correct. That is excuse making

Although no one is perfect in the lodging industry, double bookings are NOT common and they are certainly not an unfortunate side effect. They are the result of a company pretending to be a lodging manager when they are, in fact, too far away and too powerless.

LOCAL IS BETTER:

Vacation Rental Firms have proven to be a locally branded business. Owners and guests prefer to deal with a local reliable professional firm that is on hand to attend to them. Members of the Vortex Organization have found the best way to do that.

They are independently operated to ensure great houses, hospitality cleaning, happy guests and happy owners. Our first office opened in 1964, but we are the most tech-enabled managers. We are in it for the long haul..

But the network ensures that managers have all the tools such as dynamic pricing, post listings on hundreds of advertising websites, and answer guest inquiries 24/7. In fact, local firms have access to local tourism promotion, websites and contacts the others can not match.

That means our managers produce more bookings as well as more peace of mind.

So if the vacation rental "manager" you are using to book your home is not actually located in the area where you rental home is situated, or even in "New York City", its time to go local.

Call a local professional vacation rental management company to learn about all the comprehensive and reliable services you have been missing.

- - - - - - - - -
And a few more just for fun:

1989 Pace Picante Sauce

1990 Pace Picante Sauce

1993 Pace Picante Sauce

1993 Pace Picante Sauce

1994 Pace Picante Sauce

1995 Pace Picante Sauce

Read more

Author: Wm. May, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0530 – 09/01/17

How to Become a Professional Lodging Photographer

By Ron Lee
Published: 02/21/17 Topics: AirBnB, Lodging Management, Marketing, Photography Comments: 0

Becoming a professional lodging photographer has never been easier.

All you need is a camera and business cards. Just put the words "Professional Photographer" on the cards and people will think you are a pro.

 

Can you imagine a doctor getting away with that? Would you go to a dentist who says, "I am a professional dentist" who didn't have the training? Yikes. Those people would be driven out of the industry.

Unfortunately, there have always been a greatly many people who love the idea of being an artist, a photographer. It sounds like such a great job. For Inns, Resorts & Vacation Rentals, photos are the way guests make instant decisions to view your property or pass on to the next.

No longer is it necessary to burn hundreds of dollars of physical film, toil in the dark room and only later learn if your photos were adequate. Now a good digital camera gives you a thumbnail view instantly that you can call "good enough."

But, great camera gear doesn't make you a true photographer any more than buying your new born child a piano and pronouncing them a "Concert Pianist."

Today, a new higher title has been added to the photography professional. Its called "High Dynamic Range," or HDR, and it is a vastly superior way of shooting, processing, and delivering world class photography. It is a requirement for almost all photos, but an absolute requirement for shooting interior architectural images.

HDR Photos are crisp, clean and brighter, but only enough to match what the human eye actually perceives. By comparison, non-HDR photos are fuzzy, bland, and actually underestimate and mis-represent the property.

Unfortunately, most professional photographers are no longer professional because they are more in love with being "Artists" than they are in spending thousands of hours mastering HDR.

That means more lodging operators are wasting lots of money hiring pros or don’t begin to understand HDR.

To see the difference between Pros and HDR Pros, all you have to do is spend a little time examining listings on your favorite websites like VRBO.com, Expedia.com, or even AirBnB.com.

A company called Evolve Vacation Rentals offers "Free Professional Photography" to property owners. Because Evolve does not have on site staff they must call any "professional photographer" they can find and hire them without realizing that non HDR photos are robbing their listings of maximum bookings.

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Vacation Rentals does the same thing. Their recent foray into Matterport 3D photos is a good start, but ignoring HDR still photos causes them to lose bookings.

Turnkey Rentals out of Austin is trying to take over the world, but right there on their home page are fuzzy, out of focus, non-HDR photos. How could a management company call themselves professional when the number one listing tool - photos - are all messed up?

All of these companies talk the professional photographer game, but non walk the walk. And all because they refuse to spend the slightly more money necessary to find and employ high level HDR photographers.

Ignoring the absolute requirement for HDR photos is like the proverbial canary in the coal mine. If your manager does not understand the difference between truly professional HDR photos and want to be professional photographers, what else don’t they understand?

Read more

Author: Ron Lee – Not a Photographer, Signatour Photo Team
Blog #: 0521 – 02/21/17

Sponsor: Signatours Photo Team – It is not enough to have a camera and cards that say you are photographer. Today's technology demands study, practice and perfection along with an artists eye. Every Signatour photographer has all of those along with a support and professional staff to ensure the highest quality HDR photos. – Signatours.com

Lodging Newsletter 20160331 Change & New Complex - Lodging Newsletter March 31st, 2016

By Wm. May
Published: 03/31/16 Topics: Advertising, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Spring has sprung so it must be time for an update on all things Inns, Resorts and Vacation Rentals.

We hope to start sending an update with the monthly statements to keep you posted on our work and the state of the Vacation Rental Industry. This month is a good example because there have been momentous changes from some of the websites on which rentals are advertised.

This month we also have a few other topics that you may be interested in. Please rest assured we are working more diligently than anyone in the business to keep your homes safe, provide attentive guest services, and produce the most comprehensive advertising around.

=================

April 30, 2016 Update Statements Dated March 31, 2016

Here is an update on your property, our work for you and the industry in general. There is not room to cover every topic but over time we'll cover important and informative topics.

PROPERTY COORDINATION: Kylee Genett has been promoted to Property Coordinator, responsible for the many details necessary to setup properties, arrange services and onsite staff, and work with our advertising experts and website engineers. She has been with us for a year and has more energy than the Energizer bunny.

AD WEBSITES: Our managed homes are advertised on over 300 websites and that is not an exaggeration. Other managers use just a few websites, and some up to 5 or 10. Our large reach is sure to garner more inquiries and bookings for properties.

Because we employ our own programmers, we have been able to automatically distribute listings to dozens of websites. We are able to synchronize calendars to dozens more (which prevents double bookings), but we still manually submit advertising to all the others. It is a chore but that is why we produce more bookings and better rates.

HOUDINI WEBSITES: A reminder that we usually produce an individual full e-commerce website for every home in our care. These help to garner more attention on the internet. If you have not yet sent us your portrait photo and a few paragraphs for the "About Us" section, please do so as it will comfort guests and gain bookings. For privacy reasons we do not recommend using your last name.

HUB BUB: On January 1st 2016, HomeAway.com, owner of many websites such as VRBO.com and VacationRentals.com, was purchased by Seattle based Expedia. They are now implementing many changes such as charging guests an extra fee on top of rental costs, employing "Best Match" which means not all properties are displayed to all guests at all times and more.

The industry is aflame with dissatisfaction but complaining will do no good. So we cooperate and place further emphasis on all the other websites we use including Houdinis, Kreskins (our local manager websites), and Marcos (affiliated tourism websites). Our full integration with HomeAway and other websites should cause these changes to benefit your property. Time will tell.

SUMMER: The high season is well on the way and our onsite staff is beefing up and being trained. Over the past decades the industry has noted that guests are not booking as far in advance of arrival. That makes it more difficult to examine advance sales to determine the future but our office staff has also expanded to take care of last-minute bookings. We are open 100 hours a week by phone and 24/7 for guest and property services.

NEW RESORT: Our newest project is Oyhut Bay Resort in Washington State. 36 condos, 24 cottages and soon 200 more along with retail, restaurants, pool, wedding chapel and more. As clients, you get an additional 10% off the already low introductory rates. See www.OyhutBayVacationRentals.com.

That’s it for this month. You are invited to send in questions you would like to see covered in future months.

Read more

Author: Wm. May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0519 – 03/31/16

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Vacation Rental Restoration

By William May
Published: 12/28/15 Topics: Insurance, Lodging Management, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

Vacation rental homes are susceptible to the same problems as full-time residences. Sometimes pipes break, basements flood and even smoke or fire damage can happen.

It may be possible to have maintenance firms handle such problems but for larger problems it is necessary to hire a company that specializes in restoring homes to their original condition.

Such companies are referred to as Restoration Specialists and having the name of one or more firms on hand is just good preparation. Odds are high that they will never been needed.

Because damages may result in cancellation of bookings, the loss to owners may exceed even the cost of repairs. So here are some steps to be prepared for what you can hope will never happen:

(1) Property Insurance - When insuring your home for vacation rentaling, that use must be clearly communicated to your insurance agent who should provide a policy specifically allowing short-term rental use.

Most basic second home policies are not sufficient for offering a home as a vacation rental. Take care before you have a claim to properly protect you in the unlikely hood a claim becomes necessary.

(2) Business Loss - Second home insurance can cost more than your primary resident. And vacation rental policies cost more than basic second home polices. However, such policies should also cover the owner for loss of income should the home become unrentable for a period of time.

(3) Restoration Specialist - To find a company that specialize in quick and through restoration use Google Maps for your location searing for "Fire Restoration" because that is the most common keyword on which these firms advertise.

(4) Remote - If your home is remote or in a sparsely populated area, it may be necessary to question restoration firms closely to insure that they would be willing to come to your address should you later need their services. Keep good notes.

(5) Records - Be sure to record the name of several restoration companies because, in the case of local flooding or severe weather, any one firm may not be able to handle your needs quickly.

(6) Property Managers - If you use a local property manager, good firms will already know of restoration providers and be able to quickly get help on site.

Lodging managers are not in the restoration business and claims are so unusual that the manager may never have had to use a restoration company. But do not hesitate to ask the manager if they can recommend anyone.

(7) Schedule - Restoration firms can not guarantee that any given property will be restored over night. In fact, time may be required to allow a house to dry.

Even when repairs will take a longer period, restoration firms can often arrive quickly to stabilize the situation and then return later to complete repairs.

(8) Fire - Should your home become partially damaged due to fire, your local fire department will often board over a home to make it is weather tight or to protect it from intruders. Do not hesitate to ask their help when they are on site.

(9) Franchises - Here are the names of several franchises that brand and endorse local partners to do restoration. This does no guarantee the quality of the work. Even local non-franchises are often skilled and dependable.

- ServePro.com

- ServicemasterClean.com

(10) Action - Try to secure your insurance company's approval before completing restoration. By calling their claim number you should be able to secure approve to start the restoration with full approval secured once the restoration firm can provide a more detailed estimate.

Not long after its founding in 1907, the Boy Scouts organization adopted the motto "Be Prepared." When it comes to unexpected events for your vacation rental home, being prepared is great advice.

Read more

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0473 – 12/28/15

How to Hire & Retain Happy Housekeepers (10 rules)

By Wm. May
Published: 01/28/14 Topics: Lodging Management, Vacation Rental Association, Vacation Rentals, WAVRMA Comments: 0

How to Hire and Retain Happy Housekeepers - 10 Tips

Servers at restaurants, both fancy and plain, demand tips. The valet who parks your car puts his hand out. Even your neighborhood Starbucks barista wants money for making up your fancy café mocha, skinny, double cup, with foam.

In Lodging many guests simply do not know they need to tip those hard working housekeepers who slip in and out of their rooms while they sit comfortably in the dining room, paying too much for dinner, and giving the smiling cheerful waiter a big tip for being so attentive.

Recent anecdotal responses indicate that tipping in Vacation Rentals occurs less often in hotels. That is a disrespectful situation that must change.

Industry research consistently points to lack of cleanliness as the most common complaint of travelers. Everyone wants a good clean place to stay. But some guests are even reluctant to stay in a vacation rental for fear it is not sparkling clean.

It is time to prove them wrong.

Heavy Work

Those who clean bathrooms, scrub kitchens and scour barbecues deserve the highest respect not the lowest. It is hard work and under appreciated.

By comparison, being a corporate executive is a piece of cake. Those big wigs must even "Carve out" time everyday to go to the gym for the workout they do not get at work.

Housekeepers don't need a trip to the gym. They get down on hands and knees scrubbing floors, they climb ladders to clean or change light bulbs and they tote tons of trash out of homes.

Rent By Owners

Vacation rental rent-by-owners complain they can not find housekeepers, or good ones, can't keep them, or lose them often with little notice. That is because amateur owners base their hiring and retention methods on personal observations instead of empirical knowledge.

There are secrets to finding and keeping most any kind of employee, but they are especially clear and unavoidable for housekeepers and other workers who do societies dirty work.

Rental Managers:

Some vacation rental managers make the same complaints, but often they are new to the industry or have an over-blown sense of their own importance, while avoiding the hard work of personally cleaning homes.

Walking a mile in a housekeepers shoes is the only way to understand how difficult and deadline driven the work can be, and why those housekeeper shoes are often worn and tattered.

Luckily, most vacation rental managers eventually discover the secrets to finding and keeping the kind of loyal, industrious and committed workers who are willing to clean toilets and do other unglamorous work.

10 Iron Clad Rules

To find and keep top-quality people, who serve your guests well and do so with a smile on their faces it is necessary to follow some iron-clad rules.

PAY - Stop scrimping and pay people well. Pay them based on the hours cleans take and not on your budget, which is often far too little, and seldom accounts for differences in how guests leave a home.

SCHEDULING - Arrange cleaning dates as far in advance as possible. Provide online tools so workers can see where they are to be and when. Adjust schedules to accommodate second jobs, day-care, etc.

FULL TIME - Don't hire more people than you need. There will be employees who prefer part-time work but most want to get a full week's pay or close to it.

WEEKLY PAY - Pay your staff weekly, do it direct-deposit and never miss a payroll deadline, even by a few minutes. Everyone needs to get paid. They have bills to pay.

TIPS - Put out cute and subtle time envelopes, signed by the cleaner that just so happen to mention tipping. Guest actually like to reward those who serve them. Unlike restaurants, lodging guests need a reminder. This can increase pay 24 to 30% making housekeepers beam.

STANDARDS - Write clear concise cleaning "Hospitality" standards. Do not demand "Hospital" standards because they are not necessary or economically feasible. If you don't know the difference, someone else in your organization needs to be the inspector.

TRAINING - Require even experienced housekeepers to work along side current staff to learn the ropes of each home. Use checklists. Train, re-train and train again. Inspect work. Provide pleasant feedback.

HONESTY - Only hold housekeepers to a standard you could attain. To prove it - clean multiple houses in one day, and invite the housekeepers to inspect your work. Then do it for a week.

BE KIND - Cleaning small simple hotel rooms is far easier than scrubbing large personal homes that can have owner possessions, far more furniture and utensils and even peculiar outfitting.

RESPECT - Every housekeeper must be treated with the utmost respect. Never raise your voice. Never complain, Never insinuate.

This is the most often violated rule, but the most important one. Never fall victim to your feeling of superiority.

BONUS TIP - Believe every word housekeepers tell you. If a home needs deep cleaning - believe them, If a house needs extra cleaning after an owner says they cleaned it - believe them. If the vacuum cleaner needs to be replaced - believe them

Anything less disrespects the challenging labor to they do for you so reliably.

The Result

Not all new hires will be good housekeepers. Not all will achieve hospitality standards. Not all will remain employees for years to come. But converting your thinking to these iron clad rules will insure you achieve the following:

  • High Quality Hospitality Cleaning.
  • Happy guests and property owners.
  • Respect from wonderful housekeepers
  • Personal satisfaction in knowing you treated people well.

Read more

Author: Wm. May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0338 – 01/28/14

DETAILS: Newsletters are published for the benefit of readers. Because information changes rapidly, content may be dated by the time it arrives and further out of date over time. Reviewing old newsletters should be done understanding when it was published. Authors are invited to submit news, articles and opinions by clicking on the Submit articles link. By doing so, submitters authorize the editor to publish such submissions additional news items on this and other websites without compensation, with and without credit to and naming of the author. Once submitted articles may can not be withdrawn. The publisher accepts no responsibility for mis-information or errors submitted to it. Please report inappropriate or undesirable linked news by emailing the website.