4 Easy Steps To Happy Return Renters

[stewart christensen]

Making That “Home Away From Home” Experience For Your Renters

Sometimes, while renting a vacation home it is painfully obvious that you are staying in someone else’s place. You have to spend the fist day poking around finding where everything is kept, what works, what doesn’t, what appliances they have and don’t. Not to mention finding a place to buy the groceries for the week and things to do in the surrounding area for the time of your stay.

Part of running and owning a vacation rental is taking the time to create a positive experience for your renters so they return and rent from you year after year after year. I have browsed through hundreds of reviews of vacation rentals to find 4 tips to help you do just this.

1. Shopping and Activities Tips

In many vacation rental reviews people talk about tips left by the owner of things to do, and places to shop while staying at the home. This is a great step towards providing a “home away from home” experience. Who wants to spend an afternoon of their vacation finding a grocery store. It only takes a few minutes to create a simple list of nearby stores and some simple directions, and your renters will greatly appreciate it. Along with this list leave a simple list of your favorite activities to do while they are staying there. This simple step will go a long way to making their stay more comfortable and less frustrating, especially if your vacation home is in a busy “tourist trap” destination.

2. The Digital Works

Another review trend is the mention of the television, sound system, movies, and/or wifi Internet. In today’s age we are rarely away from these modern conveniences. Although we might want to take a vacation to get away from these, that’s our choice and pleasure. If we are staying at our “home away from home” we still expect them to be available and easy to use. Who wants to stay at a home with the most expensive televisions, sound systems, etc. if they are too complicated to use? Do yourself a favor, provide good quality (it doesn’t have to be the best) and make sure it’s easy to use. You don’t want your renters calling you because they can’t figure out the DVD player, or the audio isn’t working. Have a nice selection of movies and music for your guests to pick from and easy to use systems to use them on.

3. Soap, Shampoo, and Basic Toiletries

When going on vacation it is obviously important to bring your own toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, and other things that you don’t necessarily want to “share” with someone else. But what of the others? Small “hotel like” bars of soap, travel shampoo and conditioner can be bought in bulk for a reasonable price. Or maybe just one nice bar of soap for the master bathroom. Also, what of toilet paper and paper towels? These things are easy to provide and can go a long way. You can twist this one all sorts of ways, but the fact remains, the less you have to pull out of your suit case the more it will feel like your “home away from home.”

4. Be Helpful, Courteous, and Kind

This might seem quite obvious, but It is important and I think merits mention. I haven’t read a single review that said it was a wonderful stay, the place was great but the owner was unhelpful, rude, and disrespectful. You wonder why? Because they don’t get reviews, and they probably don’t get as many renters either. Be a helpful, courteous, and kind owner and the renters will be all the more pleased with the experience. You don’t have to be extravagant but remember the things your mother taught you, “Please”, “Thank you”, and “You’re Welcome”. Your renters are your business, treat them like you want to see them everyday, because you should.

If you have other tips that have created happy return customers please share them in the comments. Here at Trekadoo vacation rental software it’s our goal to provide owners with tools like email marketing and fast online booking to make your renters experience even more enjoyable. Check back often to see what we can do for you, or sign up for our free trial.