It’s crucial that your rental business is supported by a robust property management software (PMS) that will centralize and automate all of your operations. If you’re not satisfied with the current PMS you’re using, now is the perfect time to reassess your strategies and find a new one that is right for your business as you prepare for the year ahead. In an effort to help property managers who are considering this change, we went live with our clients who’ve successfully made the switch as well as Guesty product experts, for their insights.
During the event, Guesty’s own Omer Rabin (Managing Director of Americas) shared the stage with Daniel Rev, Director of Professional Services at Guesty; Rick Turenne, CEO of Samson Waters; and Ben Painter, Co-Founder & CEO of Dromor to discuss which key features property management companies should look for when searching for a PMS and how to ensure a smooth transition when making the switch.
Omer began by sharing Guesty data on the trends that have emerged since the start of the pandemic, and that will continue to shape booking patterns in 2021. For instance, those planning to travel this year are booking longer stays and expect flexible cancellation policies. Omer then highlighted how Guesty’s Off-Hours Guest Communication Services can meet shifting guest expectations by providing prompt responses to all guest inquiries around the clock while also being the perfect alternative for those seeking personal interaction with guests.
Through his experience working with property management companies that made the switch to Guesty, Daniel then walked us through the checklist of features your PMS must have if you want your business to thrive, especially during COVID-19. He explained the importance of a tailor-made onboarding experience to help address particular business pain points. Pro tip from Daniel: do not buy into a one-size-fits-all approach to onboarding. Instead, make sure to have a dedicated expert that will ensure your distinct needs are met.
Next up, our user, Ben shared his first-hand experience switching to Guesty and how our multi-unit operations and automation tools have helped Dromor scale their business by 146% this year! He then went on to mention the new tech solutions his company turned to during the pandemic including various third-party tools and channels from Guesty’s Marketplace of tech partners. To name a couple, he shared how his business found success utilizing Wheelhouse’s dynamic pricing solutions and KeyNest’s keyless lock systems.
Wrapping up the event, Rick presented the seamless transition Samson Waters has taken during their onboarding process with Guesty – starting from 1-on-1 live sessions with product experts to getting 24/7 support through the Guesty Help Center. Rick also spoke about best practices and opportunities to take advantage of during the low season when preparing your properties for the anticipated recovery of travel. He explained how Guesty’s auto-messaging, reporting tools, and Multi-Calendar has provided him with data-focused insights into his company’s operations as well as methods to efficiently communicate with his team remotely.
As always, we rounded off the event with an interactive Q&A session featuring questions submitted by our audience. Here are some highlights (edited for clarity):
Q&A Session:
Q: What is one prominent concern people have about switching to a new PMS?
Daniel (Guesty): People often fear the commitment, time, and resources it will take when migrating to a new software. However, the long-term benefits gained and time saved when having a centralized solution tailored to meet all your management needs will outweigh those costs.
Q: If you had one piece of advice you’d give to property managers planning to switch their PMS, what would it be?
Ben (Dromor): Check your data on your previous PMS and ensure you have records for each one of your properties saved before you make that transition.
Rick (Samson Waters): Make sure you have a complete understanding of your properties with a detailed list of your amenities and maintenance history before the onboarding process so you can tailor the experience to your specific business goals.
Q: Is it possible to migrate to Guesty without ever having a property management system before?
Omer (Guesty): For those of you who have never used a property management system before, Guesty makes it simple to learn how to utilize the software that best fits your business needs. We will provide a specific onboarding process that will guide you every step of the way when it comes to reaping the benefits of our features and end-to-end solutions.
Ready to make the change? Download our free guide to learn all about the transition process so you can equip your business for 2021. Thank you everyone for joining and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!
