Updated on April 10, 2025
Longtime readers of this newsletter (Hey friends, thank you! 👋) might remember one of our most popular issues from April 2022: The F.A.C.T.S. of Good Communication. In it, I extolled the virtues of my then-new Wi-Fi provider’s great onboarding experience built on incredible communication. It set the stage for a long-term customer relationship.
Last week, I broke up with them. I spent two hours on chat support with that same company, shuffled between reps who ignored what I submitted, said yes to questions when they meant no, and blatantly wasted my time. It was the kind of interaction that leaves you feeling like just a number.
With utilities, customers are limited in options yet completely dependent upon them, so Big Wi-Fi can get away with this (for now). STRs don’t have this luxury.
Never mind a horrible customer service experience; guests who experience anything even slightly subpar at any point during their stay can simply choose to book another home, another manager, another destination, or another accommodation type.
For many hosts, now’s a peak booking window for summer reservations. Will the guests who book a charming listing with a lovely host today get that same experience in the lead-up to their stay? What about when they check in or go to sleep their first night?
If you’re not sure, now is the time to audit your entire guest experience. With just under 7 weeks to go until Memorial Day, here are 7 good things to examine:
- Do your communications make guests feel cared for all the way through checkout, like letting them know if something in a property has changed before their arrival?
- Are properties fully stocked with everything guests need and expect, like more than enough dining ware for maximum occupancy?
- Are all the amenities working properly and in good condition?
- Have you done a good spring cleaning?
- Have you conducted summer readiness checks for things like HVAC, pest control, and outdoor furnishings?
- Are there any swaps you can do to make the property greener and more energy efficient?
- And, once The Great Pollening ends, have you power-washed the exterior for a fresh and sparkling first impression?
Happy Spring,
Alexa Nota,
COO and Co-Founder of Rent Responsibly
FOR ALL: Dave Krauss: The visionary CEO behind Rent Responsibly
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