Top 10 Tips For Improving Serviced Apartments
1. Make first impressions count
It is important to make first impressions count as this sets off a positive journey for your guests. Be responsive and reply quickly to all guest queries as this helps build a strong bond between the guest and yourself as the host.
2. Good quality photography
Good quality images of your serviced apartments will definitely impact your potential guests decision to make a booking. It is recommended to have 10 images to show off your beautiful apartment. It is important to capture photographs of the important parts such as the character of the place, the surrounding area, and the amenities. It may be even worth hiring a professional photographer due to their expertise in photography as well as high-quality equipment – it actually makes a difference!
3. Individual experience
You want your guest to have an amazing experience whilst staying at your serviced apartment. Prepare a one-page document with useful information of their location, nearby activities, attractions, best local restaurants or cafes and more. This will help drawn the attention of the guests into booking your serviced apartments.
4. Cleaning services
Hiring a cleaning service is an efficient way to have a managed scheduled for keeping your apartments cleaned in a routine. By hiring a cleaning service with an agency, you can pay a cleaning fee for short stays or clean your property yourself as it helps cut costs which depends on the host.
5. Invest in a Lockbox
Having a Lockbox around will be highly appreciated by guests. With a Lockbox installed, it will help with situations where guests are running late or have travel delays, host’s wouldn’t require to stay around with keys. With the Lockbox, hosts can safely place the keys inside where guests can easily access the Lockbox with a code/pin provided by the host when they arrive.
6. Follow up with guests
Contacting your guests after they stayed with you improves your future guests’ experiences, as well as influencing them to book with you again. Offer discounts, vouchers, or low-cost incentives for your guests as this will give them an incentive to book with you for the future. To find out about your guests’ experiences in more detail, send out a questionnaire about their stay in your accommodation as this will help you learn about their experiences.
7. Research insurance cover
Find out and understand compliance and legislation in order for you to follow and apply them for your serviced apartment business. Research what sort of insurance covers are out on the market to suit your serviced apartments.
8. Plan a marketing strategy
As a serviced apartment business, you need to stand out from your competition. Implement a social media strategy, which can be online google ads, promo videos, and regular social media posts. The aim here is to attract the attention of the potential guests through web-traffic. If you have a website for your serviced apartments, make sure that it is responsive and user-friendly to any handheld devices, as well as making sure the best SEO practice is applied which targets effective search terms.
9. Offer Added Value
As a serviced apartment business it is important to differentiate your business from your competitors. You want to be able to provide your guests with more than they are expecting with extra services. This could be done by free airport pick and drop, essential food items being stocked in the fridge upon arrival, flowers and champagne, or free cleaning services. By upselling this will boost your guests’ experience and they will most likely leave a positive review.
10. Available support 24/7
As a serviced apartment business, offering a concierge or reception desk that is open 24/7 for support is something guests will appreciate. This can either be on-site on available through a provided support helpdesk number, online chat-box on your website, email or SMS. By having a concierge available, they would be able to provide real-time knowledge and information about amenities, as well as any general questions the guests may about their accommodation.