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Lodging Update November 30th, 2017

By Wm. May
Published: 11/30/17 Topics: Advertising, Dynamic Pricing, Housekeeping, Vacation Rentals Comments:

Jeff Bainer of Kittitas County Washington State may know nothing about the vacation rental industry, but he does know all about monster trucks.

The Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper reports that Bainer is a member of the Monster Truck Hall of Fame. Who knew there was such a thing?

Fans of monster trucks know of Jeff's first truck "Hot Stuff" which was launched in 1986, and later rebuilt into a humongous red jeep, said to be the world's largest.

Today he considers himself to be semi-retired because he transports, races and wins "only" 17 events per year, around the country. Who knew there were even that many?.

Bainer makes a comment that is just as relevant to the Vacation Rental business as it is to monster trucks. "Our industry has changed so much in the last three years." It has gone from an industry of independent drives to one dominated by a single company.

As the vacation rental industry has also morphed into something different than what it was just a few years ago. Luckily for us, the big guys are making big mistakes. Smaller vacation rental managers who band together have far more to offer by operating locally while also marketing globally.

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Just like Monster Trucks, Vacation Rental management is changing fast. Innovation has always been at the heart of business. In some industries bigger can be better, but vacation rentals are the opposite. It requires stellar onsite services combined with today's technological tools to advertise globally.

Big Company #1 - has been around for decades, being sold from one conglomerate to another, charging high commissions and loading their overhead with "executives" who do more talking than they do cleaning toilets. Today the company is again for sale to the highest corporate bidder. No where do they promote the sale as better for property owners and guests. In effect, they are selling their property owners short.

Big Company #2 - Likes to buy up local competitors and then discard the local personal touch. They promise technological competence and dynamic pricing which is really no different than what savvy local managers can provide. They offer a comprehensive fee, but supplant it with undisclosed fees, resulting in a large class action law suit. Staff members come and go resulting in HUNDREDS of livid online complaints.

Big Company #3 - Offers a low commission but "manages" from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Owners are forced to find local housekeepers, maintenance staff and hosts because, as the Big 3# spins it, those people are cheap and desperate to work for you. How predatory. The heart of every lodging are the hard-working, loyal, committed and friendly people who do the heavy lifting and are on call 24/7. Then when this company gets a complaint, they blame it on the owner and the local staff.

Big Company #4 - Also promises a lower commission and secret technology to advertise rentals worldwide and on major websites. They fail to admit that all top local managers can now meet or beat their advertising distribution, dynamic rates and photos. They also fail to disclose that they are encumbered with greedy venture capital that requires growth at all costs, even if their services are not up to snuff locally.

Our Company - If you like some of the big company capabilities, but fear the lack of personal local service to care of your valuable vacation home, there is good news. We offer the best of both worlds.

Our well tenured local partners live nearby to keep close track of your place. Our world-class back office professionals provide compelling websites, superior software, dynamic rates, stunning HDR photos as well as 3D tours, not to mention courteous quick sales and reservations, topped off with attentive guest and owner services. Although our first office opened in 1964, we have tech tools none of the big guys have even dreamed of yet.

For our clients we must admit the industry is not perfect and duties are relentless, but we promise to keep investing more time, money and commitment per house than those big guys.

If you are not yet a client, we make you the same promise - lower fees and greater service. Call today. Why wait?

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Author: Wm. May, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0572 – 11/30/17
Sponsor: Vortex Organization – We train quality people to help run unique Inns, Resorts and Vacation Rental Management companies, in an industry that has been a webby net of technology combined with good old fashioned property, guest and owner services. – VortexManagers.com