THE RENTAL UNDERGROUND SYSTEM

THE RENTAL UNDERGROUND SYSTEM

The rental market is now dominated by Internet search and the slowly developing brand marketplaces. These marketplaces in their rush to distance guests from direct privately controlled manager or owner bookings have introduced all manner of requirements over the last few years. Some of these are noted below:

1. Update calendars regularly (even if there is no change)

2. Synchronise calendars

3. Respond to enquiries instantly

4. Respond via anonymous email relays

5. Use marketplace payment systems

6. Use best pricing rules

7. Use short cancellation polices

8. Provide fresh content & update photos regularly

9. Increase reviews via independent sites.

All of these demands, for a multi-property manager, have meant significant increases in work and monitoring.

Any complex manual function with an Internet front end sees an opportunity to introduce tools to increase productivity. Each of these tools adds another potential kink in the sales and in particular, the profit pipeline.

The holiday rental industry has seen this occur in the last few years.  Although managers and many practicing owners understand the changes, owners represented by managers are struggling to understand the pressures to accommodate the market and technology demands. This lack of industry knowledge and the cost implications means owners need to be educated.

This could be termed the “Rental Underground” system, analogous to the fact that its not seen and has many variations on the route to each destination.

Each of these “stations” in the booking train line taxes the system as it provides data management, channelling or access to the marketplace. The line sees more stations being introduced daily!

To represent this chain of tech taxation we have created an industry underground map.  This has only one line which is one of the longest!  There are shorter routes!

Discovery Holiday Homes