In this morning's webinar we focused on Chapter Four of Be Our Guest - Perfecting the art of Customer Service and how 'catering to the senses' can be a great way to make wow impressions with your guests:
Sight: we all know the importance of photos...
Smell: yes, all of the smells your guest can associate with their adventure - but also, have you ever considered air fresheners (more on this @ the 5:42 mark of the webinar)?
Taste: do you include any niche and/or locally sourced items with your rentals (think coffee, tea, trail mix)?
Touch: including items such as bedding can be a key differentiator, is your thread count where it needs to be?!
Sound: as with smell, so many sounds can be linked to the adventure itself - that said, have you asked a guest (foreign to your area) that's about to drive three hours to their campsite what type of music they like?
Thinking creatively/effectively and looking through the guest lens/perspective can be a great way to set yourself apart from the competition.
Prep Fee (click here to access help center article)
- 'prep fee' should include any costs related to the turnover of the rig
- must be done on a vehicle specific level (not a global setting)
- most common 'prep fees' are within $100-$150 range
- create a detailed description (let the guests know what they're paying for)
- apply a tax rate
Reservation Preferences
Are you 'on the mark' with all of your 'reservation preference' settings? Below are some points to keep in mind:
Default Pick Up & Drop Off Times: Hosts who charge by night tend to have 'pick up' & 'drop off' times in line with system defaults of 3pm and 11am. Hosts who charge by day often provide more flexibility (earlier pick up and later drop off options)
Minimum Nights: It's worth keeping in mind that we're operating amidst some economic head winds. Are you taking advantage of the 'allow renters to submit request regardless of my minimum nights if...' option?
Note: it's common for hosts to reduce 'minimum nights' for lower peak periods.
Turnaround Time: Do you have 'same day turnaround' in place for your fleet? If so, please ensure that your preferences provide sufficient turnaround time for you and your cleaning crews to prep appropriately for that next guest.
Vehicle Specific (trumps Global)
Quick reminder for those of you who have spent time adjusting your settings at the vehicle specific level. Is everything as you want it to be for 2023? Now is a good time to do a 'shoulder check' as we head into the busy season.
Some YOY Data
Average Price/Night Comparison (by rig type)
Last Year
Campervan: $168
Class A: $269
Class B: $244
Class C: $206
5th Wheel/Toy Hauler: $139
Trailers: $112
This Year (so far)
Campervan: $164
Class A: $274
Class B: $224
Class C: $200
5th Wheel/Toy Hauler: $147
Trailers: $111
Class B's down ~ 9%, 5th Wheel/Toy Hauler up ~ 9%. The other categories pretty much on par (which we thought was interesting)
Highest Gross Payout Rigs
Last Year
Class B - 2018 Winnebago Revel
Campervan - 2020 Ram Promaster
Class C - 2020 Coachman Leprechaun
Class A - 2018 Thor A.C.E.
Class B - 2021 Winnebago Solis
This Year
Campervan - 2021 Mercedes Benz Sprinter
Class B - 2018 Winnebago Revel
Campervan - 2020 Ram Promaster
Class A - 2021 Thor Miramar
Class B - 2021 Winnebago Solis
Shout outs to the 2018 Winnebago Revel, 2020 Ram Promaster, and 2021 Winnebago Solis (for appearing on both lists)!