Building Relationships

2023: The year of kindness & mental health

By Kelley Rigby,

Managing Director, Letts Rebuild

Welcome to 2023, I hope you and your family enjoyed the festivities and took some time to relax and recharge for the year ahead.

Talking directly to the shortterm buildings, I hope you were booked out and had 100 percent occupancy and are going to enjoy some R‘nR over the coming months. Over the last few months, I have shared many, many tears with people in our management rights community. More than I ever have before. It has really shown me once again the complexity of this industry. But now it is a new year and so I will try to keep this as positive as possible, to begin on a high but the reality is, even the best in the business can struggle mentally in this industry. I would like to challenge our community this year to take the time to check in more on your neighbour, reach out and ask if you need a helping hand or an understanding ear, and look aft er one another.

If there are buildings situated within close proximity why not pop in, say hello and start building a community and I dare say friendships. You never know what that small gesture might mean to someone, it could just be the light they needed. As I proclaimed at the start of my article it seems to be evident that now more than ever, we need to band together and help one another. We are so lucky to be in an industry where it isn’t unusual for “competitors” to help one another when in crisis, it is one of many things that make me so very proud to be a part of this industry we know and love. If you are struggling ARAMA has a program called A-map available for members that may need guidance from a professional. It has seen much success within the community, helping our managers navigate emotions through the diffi cult situations our industry can sometimes present. The management right industry and business model is one that att racts those that excel in service and customer satisfaction. When all parties work together and have a ‘best for building’ att itude it makes for an unbreakable community. The other phone calls or conversations I am privileged enough to receive and hear are from managers and unit owners that have made unbreakable bonds within their communities. This was especially apparent over the last few years when communities needed each other more than ever. In some instances, it was the manager that brought the unit owners together ensuring that everyone was ok. Let’s make this year one where we choose kindness over cruelty and put our mental health as a number one priority. Kindness and empathy.

3. Build your own database

Build and protect your own database of loyal guests. Make the most of every opportunity to garner Direct Bookings to maximise your profi tability. Harnessing the power of Direct Bookings will reduce your cost of acquisition, increase your revenue, give you the opportunity to control the guest relationship from the outset, and help you build your own valuable database for future marketing campaigns. Direct Bookings are booking gold.

4. Build an online presence

Work on a strong online presence throughout the year. Have a great website. It must be relevant, up to date, informative and Search Engine Optimised. Most importantly it must have a user-friendly secure booking form to capture those Direct Bookings. Build a social media presence and connect with past and future guests in an engaging manner. Consistency is key when building a profi le. You don’t need to post continuously, but you do need to post regularly. 5. Target campaigns to market eff ectively

Stay in contact with previous guests. Target them with campaigns providing loyalty bonuses and special off ers. Understand your guest’s demographic and Geo Status and specifi cally target the relevant locations with your campaigns. Time your campaigns according to the Booking Lead Times discovered through your analytics. Create season themed campaigns. Off er special packages that include activities suited to the festive season for instance, or that highlight special events in your area during that time. 6. Anticipate your staffi ng needs

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Where possible, try to anticipate your staffi ng requirements for peak periods. Make sure staff are eff ectively trained and cross-trained during the quieter periods, to cover emergency absences and provide a contingency plan when occupancy ramps up. Ensure that your staffi ng refl ects the increased business demand. Reinvest some of the additional revenue in additional staffi ng resources, and you will have happier, less stressed staff and consequently happier guests. 7. Generate positive reviews even in peak season

Take care of your guests. Provide those litt le extras that the additional revenue makes achievable, such as a bott le of wine on arrival to celebrate the festive season. Make sure your staff are well trained and supported and have clear performance expectations regarding guest service. Address any issues that do arise with empathy and resolve them eff ectively as quickly as possible. Respond to online reviews. This is not the time to ignore them because you are busy. Make sure good and bad reviews are acknowledged and responded to eff ectively. By considering the requirements of peak season well in advance, you will have the infrastructure in place in your business to eff ectively meet the demands of the busy holiday season. In doing this, you will make the most of the potential increased revenue and occupancy during the busy times, and your business will benefi t from greater profi tability and an enhanced reputation.