Using Your Vacation Rental Software to Upsell Guests

Many vacation rentals rely solely on reservations to bring in revenue, but to maximize your ancillary revenue, you need to upsell to guests at your vacation rental property as well. 

Upsells at vacation rentals are often underutilized because you or your property manager may not always be on site to solve logistics, liability, or upgrade challenges. So what can you do? Seamlessly grow your business and give guests the upsells they want with the help of integrated vacation rental software. Here’s how upselling works with software support.

4 Types of Upsells To Offer Your Vacation Rental Guests

The U.S. Travel Association has reported that “79% of leisure travelers are planning to travel” within six months. This is a prime opportunity to increase your revenue by offering additional ways for guests to enhance their experience at your vacation rental.  In many cases, travelers are willing to pay a premium for convenient upgrades that bring value and improve their experience. Here are four types to incorporate:

1. Product Upsells

Products such as a customized basket of local products, a bottle of champagne, or a souvenir can encourage guests to make the most of their vacation. Because many travelers choose vacation rentals for their home-away-from-home appeal, you can also partner with local businesses to offer convenient food and beverage delivery for guests to enjoy during their stay.

2. Rental Upsells

Whether your guests don't want to miss out on their workout routine or are looking to try something new, offering rentals for sports equipment such as bicycles or kayaks can delight your vacationers. By providing rental options on site or through a trusted partner, you could save them from having to bring, buy, or find a place to rent the things they need, giving them more precious time back for their vacation.

3. Service Upsells

One of the biggest complaints about vacation rentals guests have is the level of cleanliness. While providing squeaky-clean accommodations for every guest is important to meet these expectations, you can also offer a mid-stay cleaning service for a fee so that guests don’t have to worry about cleaning to feel comfortable throughout their vacation. 

Another key service upsell to consider if you are nearby is transportation. Vacationers may not want to worry about renting a car to pick them up from the airport or drop them off again. If your vacation rental property is in a popular destination for events like bachelor and bachelorette parties, guests may leap at the opportunity to avoid excessive fees from other transportation companies. Offering transportation can take the stress out of planning and adds a personal touch to showcase the level of commitment to guests’ enjoyable experiences.

4. Experience Upsells

Today’s travelers are looking for more than just an accommodation, they want an entire experience. Experience packages such as boat tours, surfing, yoga, or cooking classes are enticing upgrades for guests looking for a little something extra to make their stay memorable. 

Use Upsells To Promote Your Loyalty Program

A loyalty program can go a long way in incentivizing guests to book with you for longer periods and more frequently. If your vacationers purchase an upgrade, you can use your software to keep track of their upgrade purchases and have it count towards loyalty program rewards. This will forge a stronger relationship with your guests as they will feel appreciated for doing business with you. A property management system that has a reliable guest database, billing history, guest statistics, and suitable loyalty program management tools can ensure an accurate and rewarding program that aligns with your upselling strategy.

How Vacation Rental Software Streamlines Upselling

Vacationers are more likely to purchase upsells if the process is well-timed, convenient, and personalized. By facilitating your upsell strategy through your vacation rental software, you can utilize your guests’ interests, purchase history, and vacation habits to ensure you are communicating the right thing at the right time. 

Automated Communications

If applicable to your software, you can automate upsell emails that are sent to guests based on their past purchase history, length of stay, and how far along they are on their vacation. You can also use automated emails or text messages to offer additional vacation packages as a part of a thank you email once your guest has checked out. Guests will appreciate the extra communication that you personalized to make it worth their time.

For example, by having access to data regarding what upgrades a guest has bought in the past, you can offer these same upgrades in addition to similar upgrade options. If a guest rented scuba gear last summer, you could offer a scuba gear rental in addition to a guided boat tour. 

Guest Portal 

The guest portal allows vacationers to manage their vacation on their own terms. They can use the portal to extend their stay or make other changes to their reservation at any point before or during their stay. For example, if you know that a couple has booked with you to celebrate their anniversary, you could offer a dinner package upgrade once they have settled into the accommodations. This could help make their experience truly special.

The guest portal can also be used for guests to pay for their upgrades at the same time that they check out. Online payment integrations offer a secure way for guests to “settle the bill” without having to use other applications or contact your staff.

Upsell Conveniently With Solonis 

Offering upsells for your vacation rentals not only enables you to increase revenue but also increases guest satisfaction. That’s why having a vacation rental software solution that offers personalized upselling opportunities is a must-have for your business.

Streamlined upselling shouldn’t be the only thing your vacation software can do. To discover what an all-in-one solution can do for your business, download our complimentary guide, “Ultimate Guide to All In One Hotel Management Software.”