We have been managing short lets for clients since 2017. In that time, we have tried and tested lots of cleaning and laundry solutions, have made mistakes and learnt a lot. Having been through the mill with operations, property set up, staging, review management, acquiring the necessary tech to be able to service blocks of apartments for clients with the support of a dedicated team to help us innovate further in our bid to be the best in the business and improve on our services more and more. Key team members have been with us a long time and have been schooled as much as we have giving them important experience in keeping listings well optimized, exposed, occupied, and generating.
Our trained and monitored housekeeping teams are crucial to our business and we invest greatly in them to ensure continual high standards.
All our clients have access to a hosting dashboard in an instant showing real-time stats for occupancy and revenue
We have streamlined the entire process from sourcing units, overseeing paperwork, and getting keys to immediate set up of all services ranging from WIFI and bills, attending to any snags, and then making sure any extra furniture and items that are needed ordered and received, essentially getting the property design and dressing done extremely fast but with diligence. Photos and videos follow promptly ready for platforms our 5-star accounts and for social media for rapid bookings and revenue.
When it comes to cleaning, we have the best. Our cleaners are fully aware of the importance of a clean apartment and check in. We use quality linen and houseware in all our properties and ensure that high standards are met each time there is a clean. Our cleaners are highly trained and will cover every area inside, under the sofas and beds, behind the TV, items that are usually forgotten that will likely impact the experience from the get-go which is a big red flag for us. They also evidence all their cleaning with time stamped pictures making sure we didn’t miss a spot!
Most platforms require us to take a deposit against damages and we do this for each booking. Other platforms have a resolution centre to raise any claims through. Our cleaners know their assigned properties well and are acutely aware of their contents. This close knowledge illustrates with the images they upload after each time they clean. Their first task before lifting a finger is to do a damage and missing items check first. If any damage has been caused or if any items are missing, we add deductions from the deposit taken or create a resolution case if required.
We have a huge stash of quality linen, shampoos, and toiletries. Part of which get stored in each property for our cleaners to access upon each check out. Those linen stocks get replenished from our giant stash periodically ensuring fresh hotel quality linen, towels and toiletries are ready for the next guest and check in.
Every client host receives a link giving them instant access to their property stats. Showing in real-time, occupancy levels, their annual calendar and bookings with current revenue generated.
Each guest comes with a rating from their previous stays and host. We consider this firstly before accepting any reservation. We then reach out to the enquiry and have a brief chat to find out a bit about their stay and offer guidance. We have strict house rules that all guests must sign, we have the tech in place to be able to ensure this at each check in. They must also confirm their ID with a selfie which is matched against their ID presented to the platform. Furthermore, booking must pre-authorise a deposit amount before and complete security checks before any check in goes ahead.
We hate talking to a computer, we are bona-fide human beings! and are available 24/7 throughout your stay.
During the day our offices are manned ready to help. We have after hours teams that take over from sunset to sunrise. Whatever your query and whatever time, call or message us.
Have you been bombarded with any unexpected delays? Arriving at 1am? We have self-check in procedures and bombproof lockboxes positioned at each property meaning you can collect keys and check in whenever you like.
A guest dashboard is issued to each guest upon check in offering helpful tips on parking, refuse disposal, WIFI codes, instructions for the washing machine, heating, hot water, and other special information for the building and how to access any gyms or communal spaces. If you prefer and find it easier, we have all this info contained on a digital QR code to briefly scan with your phone.
We hold Hospitality high and believe timely communication is key to feeling like you’re in good hands. That’s why when a booking is confirmed, we will call you to thank you for reserving and establish a contact name and number with us. We will reach out to you again the day of check in to ensure you have settled in and all went smoothly. We usually speak with you once more on the first day to see how your first night was. Thereafter we tend to leave you alone a bit but will remind you of our ongoing support if needed. Depending on how long your stay is, we will likely contact you again halfway through.
The importance of showcasing, staging and presentation is critical. Having made the effort to get all the items, furniture and set up so precisely right, we exploit this effort with exceptional videos and editing for the best images, write ups and descriptions. We employ drones to be able to capture our sites and buildings in their full glory and capture their immediate surrounds within a carefully edited video. All platform and social media channels are exhausted with these excellent professionally edited mix of videos, drone reels and imagery.
Our teams have been with us for several years and have grown their talents with us. To catch bookings in the first place and to repeat these and keep new enquires coming. To ensure regular maximum exposure, adding to wish lists, contacting existing corporates to push availability, agreeing longer mid stays – To forge relationships with new contractors, companies and to negotiate direct extensions cutting out platform fees thus increasing returns. To factor in any events, concerts, football matches, festivals, carnivals, fetes, displays, food fairs that can influence pricing, occupancy, and values. Our teams are well versed and experienced in this vital and often overlooked element of short let management sustainability.
Our optimization team work on your listing every single day to ensure maximum exposure to the largest possible audience of travellers at the best pricing levels to get the highest value and longest-term bookings. Despite managing short lets since 2017, recent market trends with global shutdowns, pushed us out of our comfort zone. Forced continual learning of the industry and how to adapt to ever changing travel restrictions, red list destinations, searching for alternate methods and strategies on how to improve our ability to react. Continue to be able to seize bookings and fluency with consistent returns. Maximising revenue for our clients and London portfolio. Throughout 2018/2019, we nurtured relationships with London Estate agents, forged further partnerships with other corporate booking platforms and focused heavily on social media marketing with Google, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn amongst others.
We utilise the most popular platforms that are used most frequently by travellers across the globe that are looking to book short to mid term stays. Airbnb, Booking.com. There are a plethora of additional platforms Silver Door, Plum Guide, Agoda, Expedia etc that deliver excellent value revenue and we are always exploring new mediums for the best exposure. We have recently included VRBO that offer superb consistency which is always welcomed and appreciated. We are about to launch our own direct booking platform which will enable us to offer large immediate discounts for guests since we able to get around the expensive platform fees. Keep an eye out at livestay.co.uk shortly.
When listing your property with us, your asset will get assigned to a particular cleaner in that location that will get to know your property intimately. In addition to your hosting dashboard where you can view all stats, you will also be given an email address, name, and number of your dedicated account manager. They will be available at any time for you to reach out to with any queries.
Every client has access to their personal hosting dashboard showing statistics and reports on activity. A detailed presentation available anytime. A simple and easy way to view analytical performance.
The Dashboard essentially shows:
In addition to our sourcing business, we also have management operations set up on a larger scale that enable us to effectively manage:
Whichever neighbourhood in whatever town we set up operations, we have learnt very fast that neighbours and the surrounding streets with residents are to be shown the utmost respect that has led us to solidify safety procedures with ID scanning, deposits, and a set of carefully constructed house rules. These house rules are accepted and signed by the lead guest and are implemented with each stay. To help us regulate these vital rules, we utilise “Minut” sound monitoring devices to ensure noise levels are kept to a fair and respectful level.
We also utilize and camera and motion detection system called with Blink cameras to monitor who is entering and exiting the building, maintaining a safe environment for all staying guests.
For added security, ease and control we also operate a 24-hour keyless check in and remote access system for superior guest experiences.
Copyright © 2022 LIVESTAY. All Rights Reserved.
