Why Property Managers Need Vacation Rental Software to Manage Short-Term Rentals

Whether you are the owner who hosts full-time or a property manager, running a vacation rental business is a serious job. As rewarding as it can be, it requires a multitude of tasks to be taken care of, sometimes simultaneously, every day.

From managing guest relations and communication to cleaning and maintenance, marketing and reservations management, growing the business and revenue, the list can seem never ending.

Vacation rental software such as a property management system (PMS) can help hosts gain control over their short-term rental business, streamline processes, automate tasks and focus on growth and revenue strategies rather than be bogged down by emails.

What is Vacation Rental Software?

Vacation rental software is basically your go-to tool for managing rental properties. It's really good at channel management, which means it keeps your property listings updated across various websites.

But it's not just about that. A solid PMS does a lot more. It automates lots of repetitive tasks that you'd otherwise spend a lot of time on or might need an assistant for.

It's your central hub for running your vacation rental business handling everything from bookings to guest check-outs in a straightforward, efficient way. It makes managing your rentals a whole lot easier.

Why Do You Need Property Management Software (PMS)?

Many new hosts in particular are wary of property management software, feeling that the expense is likely to outweigh the benefits. A good PMS not only eliminates the need to hire assistants to help with administrative tasks and deliver full and centralized control of the business but also provides a wide array of benefits. These include:

Saving time through automations

A PMS automates routine tasks for you like guest messaging and managing reviews. It gives you a unified inbox and a dashboard, so you can easily oversee and control all your listings.

Plus it integrates data from other sources, giving you a comprehensive view of your business. With a PMS, you'll spend way less time on administrative duties, freeing up hours for other important aspects of your work.

Managing listings across multiple platforms

In today's bustling short-term rental market, listing on multiple channels, from big names like Airbnb and Vrbo to smaller niche sites, is key. You can also consider direct booking via your own vacation rental website.

But here's the thing, managing multiple listings even for just one property can be a real headache. Keeping track of reservations to avoid double booking is particularly important. That's where a channel manager comes in. It syncs all your listings including the calendars so any changes or updates are captured across all platforms in real time.

Running everything from a single interface

A well-designed PMS will provide an intuitive dashboard from which you can get an overall view of all your booking channels, calendars, messages, payments, etc and attend to the needful as and when you require.

It will also have a fully functional and easy to use mobile app that you can use to control your short term rental business while on the go.

Connecting with other apps

From noise monitoring and smart lock to insurance , dynamic pricing and guest screening , a host’s toolkit can comprise a wide selection of apps.

While these provide necessary automation, analysis or communication services for hosting, it also leaves a host having to juggle a number of different portals in order to do so.

Property management software can act as a central point of integration to many apps, allowing access to services or data through a single dashboard.

Decreasing human error

Businesses are run by people and naturally people sometimes make mistakes. But a PMS can really help in reducing these human errors.

It does this by automating many tasks, efficiently managing your listings across different OTA channels and offering other useful features.

So, while human errors are part of any business, a PMS helps to minimize them significantly.

Providing better service

If you're swamped with administrative tasks, it's tough to find time for much else. A PMS changes this by making processes smoother, automating certain tasks and improving others. This frees up your time, allowing you to focus on providing an amazing service to your guests.

Have full control of your business

By acting as the central point of access and action to all data, messaging and tasks related to your short term rental business, a PMS provides hosts complete control of their business.

Channel management, customer relations management and easy integration of third-party apps are integral to this.

Scale and grow your business

A good PMS helps a property manager elevate the professionalism of their business by optimizing administrative tasks, freeing up time for in-person tasks as well as strategic thinking and future planning.

This in turn allows you to look further and expand your business. Because you can manage multiple listings and properties with a single PMS, investing in good vacation rental software can reap huge dividends by enabling you to grow, scale and grow your business.

Increase revenue

Managing multiple listings through your PMS is not the only means of growing revenue. By cutting costs, eliminating double booking, optimizing pricing, enabling exceptional customer service, analyzing data for further improvement thereby growing your business.

How to Choose Your Property Management Software?

Choosing the right PMS for your vacation rental business is a critical decision that can significantly impact your operations and guest experience. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a PMS:

Understand your needs:

• Size and scale: Consider the size of your rental portfolio. Do you have one property or multiple? The complexity and features needed can vary based on the number of properties you manage.

• Specific requirements: Identify specific challenges you face in managing your rentals. Do you need more help in guest communication, channel management or [financial tracking

](https://www.hostaway.com/expense-tracking-for-your-airbnb)?

Features and functionality:

• Channel management: Ensure the PMS can integrate with various booking platforms you use (like Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) and manage all listings effectively.

• Reservation and booking management: Look for efficient handling of bookings, cancellations and modifications.

• Automated guest communication: Check if the software offers automated messaging for guest inquiries, booking confirmations and check-in instructions.

• Financial management: The ability to track income, expenses and generate financial reports is crucial.

• Maintenance and housekeeping coordination: If applicable, check for features that help schedule and manage property maintenance and cleaning.

Ease of use:

• User interface: The software should be intuitive and easy to navigate.

• Training and support: Consider the level of customer support and training materials provided by the software company.

Integration capabilities:

• Third-party integrations: Check if the PMS can integrate with other tools you use, like payment gateways, accounting software or CRM systems.

• API Access: For more technical customization, see if the PMS provides [API access.

](https://www.hostaway.com/features/services#open-api)

Scalability:

• Growth potential: Choose software that can grow with your business. It should be able to handle an increasing number of properties and evolving business needs.

Pricing:

• Cost-effectiveness: Compare pricing models of different PMS providers. Look at monthly fees, commission-based pricing or one-time costs.

• Free demo: A great way to gauge a system is to schedule a demo call so you can get a real view of the interface, features and functionality.

Security and compliance:

• Data security: Ensure the software adheres to data protection laws and maintains high-security standards for your and your guests’ data.

• Legal compliance: The PMS should help you stay compliant with local rental laws and regulations by allowing you to track earnings, expense and manage taxes, etc.

Reviews and recommendations:

• User reviews: Look for reviews or testimonials from other property managers in tech forums, Facebook groups, etc.

• Recommendations: Ask for recommendations from industry peers or in online forums. Case studies of hosts who have used the software as well as reviews of the software by current users on sites such as Capterra and Trustpilot can also provide unbiased insight.

Mobile accessibility:

• Mobile app or mobile-responsive design: Consider whether the PMS offers a mobile app or has a mobile-responsive design for managing tasks on the go.

Remember, the best PMS for you depends on your specific needs and business model. Take the time to research and evaluate different options to find the perfect fit for your vacation rental business.

Why Hostaway is the best PMS For You?

Hostaway is a great PMS that allows you to work smarter rather than harder. It provides everything you need to automate your vacation rental management business in one place.

A high-rated PMS, it includes a proprietary channel manager, a full suite of communication tools including an industry-leading unified inbox, automation tools, booking engine and website builder, analytics and reporting and more.

Hostaway is also home to one of the largest vacation rental marketplace in the industry. Together with award-winning customer support (now 24x7) and scalable solutions for growth, Hostaway is the best PMS for property managers at all levels.