This is a guest post by Lugless, a luggage shipping provider that makes shipping luggage easier and cheaper than checking a bag.
People travel because they crave new experiences. Travelers who choose to stay in a vacation rental property take that desire even further. They’re seeking a more authentic, unique experience than what a typical hotel could ever offer.
How do you provide that?
As a forward-thinking property manager, you can reinforce that authenticity by adding value and creating a singularly unforgettable stay for your guests. You can do this with simple things, such as free WiFi and access to their favorite streaming services, or more upscale options such as a full kitchen, high thread-count sheets, and maybe even a jacuzzi on the back deck.
But if you truly want to set yourself, and your property, apart, you need to offer something that no one else is doing.
Instead of making their stay memorable, you can take it up a notch by finding ways to make their trip memorable, creating a relaxing and enjoyable experience even before they arrive.
One incredibly effective way to do that is by removing a major pain point for guests flying to your property—their baggage. Whether they’re sports enthusiasts, such as skiers or golfers with equipment, or younger families traveling with a week’s worth of toys and snacks, extra baggage is a burden every step of the way: getting to the airport, checking bags, hoping those bags arrive with them, waiting at baggage claim, and then hauling those bags to your property.
Is it any wonder guests feel frazzled and stressed out?
Here’s where you can save the day—and their vacation—by creating a relaxing, enjoyable travel experience.
And beyond that, offering a luggage shipping service to your guests provides three valuable benefits for both your guests and your vacation rental business.
Pre-Stay Baggage Perk: Build Loyalty by Delighting Guests
Get your guests excited about their stay with you by providing them with the option of traveling without their baggage.
Your guests will begin their stress-free experience from the minute they leave their home, baggage-free and stress-free.
They can bypass crowded baggage claim areas and head straight to their gate, saving them time at the airport. And, in many cases, they can also save money on airline baggage fees—leaving them with extra funds to enjoy their vacation at your property.
And by removing the need for your guests to lug their bags from Point A to Point B, they get to enjoy the entire experience of traveling to your property… with hands free to hold on to kids, cell phones, or their favorite coffee drink.
No more holding their breath and hoping their bags arrive with them, then navigating the dreaded baggage claim.
Instead, just imagine how impactful it can be for your guests to feel like they’re on vacation the second they leave their front door.
By providing your guests with a solution to ship their luggage, skis, or golf clubs ahead of time they get to start their trip and “stay” with you the minute they leave their home and are en route to your property. It’s the ultimate luxury, and one that distinguishes your property.
And to ensure your success, a luggage shipping service that works with major shipping carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, could be great a option for you and your guests.
Post-Check-Out Baggage Solution: Help Them Enjoy Their Last Day
Another easy way to delight your guests and make one final great impression is with baggage shipping at checkout.
If your property is like most, your typical checkout time is in the morning. Meanwhile, your guests might want to maximize their vacation time by booking flights later in the afternoon or evening.
What are they going to do with their luggage? Surely your guests don’t want to haul suitcases or sports equipment around with them all day.
Once again, you can offer the optimum solution, plus leave a lasting positive impression of your property.
And it’s simple. All you have to do is provide a luggage shipping option for your guests upon checkout.
By letting your guests get rid of their luggage in the morning after they’ve checked out with you, they can truly enjoy their last day in your town or city without being weighed down by their bags.
They’ll definitely remember the ease of staying with you when they discuss their vacation experience with friends and family.
Create a New Service Offering: + Ancillary Revenue Stream Without Lifting a Finger
Whether you’re a new or established property manager, you want to provide new and exciting ways to provide extra value for your guests. And ideally, your new service won’t require any major operations or staffing changes, making it an even more positive—and very welcomed—opportunity for you to explore.
Luggage shipping fits the bill in every sense. Think of it as providing an upgrade opportunity that enriches the stay experience for your guests.
As an easy property enhancement, offering a reliable luggage shipping solution for your guests requires no major operational support. On the contrary, it can even earn you commissions on each luggage shipment.
Letting a luggage shipping provider, like LugLess, handle this for you adds a deluxe service offering, creates a brand-new ancillary revenue stream, and doesn’t require any operational onsite changes for you or your staff.
Not only will your guests enjoy their stay with you, but, with luggage shipping, they’ll also enjoy traveling to you—without their bags weighing them down. And at the end of their stay, they can send their luggage back, allowing them to enjoy one final stress-free vacation day.
Regardless of how many properties you manage, providing a new service offering that’s relevant for your guests who are traveling with luggage is a win-win for all: you, your business, and your guests.
When your guests look back at their stay with you they will fondly remember the entire experience. And hopefully, they’ll come back again for the memorable, authentic experience your property provided them—sans baggage.
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