From a ballooning inbox to fast response times
Ask any property management company what they’d like more of (besides profit, naturally), and we can bet they’ll say ‘time’. Every business owner knows: you’ve got to spend one to make the other. But do it right, and you’ll see a return on your investment that makes all the effort worthwhile.
This is the thinking behind Tangy Mgmt, a South Florida PMC specializing in luxury homes. Driven by a passion for well-managed rentals and exceptional guest experiences, Managing Director Victor Feria and Partner Steve Turk have taken Tangy from strength to strength since their 2018 launch. From Little Havana beginnings in Miami’s vibrant downtown, Tangy’s portfolio now boasts over 30 exceptional family properties in South Florida—a fruitful four years, to say the least.
Victor’s background in lifestyle brands and luxury hospitality has given him a unique insight into the issues facing property managers and owners—as well as an appreciation for what guests want and need from a short-term rental. With the vacation rental industry ever on the rise—the expectation for exceptional guest service has never been higher.
The Challenge
Tangy were one of Guesty’s early adopters, attracted by the performance insights, forecasting, and guest management tools on offer. But as Victor’s portfolio grew, so too did his inbox. With guest communications taking up five to six hours a day and inquiries on the rise —including questions ranging from the simple ‘do you have a coffee maker?’ to the more complex ‘where’s the best local seafood?’—time for anything else was evaporating. “It was taking away from building the brand, the website, pursuing leads, team training. We valued our guests, they’re how we grow our business, but we just didn’t have enough hours in the day”, says Victor.
“We always give priority to staying guests, so inevitably messages from leads had to be side-lined. There were times when our response rate wasn’t as high as it should be, and without Guesty’s proactive prompts, we missed out on reservations and initial lead guest inquiries that are crucial to finalize bookings. My laptop became my best friend, multiple OTA portals, logging in, logging out; it all took so much time.”
Tangy Mgmt had to find a solution that would triage, funnel, and convert this stream of messages into booked stays and happy guests.
The Solution
Enter Guesty’s 24/7 Guest Communication Service. A round-the-clock team of hospitality experts who respond to all guest inquiries, providing prompt responses to help improve conversion rates and guest stays.
“The response time was helping us win those bookings again—bookings that I would probably not get to while I was working on my own. And definitely wouldn’t get to if it was a weekend, the middle of the night, or a holiday. So it was very, very helpful.”
“Onboarding was super simple, less than a couple of hours, even with five properties to get setup on Guesty. It became self-sufficient, running itself.”
Tangy found that in addition to keeping guests happy, leads could be followed up with: “those responses to the first questions potential guests ask are super important to ensure they do end up booking with you.”
Alongside 24/7 communication, Tangy were able to integrate their calendar and portfolio with several different OTAs, saving time navigating across platforms. A simple change to property information could now be rolled out across all platforms in seconds. Meanwhile, Guesty’s Owners Portal kept property owners in the loop, offering transparent invoicing and precise data.
The Results
Following the adoption of Guesty, Tangy’s inquiries were being answered within the hour, hitting Airbnb’s response targets and subsequently maximizing the visibility of their properties per platform.
“It’s like Google ranking for your business but with Airbnb and Vrbo. You want to be on the first two pages—that’s a big deal. And response rate is a huge part of that.”
Alongside the benefits for live leads, Guesty’s proactive communications also see cooler leads and inquiries converted into confirmed bookings. And with verification tasks for some guests a barrier to booking, Guesty’s seamless process results in fewer stalls and more sales.
Victor’s experience with Guesty has given him more time to shape his business and realize his vision for Tangy. “It’s one less hat I have to wear. The improvement to my work-life balance has been huge.”
“Plus, with the time that’s freed up, we can maintain a lean team—we’re pretty much saving the cost of 5-6 team members, when you account for daytime and night-time messaging, plus all the OTA listings admin.”
As for what 2022 has in store, Victor and Steve are planning an exciting expansion into more multi-family properties and condos as they move towards the ultra-luxury market on Miami’s Golden Coast. With Guesty’s support, the future certainly looks bright for Tangy.
