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Property Managers historically haven't had an efficient way to deliver memorable amenities to guests in a reliable way. Procuring these items can be a logistical nightmare that's costly and time-consuming.
That's why we're excited to announce our partnership with sojo, a solution built for the vacation rental industry to automate and streamline turn-day amenities. We had the chance to sit down with sojo to discuss how combining Breezeway + sojo's capabilities helps short-term rental managers harness property and inventory data to automate amenity fulfillment and delivery.
Tell us about sojo. What compelled you to start it and what is the problem you’re trying to solve for?
Hosting is hard. Whether you are a DIY host or a professional property manager, managing the operational complexity of this business is a challenge. Not to mention guest expectations have never been higher.
That’s why we buit sojo. To help property managers simplify their turn day inventory process, which improves the guest experience.
What makes marrying supplies with property preparation so difficult for vacation rental managers?
A property manager’s inventory should refer to their homes, not soaps and sundries. Sourcing, storing, and kitting guest amenities is a daunting task but a necessary evil for hosts today, especially because guests expect hotel-level accommodations during their vacation rental experience.
There historically hasn’t been an easy way to stock each unit with quality turn-day amenities. Professional managers often order supplies in bulk, either storing them in a central warehouse or dispersed across their portfolio. Then, they schedule the packing and delivery of items needed for each reservation, adding operational complexity and jeopardizing property readiness.
There are a few problems with this approach: (1) It’s costly and eats into already slimming margins (storage costs, labor costs, and inventory costs), (2) it’s operationally intensive (procurement, logistics, and the pick-pack process is time-consuming, and creates duplicative work and operational headaches), (3) it increases the margin of error and likelihood of guest issues (check-in delays, guest complaints, questions around hygiene). Property managers are entrepreneurs - they have figured out a way to bridge the challenges today, and we have built sojo and help them level up their operation.
There’s been a lot of talk about the commingling and convergence between traditional hospitality supply (hotels, villas, resorts, bnbs, etc.) and vacation rentals. How has this affected the quality and breadth of turn-day amenities that managers supply for each reservation?
Hospitality is a consumer driven market. And hotels have absolutely set the minimum standard amenities that guests expect when they travel. We think most property managers understand that. But no one has made it easy for property managers to purchase, package and present that same level of hospitality amenities in their homes. And that’s why you still hear about property managers who don’t provide the basics like shampoo and dish soap. It’s just not simple or cost effective today to provide those standard amenities. Our goal is to allow property managers to not only provide the basics, but to do so in a way that truly elevates the guest experience.
We’re pumped to be partnering with sojo. Want to share how Breezeway and sojo will be working together?
The integration makes it incredibly simple to get started:
- Pick the items you want to provide your guests at each property and room (kitchen, bathroom, laundry, etc.)
- Tell us where and when you want your amenity boxes delivered.
- Sync property data and inventory needs between Breezeway and sojo, and receive pre-packaged amenity boxes to your office a few days before check-in.
- Create delivery tasks through Breezeway’s dashboard, ensure each item is delivered, and track associated costs.
- Automatically text the guest through Breezeway to make sure the guest has everything they need and elevate their experience at each property.
I know you were just at the VRMA International conference in San Antonio. What were some of the key takeaways with respect to operations, amenities, and branding?
Running a property management business has become more and more complex – almost to the point where it’s impossible to manage things efficiently. There has never been more technology to wrangle or higher guest expectations to meet. A theme we heard throughout our conversations is one of getting back to the basics of providing incredible guest experiences – the bulk of which happens in the home.
Property managers are looking for new ways to ensure their guests feel taken care of and that their experience is memorable. But they want to do it in a way that can scale with them as they grow without overloading their operations teams.
What makes sojo’s inventory fulfillment better than alternatives that are out there?
sojo is built for the vacation rental market. We understand the challenges of turn-day operations and have built our solution to solve those complexities. We use technology to understand your home portfolio and calendar activity so we can prepackage amenities in a way that is easy for your team to receive and install into each home. We standardize and automate the experience for property managers of all shapes and sizes.
Why should Breezeway customers take a peek at sojo’s offering
Breezeway clients can harness their property and inventory data to automate amenity fulfillment and delivery. sojo will deliver custom packed boxes with necessary household items like soap, shampoo, paper towels, and sponges. Managers will save on labor, inventory, and storage costs, cut down on guest complaints, and ‘wow’ guests with hospitality-level branding and service.
Learn more about Breezeway's partnership with sojo HERE.