Airbnb was founded in San Francisco in 2008. They wanted to change how people think about travel, and they succeeded in doing so. Airbnb currently has more than 2 million listings across 191 countries. You can rent out a house, a room, or even a whole castle.
Airbnb has opened up many doors for the global community in the last decade. Homeowners earn an extra income. Travelers can experience the culture of the world and see it on their budget. Locals make money offering guided tours and excursions using Airbnb Experiences. This has created a wave of opportunity for local businesses.
Airbnb’s rating system is the one element that fosters trust between travelers and hosts. After their visits, travelers rate hosts, and hosts rate guests. It can be uncomfortable to stay with strangers or have strangers in your home. Hosts are ranked based on factors such as value, location, communication, and accuracy. The cleanliness of a listing is the most important. Airbnb says that cleanliness is a major standard hosts must meet. Hosts who receive consistently low scores on cleanliness may face penalties.
This puts a lot of pressure on hosts! Many hosts have full-time work or don’t live in the area where their Airbnb is located. Airbnb has become a popular clientele for residential cleaning. Cleaning services are typically B2C but have now crossed over to B2B due to the fact that hosts run their homes as businesses. Cleaning companies are especially affected by this in places where there is a lot of travel during a few months, like beach towns or ski resorts.
It can be profitable to change your business model or even start a new cleaning business if you live in these areas. Consider these details if you’re considering offering Airbnb cleaning services in your locality.
Seasonal Hire
Most businesses in tourist areas that are seasonal make the majority of their income in a single season. It is important to have adequate resources. During busy seasons, you may need to double your cleaning crew. You will also do more business per client when you work with Airbnb hosts. A typical residential client might only need services every two to three weeks. However, Airbnb hosts may need services up to twice per week. In order to remain competitive, it is important that customers are satisfied. Airbnb hosts who are loyal can be very lucrative as repeat clients, so ensure that your staff is well-trained and you maintain a high standard of excellence. Please read our article Seven Tips for Training New House Cleaning Employees to learn more about how to train your staff.
Provide Competitive Services and Convenience
Airbnb managers will need a different set of cleaning services than your average cleaner. In order to achieve “super host” status, many hosts want their homes to be sparkling clean with thoughtful and unique touches. To build a reputable reputation and to stay competitive, it is important to provide services that are above and beyond. In addition to standard professional cleaning between guests, hosts will also expect new linens, regular deep cleanings, reports on inventory and supplies, replenishment of toiletries and other items, as well as a check on damages and theft. You can provide tour guides, welcome notes, clean slippers, and robes for your guests.
The hosts are often busy, as Airbnb is a good source of additional income. They hire a service not only for its quality and trustworthiness but also because of its convenience. Make it easy for your customers to do business by giving them the ability to schedule on-demand services, pay instantly, and manage all communication in one place, such as an online platform or app.
To build trust, it’s important to communicate with clients primarily via digital means. After each cleaning, show photos or videos of the house to let them know that they are in safe hands and their guests will have a pleasant stay. You can be sure that your clients will not have any unpleasant surprises regarding cleanliness. They’ll also hire you again.
Create Subscriptions or Packages
Each client has different requirements depending on their listing size, the number of visitors they receive, and their level of luxury. It can be inefficient to create a custom service for every client. Consider making two or more packages or subscriptions that detail various services ranging from the basic to the complete, with the ability to upgrade or add on service.