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Managing an Airbnb property can be quite a juggling act. You may be great at multitasking, but you’ll soon realize you could use some help from other people to get things done. From photography to plumbing, carpentry to cleaning – certain tasks call for certain skill sets. That’s why you need to be building a team to make good money on Airbnb.
As your rental business grows and you keep getting more bookings than you can handle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you do everything on your own. You’ll need an extra pair of hands. Or more.
Whether you’re hosting a single unit or managing a slew of properties, you’ll want to have a pool of reliable talent to help keep things running smoothly.
Here are a few reasons why you’ll need skilled labor and talent in your Airbnb team.
You may not be able to do all the cleaning by yourself. You may still be employed in a full or part-time job. You may not have the extra time, energy, or expertise. Or you’d simply rather focus on the business side of things, concentrating on tasks like guest communications, marketing, or developing your business even further.
Sometimes, stuff breaks and you won’t be able to fix them yourself. The air conditioner breaks down, hot water stops running, or a sliding door or window gets jammed. You could use the help of a handyman.
As your occupancy rises and you can afford to choose the kind of guests to attract, you’ll begin to see the need for some branding. You’ll want a designer to style your property to make things look more polished and sharp.
If you want to run your business like a pro, you’ll need an Airbnb team to help you.
Here’s a list of the pertinent skill sets you’ll want in your Airbnb team.
Cleaning is critical to any short-term rental. Not only is it a must for sanitation and regular upkeep, but it also ensures the comfort and well-being of your guests.
Since Covid-19 hit in early 2020, Airbnb has required hosts to do enhanced cleaning to safeguard the health and safety of all guests.
That’s a huge responsibility. And it’s mostly the cleaners’ job to get it done. They keep your place fresh, spotless, well-stocked, and ready between each stay — often, under time pressure.
If you ask them to, your cleaners can do a monthly or quarterly deep clean. They’ll vacuum the AC vents and wipe down walls, doors, and baseboards. They can even clean the kitchen sink disposal and range hood fan filter.
When hiring cleaners, make sure they’re people of integrity and dedication. Especially if you’re asking them to do these critical things for you: laundry, inventory checks, purchase and restocking of supplies, and damage checks. Instruct them to have an eye for detail and a standard of excellence that you yourself uphold.
And don’t scrimp on their pay. A budget cleaner will deliver only subpar service. And if you don’t make any improvements, it’ll translate to subpar guest reviews. A cleaner’s job is tough. So you’ll want to compensate them for it.
Next on the list, but a close second, is a professional photographer.
According to Airbnb, listings with professional photos earn up to 40% more, get booked 24% more, and can charge a higher rate of up to 26% per night.
Spending $200-300 on professional photography may sound a bit much, but you have to understand that photos will become your showpieces. They’re the first things browsers see when they land on your listing. And those prospective guests aren’t going to come and check to see your property in person. They’ll be making decisions and doing the actual booking online. And they’ll do it based on the photos they see.
That’s why you should seriously consider hiring pro photographers. They’ll be able to capture the best features of your property, in the best lighting, angles, and framing possible. They’re able to project spaces in the most flattering ways.
Pro photographers will carry basic equipment such as a DSLR camera, a tripod, and a range of lenses. But more than that, they will also understand your brand identity and convey the look you want. A background in interior, architectural and editorial photography would help, as would an eye for great lighting and composition.
The third talent you’ll want is a designer. While you may consider design consultancy a luxury or unnecessary cost, think again. Great-looking interiors are a must in the real estate and hospitality business.
If your space doesn’t look good, your photos won’t look good, either. No matter what your cleaners do, it really won’t show much in the photos. You’re not likely to get rave reviews for a bland, boring space. Nor a whole lot of bookings. Especially if you’re in an area with stiff competition.
If you’re not in a tourist hotspot, can’t offer panoramic views from an upper-floor balcony, or don’t have premium amenities — like a backyard or a private pool — then you’ll have to invest in some very good interior design.
And it’s a designer’s job to provide that.
Of course, when you’re new to short-term renting, you may need to start out lean. But there will come a point when you’ll need to level your game and get your brand identified, drawn out, and put together.
With every piece of furniture, decoration, lighting, and color option, a designer will consider the market you’re trying to attract and the Airbnb “feel” you’re wanting to evoke.
Designers turn the ordinary into extraordinary, the drab into fab. They’ll make people want to stay at your place.
And there’s that saying, “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” Nowhere does it ring louder and truer than in your property design.
Remember, you don’t have to do it in one go. To make the cost more manageable, do one room at a time. Start with the bedroom, then the bath, the kitchen, and so on — as your budget allows.
As hosts and property managers, we don’t really know what guests do inside our units. Things “just happen”: stuff breaks, utilities stop working, scratches, dents, and even holes appear on the wall.
Having an all-around handyman will be essential. Aside from necessary and urgent repairs, they can do periodic checks on appliances and fixtures.
You don’t want things breaking down in the middle of a guest’s stay. And you don’t want to be the person doing all the repairs, either. But if you ask a handyman to do routine maintenance checks, there’s a good chance a breakdown won’t happen in the first place.
A handyman doesn’t have to be a singular person, either. There are situations where you might be needing specialists, depending on the amenities you offer. If you have a pool or a sizeable yard, you likely have a pool cleaner and landscaper attending to them already.
Always have a list of local plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and pest control service providers to call on. It can save you from situations where guests will want to cancel mid-stay or demand a refund.
You can even strike a deal with some of them. Agree to pay extra for off-hour, weekend, or emergency service. Their 24/7 availability will help keep your guests comfortable and happy when something does break down.
In the hospitality business, every skilled labor is important. Some do a lot of work upfront and often, which is instrumental in running a business smoothly. Others help out less frequently, but they keep everything functioning excellently.
If you think about it, running an Airbnb is much like steering a yacht in a regatta. Your crew members are right alongside you, but they’re not just there for the ride. Each one has a critical role to do. And together, they’ll take you, the leader, to the finish line — in the quickest possible time.
Choose the people in your Airbnb team wisely. Then build and maintain each of them carefully. You’ll soon be reaping rewards way beyond what you expect.
Ready to learn how we built & operate a $2M/year short term rental business, operate properties throughout the USA remotely, and acquired 70+ properties without owning any in just 2 years? Attend our free online master class to learn how you can do the same. Click here.
And before you go, listen to this video where Jon and I share how we went about choosing and building our own Airbnb teams.
