Why Is It Necessary to Monitor Your Vacation Rental Inventory?
Vacation rental operators must contend with a variety of issues, including theft, property damage, and large messes. Additionally, inventory management is a management issue that Airbnb hosts and cleaners deal with daily. Airbnb hosts must maintain track of inventory to provide an optimal guest experience and to save money by budgeting for supplies.
We’ll highlight the best resources for Airbnb hosts to manage inventory efficiently and accurately in this article.
1. Stock Your Airbnb Only With Necessities
To avoid unnecessary theft and damage, Airbnb recommends keeping only the bare essentials on hand, including
• Toilet paper
• Hand and body soap
• Towels (one towel per guest)
• Linens (one set per guest bed and one pillow per guest).
Additionally, some guests may wish to be able to clean during their stay. You can assist guests in remaining comfortable and safe by providing them with simple cleaning materials, such as
• Disposable paper towels
• Disposable gloves
• Multi-surface cleanser
• Disinfectant wipes or spray
• Antibacterial hand sanitizer
If your rental includes any of the following additional facilities, keep in mind the supplies that may be required for maintenance or usage:
• Air conditioning/heating
• Kitchenette
• Pet-friendly area
• Pool/Jacuzzi
• Television/cable
• Washer/dryer \s
• WiFi
2. Utilize a Checklist for Airbnb Inventory
An inventory list for holiday rentals is a useful tool for organizing cleaning activities. Create your own by starting with a free template or from scratch. We recommend putting a section on your checklist for refilling items that have run out of stock or are running low on supplies.
By requiring your cleaners to use an Airbnb inventory checklist, you can ensure that each vacation rental cleaning goes well. Checklists, which are especially beneficial for new staff, enable a complete review of all inventory items.
3. Organize Yourself (and Stay Organized)
As alluring as it may be, refrain from skipping this step: Make a thorough inventory of all objects in the rental. We recommend that you use a spreadsheet or physical inventory sheet to keep track of the things that will be used by visitors and will require replenishment. In terms of property management and keeping your rental business visible in different online channels, you can use rental management software with features such as channel manager for airbnb.
If possible, Airbnb operators should secure a closet or storage room in their holiday rental to store additional supplies. Cleaners can swiftly and conveniently replace supplies when they have inventory on-site.
Yes, this all might be a lot of work for just one person. So ensure you’re leveraging free resources like managing your vacation rental business by using vacation rental software like Lodgable. You will be able to manage your listings across multiple channels in one location.
4. Photographic Record
Photographs and videos contribute significantly to the visual side of inventory management. By photographing a filled cabinet, you can ensure that cleaners understand your expectations. Additionally, a picture might serve as evidence in the event of damage or theft.
We recommend walking new cleaners through the apartment. If a real walk-through is not possible, the Airbnb host should prepare a series of photographs of the house with instructions on how to replenish inventory.
5. Utilize An Operations Management Tool To Automate Your Inventory
Having a tool to track and manage your inventory is the most frequently requested feature by Airbnb hosts.
Cleaners can use the inventory management function to keep track of their work and to notify hosts when their inventory reaches a predetermined level. When cleaners click a button to indicate that a supply is running short, the hosts are automatically contacted to restock the item, which simplifies the procedure for cleaning and eliminates confusion.