Why Self-Check-In Beats Personal Check-In
Ever since I started this company, one question that always came up was about check-ins and how they should be done. Most of the owners I talked to wanted a traditional personal welcome and believed it was the way to go. They thought a personal check-in was something they would appreciate themselves when traveling, imagining a well-dressed, super-friendly person making the check-in experience and the entire stay more valuable for the guests. They typically pictured a charming host explaining the neighborhood, and when I suggested a self-check-in, they immediately thought of a key box—often imagining it on the side of the building or tucked away in a corner, maybe malfunctioning or hard to find. Needless to say, they were not fans of my new idea.
But in this text, I want to show you another way of doing it and share our experience managing over 30 properties here on the Riviera, welcoming thousands of guests, and why I believe that, when done right, a self-check-in experience can actually outperform personal check-ins.
I believe the short-term rental market is split into two parts. First, there’s the normal market: regular people renting out their homes to other regular people looking for a nice place to stay at a decent price. Then there's the luxury market with high prices, wealthy guests, and a need for round-the-clock services.
We operate in the normal market, where guests are looking for a well-kept property that matches the listing, is clean, and where everything works. Essentially, they are booking the property, not the services. They don’t care who rents the property out or what kind of extra services you offer—they just want the property, and if it meets their expectations, they’re happy.
Knowing this, the challenge is to make the entire journey as smooth as possible, from the initial contact to when they leave. We’ve tried everything: big baskets of fruit, wine, and every kind of welcome gift imaginable. We dressed up in suits, gave tours, and even wore funny French ties to make guests laugh. We hoped these things would make a great first impression and add value to the experience.
But do you want to know what I found?
It doesn’t matter what kind of gift basket you have, how you’re dressed, or how charming and funny you are at check-in. There was zero change in reviews and guest feedback. They either liked the property, or they didn’t—but the wine you left? They didn’t really care. Most families had already stopped at the supermarket on the way and had everything they needed in the car.
And as for the personal service? The fact that they had to wait until 18:00 to meet us because we had several check-ins lined up, even though they’d been in the area since 14:00, was just annoying. They would have been much happier checking in on their own and starting their vacation earlier. Let’s face it: whatever you explain during the welcome is usually forgotten, as kids are running around excited to get to the pool. Important information should have been communicated beforehand when they had time to digest it while planning their trip.
Since switching to self-check-in, our feedback scores for check-in experiences have soared. Guests often describe it as flexible, easy, and overall a better experience. They can stop when they’re hungry, arrive when they want, and don’t have to rush to meet us at a specific time.
I believe it’s different in the luxury market, where guests are paying not just for the property but for premium services, including concierge support. Here, a personal welcome is part of what they expect.
But for the regular market, remember this: guests didn’t book because of us; they booked because they liked the property.
There are a few key things to keep in mind if you’re entering this part of the short-term rental market:
- Communication: This is crucial—before, during, and after the stay. Make sure the guest has all the information they need, and be available to answer any questions promptly.
- Cleaning: The property must be thoroughly cleaned and well-prepared.
- Everything Works: Make sure everything is in working order, and if something isn’t, fix it immediately.
Technical Side of Self-Check-In
If key boxes aren’t suitable, what do we do? For houses, key boxes often work well. But for city-center apartments, they’re not ideal. They can’t be placed in common areas without approval, and when put outside, they can end up in awkward or unsafe spots. In some cities, like Nice, Cannes, and Antibes, authorities have even started removing key boxes placed on public property, which means owners could lose access to keys.
Fortunately, it’s 2024, and technology has come a long way. Today, we have solutions that allow us to control building intercoms and apartment locks remotely. Guests can arrive whenever they like, and with a click, we can open the building entrance and their apartment door. It’s a smooth, hassle-free experience for everyone.
That’s it for this article, hope it gave you something useful.
Thank you for reading!
Emil
Owner & Monsieur Folke