To run a more solid vacation rental business, it is imperative to review your current Property Management System (PMS) thoroughly. This way, you can see whether everything works well and meets your existing and upcoming needs. Suppose the outcome indicates that your system doesn’t work efficiently and you cannot manage your daily tasks seamlessly. In that case, you should switch to another PMS to address your challenges and expand your short-term rental business.
Migrating to a new Property Management Software can be scary. But with the following tips, you can make a seamless transition to a new management tool.
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When Should You Change Your Property Management System?
Your PMS Doesn’t Offer Essential Features to Get More Bookings
As a vacation rental manager or property owner, your ultimate goal is to expand your business. To reach that goal, you need a system that offers comprehensive features and goes live swiftly.
So, your cloud-based PMS should provide features including Automated Booking Process, Revenue Management, Automated Messaging, Mobile App, and Unified Inbox, to name a few. These features save your time, make your tasks easier, and lead to a smooth and steady business growth.
If your current management software doesn’t provide these features and you handle them manually, you should switch to another PMS.
Your PMS Cannot Work Seamlessly with Third-Party Apps
To automate every aspect of your rental business, integration with various third-party apps and software is a must. For example, you need different software solutions for accounting, pricing, guest vetting, and communication. In addition, you need seamless integration with your channel manager to update rates and availability and prevent overbooking.
If they don’t seamlessly integrate with your PMS, a two-way flow of information will not happen. This reveals that your PMS doesn’t sync with other apps adequately and satisfactorily, and you cannot achieve the desired outcomes.
Your Business Has a Low Return on Investment (ROI)
One of the signs that can help you to decide whether you need a new PMS or not is your ROI. Calculating this indicator lets you know whether your PMS generates expected revenue or not.
Saving time and money are not the only factors you should consider when choosing your PMS. Your management software solution should also facilitate the growth of your business. Hence, if your current PMS doesn’t allow you to grow your business, you may consider finding a new one. Don’t let a bad PMS hold you back.
Your PMS Doesn’t Offer a User-Friendly Dashboard
When you expand your short-term rental business, you need a central dashboard to monitor your properties and key metrics. This dashboard shows your reservations, check-ins, check-outs, occupancy rates, and revenue. It gives an overview of your current and upcoming bookings. So, it shows you a perfect overview of your current and historical performance, helping you to identify issues and minimise your costs.
If your management tool doesn’t provide a convenient dashboard, it’s time for switching to another PMS.
Your Software Provider Doesn’t Offer Adequate Support
The other factor that shows it’s time to switch to another PMS is the level of support you are getting. Your provider’s support team is key during signup, onboarding, training, and when taking your feedback to improve the system.
They have a crucial role in addressing your challenges. Hence, if the team doesn’t solve your problems quickly and ongoing support is weak, it’s time to think of another PMS.
Tips to Switch to Another PMS Easily
Clean Up Your Data
Before moving your listings, clean up your data to make sure the transition is smooth. Preparing your information before switching to a new PMS sets a good foundation for a smooth transition.
You should edit, correct, organise, configure, and remove irrelevant information. During this process, you can detect and archive inaccurate or outdated information to make the migration process faster.
Import Your Listings
After cleaning up your data, it’s time to import your listings. Make sure your PMS can automatically import your properties. Inputting your properties manually from online listing platforms like Airbnb is time-consuming and can be a hassle.
That said, importing your listings automatically enables you to transfer your reservations with all the essential details. In addition, this process prevents human errors and provides quick and accurate data transfer.
Length of Transition
It’s crucial to know how long it takes to switch to another PMS. Knowing this can help you prepare for your business constraints, including peak season operations or budget limits.
The length of migration depends on the complexity of your current system and the onboarding process of the new PMS. So, to estimate this process, you should consult with your onboarding specialist.
Onboarding Process
When switching to another PMS, you and your staff require training sessions to get familiar with the new system’s features.
When searching for a new PMS, consider a system that offers one-on-one online training and demonstrations. This will assist you in setting up the system to meet your specific requirements.
In addition, the new PMS should offer a support team available 24/7 to help with your queries and bug reports.
How Does Zeevou Help Achieve a Seamless Transition?
Zeevou facilitates the migration process by providing a seamless transition and importing your listings from Airbnb automatically.
They also offer a dedicated onboarding process and premium support to streamline the transition process as much as possible.
Don’t hesitate to Book a Free Demo and get more information.
