Airbnb’s concierge service is a fast-growing business. Indeed, following the development of OTAS (Airbnb, Booking, Abritel) many individuals were able to launch into short-term rentals. This type of operation yielded returns well in excess of 10%. However, these accommodation owners soon found themselves faced with complex and time-consuming day-to-day management. In this article, find out more about the services and cost of this solution, which allows you to simplify and optimize your Airbnb rental.
What is Airbnb concierge service?
This company specializes in the management of short-term rentals. It manages accommodations placed online on various platforms. Several distribution channels are possible. Airbnb, Booking, Abritel or even your own online site.
It usually takes over the entire management of your accommodation.
Readers who have read this article have also read: GuestReady: France’s leading concierge service
They will be commissioned on the rental income they earn on your behalf. The more money you make, the more they get paid. A win-win deal.
Several tasks can be delegated, depending on how the concierge operates and what you want to do. Depending on the tasks assigned, your concierge service’s commission rate can vary by as much as a factor of two!
How much does an Airbnb concierge service cost?
Concierge fees range from 10% to 35% of sales generated.
The average you’ll find is 20%.
So, as the concierge is commissioned on the sales generated, it’s in your interest to make as much money as possible 🙂
What services does an Airbnb concierge offer?
The essentials for managing your vacation rental :
As mentioned above, these may vary from one concierge service to another. We advise you to be clear about your expectations, and to check that the tasks you wish to delegate are properly taken care of. It’s up to you to define your needs in advance.
Here are the main services you should look for if you are dealing with good professionals in the sector:
- Ad creation and optimization: the concierge service takes care of writing the description, taking professional photos and implementing an optimized, dynamic pricing strategy;
- Creation of a welcome booklet: either online or on paper;
- Reservation management: the company handles reservation requests and responds to messages from tenants before, during and after their stay;
- Reception and departure of travelers: the concierge will either provide a personalized reception system for each traveler (handover of keys, advice on the area) and manage their departure (collection of keys, checking the condition of the accommodation). Or, in most cases, the concierge will be managed remotely by the property manager, with or without a connected key box;
- Cleaning and maintenance: the company takes care of the cleaning after each customer visit. Generally speaking, this task is often outsourced to service providers. Larger conciergeries will have the resources to recruit staff. The company will also take care of any small jobs or breakages.
- Bed linen, towels for your Airbnb & consumables: the concierge takes care of linen management (cleaning, setting up). Consumables such as soap, toilet paper, coffee, tea and baskets can also be taken care of.
- Problem management: excessive noise from travelers in the accommodation leading to conflicts with your neighbors, power failure, water damage and other unforeseen disasters will be managed by your Airbnb concierge.
New types of concierge service won’t offer you all these services in exchange for a commission rate lower than the industry average (around 10%).
Others, on the other hand, can take customer satisfaction and task delegation a step further. Here are just a few of the options you’ll find in the services on offer. We don’t think you’ll need any of them.
Additional options to personalize your offer :
- Communicating with your guests in several languages: Opting for this option could be interesting if you have a majority of foreign travelers. However, if the concierge service only provides remote management with responses via Airbnb messaging, you won’t need it. In fact, the Airbnb translator will do the job just fine!
- Administrative management and taxes: If you have a “phobia” of the tax authorities, we can provide assistance. The concierge can help you pay your tourist tax or declare your income on your tax return.
However, if your listings are only on OTAS (Airbnb, Booking), you should be aware that the platforms will collect the tourist tax for you and pay it to your local council. Human intervention is therefore not necessary.
When it comes to your tax situation, whether you’re in LMNP, LMP or SCI, you should consult a chartered accountant for the best tax optimization for your assets and family situation. For us, this option can be avoided in most cases.
High-end services: If you’re offering a “high-end” property, such as a seaside villa, a huge chalet in the mountains, or any other property that meets this criterion, it may be worthwhile commissioning your concierge to provide special services to make the customer experience unforgettable! Here are just a few examples:
- Airport or train station shuttle service to pick up your tenants;
- Meeting with customers and handing over keys with advice on your region;
- Guided tour of the city ;
- Reservations at popular venues, restaurants, etc….
In our view, this is the only option that can bring real added value to your tenants.
What are the criteria for choosing the right Airbnb concierge? Our advice:
To get started with Channel Manager Expert, we suggest you get to know your needs.
Do you want total or partial management of your property?
With so many providers to choose from, it’s not always easy to make the right choice. Here are a few criteria to consider when selecting the concierge service best suited to your needs:
- Their accommodations: ask about the number of properties currently under management, a substantial number proving their ability to manage accommodations.
- Browse the ads: try to find apartments already in their portfolio, so you can judge the quality of their photos, descriptions and read traveler comments.
- Reputation: ask about the opinions of owners who have used the company’s services, to find out about their interpersonal skills and their availability to respond to your requests. Their seniority and experience should also be taken into account.
- Services on offer: check that the services on offer meet your expectations (ad creation, cleaning, welcoming customers, other services, etc.).
- Rates: compare the different packages and associated costs to find the one that best suits your budget.
- Geographical proximity: depending on your location, it may be worth choosing a local concierge who knows your town inside out.
By following these tips, you’re sure to find the ideal concierge to optimize your Airbnb rental business and maximize your revenue without sacrificing your quality of life!
Whether you’re in Paris, the Paris region or a major city such as Lyon or Bordeaux, read our review of GuestReady, one of the world’s leading concierge services.
For which owner is an Airbnb concierge intended?
The vast majority are owners who don’t want to look after their accommodation.
Seeking the services of an Airbnb concierge will be necessary in your situation if:
- You have another very demanding professional activity;
- You’re just starting out and want to maximize your income with the help of industry professionals ;
- You want to delegate your investment and make it passive;
- You are several hundred kilometres from your investment, a vacation home by the sea for example;
- You don’t want to manage remote service providers, and you don’t want to start automating your business with tools like a channel manager;
What are the advantages of using a concierge service?
Delegating the entire management of your vacation rental allows you to earn a so-called “passive” income. In fact, subscribing to this type of service will enable you to :
- The concierge manages dozens of properties, and is fully aware of the rates charged in your region according to seasonality. They know what’s going on in your city, so they can adjust the price of your accommodation to ensure maximum profitability!
- Free up your time: by completely delegating the management of your Airbnb rental, you free up time for your work or your loved ones.
- Peace of mind: by entrusting management to industry professionals, you can be sure of the quality of the services provided to your travelers. What’s more, any problems will also be taken care of without your intervention.
- Peace of mind: by entrusting management to industry professionals, you can be sure of the quality of the services provided to your travelers. What’s more, any problems will also be taken care of without your intervention.
Increased revenue through concierge services:
Commissioned on the performance of the properties they manage, Airbnb concierges will be keen to optimize owners’ sales as much as possible.
To do this, they use their expertise to maximize the occupancy rate and the average price per night (REVPAR). To achieve this, your ad rates will vary according to a number of criteria and the strategy implemented by the manager:
- Managing your occupancy rate: The criterion that will drive your rates will be your occupancy rate at any given moment. A good manager will adjust them every week according to the occupancy rate of your calendar.
- Competitive intelligence: analysis of your city’s market. Our rates will be adjusted regularly according to demand and the rates charged by your competitors.
- Use price optimization tools: Airdna, the most famous of them all, is the most widely used software for optimum manual pricing! Larger concierge services that manage several dozen properties will prefer automated pricing. Pricelabs is currently the most popular tool on the French-speaking market.
- Targeting a clientele: promoting your ad to specific travelers (families, couples, professionals, etc.) you need to find the type of customers who match the characteristics of your accommodation.
Owners who don’t have the time or inclination to invest in this business to optimize their income should immediately contact an Airbnb concierge near them.
Indeed, thanks to these actions, it’s not uncommon to see a marked improvement in rental income, even when the cost of concierge services is taken into account.
What are the disadvantages of using a concierge service?
The commission and profitability of your Airbnb accommodation! This is the main drawback. If you’re interested in short-term rentals, have a real desire to invest time in learning the best practices of this business sector, and then want to manage your investment, it’s in your best interest to keep the management of your property in your own hands.
Equip yourself with a channel manager, follow our advice on the blog and get started!
Conciergerie Airbnb : Our Opinion :
We advise you to subscribe to the services of a concierge for :
- busy people ;
- Hosts who don’t want to learn about the best practices of seasonal rental, and who let a lot of sales slip through their fingers;
- owners with many properties;
If you recognize yourself in this list, find the concierge service closest to you. Contact several of them, get quotes and follow the tips and best practices in this article!