Airbnb Management Software for the Ultimate Tech Stack

Managing a short term rental involves juggling various tasks that can quickly become demanding and time-consuming, particularly when operating multiple properties.

Each property comes with its own set of challenges and considerations, from coordinating guest bookings and communication to handling housekeeping schedules and maintenance issues. However, the complexities of property management don’t have to be overwhelming.

With the right Airbnb management software, once time-consuming processes can be streamlined into a seamless, efficient and much less stressful operation.

Table of Contents

We’ll explore how Airbnb management software can revolutionize rental operations by:

  • Streamlining management processes as you grow your business
  • Making you less dependent on staff
  • Reducing costs
  • Improving cleaning and maintenance operations
  • Providing better guest experiences

The Ultimate Airbnb Management Tech Stack

Nowadays, software solutions are available for every aspect of short-term rental management, from keyless entry systems to digital guides with essential information on your property and the local area.

 

An integrated Airbnb management software centralizes your operations, offering a unified view that streamlines workflows and saves time. This consolidation eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms, reducing manual labor, and increasing the accuracy and efficiency of your business.


The areas we cover are:

 

1. Centralized operation management

Integrating Airbnb management software with your property management system (PMS) provides a comprehensive and real-time overview of all your bookings. This provides a birds-eye view of all upcoming stays and allows you to view and manage operations, staff schedules, physical access to your properties, and communication, from a single platform.


Using an operating system like
Operto allows you to manage multiple solutions from a single dashboard, saving you hours in daily operations. For example, you can integrate your existing PMS while using other tools from Operto to offer your guests a contactless experience with online check-in and keyless entry

2. Property management system (PMS)

Here are some of the key features you should look for in a PMS:

  • Comprehensive, unified booking management: Your PMS should seamlessly connect with various booking channels, including direct website bookings and major online travel agents (OTAs) to maximize visibility and occupancy. This centralization simplifies managing reservations, availability, and modifications in real time, ensuring no opportunities are missed. 
  • Booking confirmation and automated communication: The ability to send automated guest emails to confirm bookings and send pre-stay information reduces administrative workload and ensures guests receive timely and accurate information.
  • Dynamic pricing tools: Choose a PMS with dynamic pricing capabilities, allowing you to adjust rates based on market demand, seasonality, and booking patterns to optimize revenue. 
  • Payment processing and invoicing: Securely and automatically process guest payments and automate invoicing to streamline financial transactions and simplify accounting processes. 
  • Detailed reporting and analytics: Detailed analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights into booking trends, revenue management, and business performance, supporting informed decision-making and strategic planning.



    Operto works with a range of PMS partners so book a demo to see how it will work for you in practice.

3. Keyless Entry Software: Operto Tech

Offering keyless entry to your Airbnb guests enhances their control over their stay, and is an essential step in a contactless guest experience.


With Operto’s keyless entry technology, unique access codes are automatically generated and activated based on the check-in and check-out times provided through the integration with your PMS. This gives operators more visibility of room occupancy, check-in, and guest movements, and also helps to coordinate housekeeping services and schedule cleaning staff, who are also assigned a unique code for properties they need access to. 


This eliminates the need for physical key exchanges, reduces the risk of lost keys, and improves security measures. The elimination of traditional keys also reduces waiting times upon arrival, allowing guests to begin their stay without delay. 

4. Guest experience: Operto Guest

A modern upgrade to traditional paper welcome books, digital guidebooks or welcome books are online manuals that provide guests with essential information for their stay, before they arrive. 


With a guest app, you can provide guests with the opportunity to check in and complete verification ahead of their arrival, plus give them all the information they need for their stay such as access codes, Wifi passwords, options to purchase in-stay add-ons and upsells, and tips about the local area. This means reducing the number of calls, emails, and messages from guests, freeing up your staff to focus on adding value in other areas.
A well-designed guest app enables guests to perform various tasks right from their smartphones.

Key features include:

 

  • Pre-arrival check-in: Guests can check in before their arrival, receive access codes, and have all necessary information at their fingertips, which translates into a hassle-free start to their stay.
  • Digital guides and local recommendations: Provide guests with digital guides about property amenities, dining, activities, and local attractions, to help them plan their stay in advance. 
  • Direct communication tools: The two-way messaging feature allows guests to easily contact you without leaving the app.
  • Upsells and add-ons: Add additional revenue through offers such as early check-in, grocery delivery, amenity and equipment rentals, or local tours and excursions. 
  • Custom branding: Tailor the app’s appearance to reflect your brand, reinforcing your identity and creating a cohesive guest experience.

5. Noise Monitoring: Operto Tech

Using noise monitoring technology in your short term rental can help safeguard your property. These devices allow you to monitor sound levels remotely, helping you prevent disturbances such as unauthorized parties. If noise exceeds predefined thresholds, automated alerts prompt you to address the situation discreetly through direct communication with the guests. This proactive approach protects your investment and helps maintain good relationships with neighbors.

6. Bookkeeping: QuickBooks

Efficient bookkeeping is essential to running your business and can be further streamlined with Airbnb management software. Key features of short term rental accounting software include issuing invoices, preparing detailed financial reports, and tracking expenses. With its user-friendly interface, QuickBooks is accessible even to non-technical users, allowing for easy payroll management and bank account integration.

If you use Operto Teams’ scheduling software for your short term rental cleaning operations, synching billing and payroll with QuickBooks makes the invoicing and payment process seamless. 

7. Staff scheduling and operations: Operto Teams

Operto Teams addresses the unique challenges of managing Airbnb and vacation rental properties by facilitating and automating efficient coordination of housekeeping and maintenance tasks. This tool seamlessly integrates with your PMS to automatically generate cleaning schedules tailored to each booking, customizing rules by unit

The software’s intuitive drag-and-drop calendar provides a clear overview of assignments and staffing, ensuring every team member understands their responsibilities. It also enables real-time communication and updates among staff, who can share photos and videos to clarify urgent issues or cleaning requirements. This enhances productivity and ensures properties are impeccably prepared for each new guest, contributing to superior service delivery and guest satisfaction.

Automating your Airbnb Business

Using Airbnb management software to automate key aspects of your business significantly improves operational efficiency and reduces the potential for human error. The result is a better guest experience and less workload for your team. 

Centralizing essential functions — including keyless entry, check-in/out processes, guest experience, noise monitoring, and staff management — into a single source of truth, helps avoid the complications of multiple providers and ensures your operations are both scalable and manageable. 


Frequently Asked Questions About Airbnb Management Software

1. What software is best for managing Airbnb rentals?

The best software for managing Airbnb rentals is a comprehensive system that enhances both guest and host experiences. It should automate key operations and provide real-time information about reservations, check-ins, guest communication, staff scheduling, and noise monitoring. 

2. What type of software does an Airbnb or vacation rental need for guest management?

Airbnb and vacation rentals benefit from guest management software that centralizes operations in one platform. This includes handling check-in and check-out, streamlining guest communication, and offering services that enhance the overall guest experience including upsells, add-ons, and personalized local recommendations. 

3. What is the most popular type of software for Airbnb management?

The most popular type of Airbnb management software provides hosts visibility over their properties and bookings from a single interface. It should seamlessly integrate with the property management system, support tasks like guest check-ins, and help coordinate housekeeping and maintenance with real-time updates on the status of properties.