My first co-hosting client: I remember it like it was yesterday.
An out-of-state property owner asked me to help them host their space.
It was a great opportunity to expand my business – and one that I had been looking for for a while.
Nevertheless, it still gave me pause.
Once I actually had the offer in hand, I was forced to take stock of some things. I had to consider all of the things I do as a manager that are facilitated by living in the same city as the spaces.
- I can deal with any problems guests have in person, same day.
- I restock supplies for the cleaners,
- and occasionally check up on them to make sure that they are doing their job satisfactorily.
- I’m constantly adding new amenities and removing old ones,
- I’m often updating the space…
Managing other people’s spaces is a lot of work – most of which is hands-on.
So if you’re considering expanding into more distant areas, it’s important to have a bevy of team members on-site that you trust implicitly to be your eyes, ears, and hands.
- Find a cleaning company that can manage turnovers as well as restocking.
- Have a handyman on call who can come and fix any issues that arise within a day or two.
- Considering hiring a manager to deal with guest problems in person as soon as they arise.
- And still: plan on making semi-frequent weekend trips to your new space to make sure everything is running smoothly.