SkyRun Park City's secret to 5* reviews: Fall in love with the small details
In this episode, Nihal Salah chats with Michael LeClerc, founder of Skyrun Park City, a vacation rental business boasting an impressive 324 five-star reviews and a remarkable 97% owner retention rate!
Michael unveils the strategies behind this extraordinary success, drawing from his background as a professional chef to explain how he's crafted a recipe for success in the competitive vacation rental industry.
Michael unveils the strategies behind this extraordinary success, drawing from his background as a professional chef to explain how he's crafted a recipe for success in the competitive vacation rental industry.
Throughout their conversation, Michael takes listeners on a journey through Skyrun's guest-centric approach, from anticipating needs before check-in to personalizing experiences throughout the stay. He delves into the company's innovative use of technology, balanced with a human touch, and explains how fostering a family-like company culture translates into exceptional service.
Nihal and Michael explore Skyrun's techniques for building lasting relationships with property owners, adapting management styles to individual preferences, and navigating the challenges of scaling a vacation rental business in the picturesque setting of Park City, Utah.
Key takeaways and actionable tips:
Nihal and Michael explore Skyrun's techniques for building lasting relationships with property owners, adapting management styles to individual preferences, and navigating the challenges of scaling a vacation rental business in the picturesque setting of Park City, Utah.
Key takeaways and actionable tips:
- Empower your team to personalize guest experiences: Michael gives inspectors access to guest booking notes and authorizes them to add special touches based on the reason for travel, like recognizing anniversaries or repeat visits.
- Implement a thorough inspection process: Skyrun conducts two inspections - one after checkout to check for damage, and another after cleaning to ensure the property is guest-ready and staged correctly.
- Proactively communicate with guests: Send check-in information as soon as the property is ready, even if it's hours before the official check-in time, allowing guests to start their vacation early.
- Tailor your approach to each owner: Michael tracks owner personalities and priorities (e.g., revenue-focused vs. property care-focused) to customize communication and management strategies.
- Use technology wisely: Skyrun employs specialized software for tasks like housekeeping schedules and maintenance while maintaining personal touches in guest interactions.
- Create a detailed guest profile: Record information like the reason for the trip and whether it's a repeat visit, then use this to enhance the guest experience.
- Offer local expertise: Michael provides specific recommendations to guests, such as which ski slopes are best at different times of day.
- Foster long-term relationships: Some of Skyrun's owners have been with them for over a decade. Michael maintains these relationships through personal interactions like having lunch or going skiing together.
- Set property-specific strategies: For owners more concerned with property care, Michael sets higher minimum rates to naturally reduce occupancy and attract more respectful guests.
- Lead by example: Michael and his executive team consistently demonstrate the level of guest care they expect, helping to instill this mindset throughout the company.
Find more information about SkyRun Deer Valley & Park City:
Website. parkcity.skyrun.com
Email. michael@skyrun.com
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