s a business owner, you are looking forward to a great season ahead. If you run a rental business or are a tour operator, this is most likely the start of the busy season. Particularly now, it's a great time to look ahead to the time when guest will flock to your areas to enjoy a good time. Let's tackle some important steps to take to be prepared for your busy season.
Review and make changes to your Safely Guidelines. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be important to put into place new guidelines for how you will keep your customers safe this season. You may get direction from your local government, but if not, you’ll want to set new rules for how you handle customers at your location. This could include rules such as:
- Number of customers allowed to rent on a given day
- The time in between rentals
- Protocols for cleaning equipment and surfaces
If you need assistance, you can utilize the excellent information listed on the CDC website. Once you make a plan, communicate this with staff and customers.
Make sure your 2020 pricing is up to date. If you updated pricing for the upcoming season, ensure that it is properly reflected on your website and your booking system. Consider the following when it comes to your pricing:
- Pricing competitively to encourage bookings for the season
- Offer discounts for slower days of the week and longer stays
- Honor re-bookings due to cancellations with no penalty
Ensure your inventory is cleaned and in working order. Take count of all your inventory, ensure that all the parts are working, and cleaned. Did you purchase new equipment? Review your booking system add any new rental to the system.
Reach out to your customers. Keep your customers up to date on important seasonal information such as:
- Opening day
- New inventory
- Any changes in rules and hours
- New guidelines for safety and cleanliness
Download a customer report from your booking system to capture email addresses, and send a personal email to your customers.
Partner with an online booking system. If you don’t currently have one, get signed up with an online booking system to help manage your inventory and take bookings. Now is a great time to up your game, and go online. The latest events in the world have made it more clear that being able to take bookings online is crucial.
What to know more about BookingCentral for online bookings? When you use BookingCentral, you can easily manage your pricing, inventory, and customer details. Your guests will be thrilled to be able to book online using a simple checkout and get a confirmation within minutes. Reach out to our team today. We’re here to answer your questions.
