Experience the difference of "Elite".

I'm lost and I am not sure figuring this all out is worth it? (please don't flame me)

Lauren V
Jan 9, 2018 4:25 PM
Joined Dec, 2017 10 posts

I have one property. I am on AirBnB and VRBO and have my own website. So I have the 2 week trial and I still don't get it. This seems very confusing and I don't think I am just that dumb. It doesn't seem very intuitive. I have tried to see where there are help docs and slug my way through them, but honestly is this for the big timers and it's just too much for the little guys out here?

Chris Hynes
Jan 9, 2018 4:34 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1400 posts

It does take some time and effort to get set up, but once you get set up it will save a bunch of time in managing a central calendar, having everything sync together, and setting up scheduled/triggered emails like pre arrival welcome emails etc. that work for all listing sites. Being able to accept direct bookings and have e-signed renter agreements, automatically scheduled second payments, security deposits, etc. is a big help too.

I'm clearly biased but I think its well worth it for even 1 property. We've got larger users, but also have many users with just one property. That's how OwnerRez started back in the day, actually -- myself and some colleagues started with one vacation rental and needed software to manage it. Being software guys, we started working on OwnerRez.. and the rest is history ;-)

To be honest, our features are often ahead of the help docs, so if you have questions ask away and we'll get them answered. you can post on here or send an email to help@ownerreservations.com. If you've got more detailed questions, let me know and we can schedule a call to walk through everything and get you on the right track.

Sherene M
Jan 9, 2018 5:04 PM
Joined Jan, 2018 27 posts

Lauren, We are in the very same boat!! Feeling pretty overwhelmed....... I just keep reminding myself it will be so good if I can get it all configured. Just started last week. But frankly, I have a return guest willing to be my guinea pig and I can't even formulate the process well enough to know what to send her. sigh
But we will make it!! eventually......

Chris Hynes
Jan 9, 2018 5:55 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1400 posts

I just put up a setup checklist article here to help out: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/setup-checklist

Hopefully that'll give you some ideas of where to go.

The best way it to get to that quote process and send yourself a quote so you can see what the guest will see. That'll give you ideas about what you want to change and let you know when you've got it set up as you want to be able to take bookings.

Lauren V
Jan 10, 2018 9:38 AM
Joined Dec, 2017 10 posts

Thanks Chris I will try it out. Very much appreciated.

Wendy@A-List
Jan 11, 2018 8:14 PM
Joined Jun, 2012 32 posts

It's worth it, keep going ;-) It will save you lots of time in the future and if you are able to get rid of ABB and VRBO you will have an independent means of taking bookings, etc... plus it looks professional.
Wendy

Sherene M
Jan 13, 2018 6:48 PM
Joined Jan, 2018 27 posts

Thanks for the check list Chris. My brain has hit a wall! everytime I open the program lately, I just stare at it, not sure what to do next, so I end up doing nothing. Hopefully this will help me break through.

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 14, 2018 12:31 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1115 posts

There is a learning curve, but once u figure out, it is well worth it. I trued out 2 other priducts before choosing ownerrez. My life is sooooi much easier now. Getting ready to add 3rd property, and without this tool and having fulltime job it would be a tremendous challenge. Ownerr keeps me sane

Alice S
Jan 17, 2018 4:39 PM
Joined Sep, 2017 7 posts

Hang in there! I started using OwnerRez about two or three months ago. We have five properties, and I've been using spread sheets and quicken since 2004. We have a "book it now" button on our website, and the ability to run reports and keep track of things much more easily. Our guests like it. It has taken some getting used to, but I consider it the best business purchase of 2017, possibly the decade!

Monica R
Jun 28, 2018 1:48 PM
Joined Feb, 2018 86 posts

I'm a woman on the edge right now. I would pay someone -- ANYONE -- $100 an hour to sit on the phone with me and help me go through each section to explain the parts I don't understand. I've put roughly 35 to 45 hours into trying to learn it, and I've come a LONG way from where I started, but after three months of paying for the subscription, I still can't fully use or understand the site.

Any takers???

Chris Hynes
Jun 29, 2018 9:57 AM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1400 posts

We don't have an hourly rate, but maybe we should :-)

Send an email to help@ownerreservations.com and lets set up a call.

Melissa J
Oct 30, 2019 11:28 AM
Joined Oct, 2019 2 posts

I am right there with you Monica!!! I have sooooo many questions that could simply be answed if I could talk to support staff to walk me thru a few last items so I can actually start my free trial. I know in the end it will be good.... it's just getting there! I don't like talking thru problems and issues on email... need a real person and have called several times and left a message. Feeling completely overwhelmed.

Lydia B
Oct 30, 2019 11:54 AM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

Hang in there! The learning curve is SO FRUSTRATING, but the long term results are great. I only have 1 property. I am on AirBnB and VRBO and have an OwnerRez website. Take it one step at a time. Try to get the OR guys on the phone with you. I probably don't use the OR functions as well as I could. I do not let OR respond to inquiries or bookings because I like to do that myself through the ABB & VRBO messaging systems. I like to add something personal in my response rather than sending a generic response. Beyond that, I have 12 trigger emails that go out depending on the circumstances of each reservation. You should feel free to post any/all questions on here - no matter how trivial you think they are. We will all help!

Ken T
Oct 30, 2019 6:18 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1472 posts

We hear ya, really we do... We're trying to ramp up our support, and we'd like to make it possible for you to pay for personal training and setup assistance beyond what our Concierge service offers. We just don't have the staff availability to do that quite yet.

Neerja S
Nov 1, 2019 5:08 PM
Joined Nov, 2019 1 post

Just signed up for the trial and want to use a turnkey template. Where do I see these and how do I edit and use for my properties. I have the hosted site turned on. Sorry, if the info is out there. Just need help locating in.

Ken T
Nov 1, 2019 6:35 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1472 posts

If you're talking about a website template - the website has already applied it. It just doesn't look that great because you're missing a few things yet.

- Finish adding the data for your properties. I see you've got a couple in there already, you can import your listing descriptions and photos directly from Airbnb and HA/VRBO using the Import buttons on top of the Properties screen if they're listed there. That'll save you a ton of time, and the more you have complete, the better your website will look.

- If you have a company logo, add that to your account in your Profile, which is under the little arrow dropdown in the upper right corner of the screen. That'll appear on your website too.

- You can change some of the basic thematic elements of your website, like colors. Go to Settings > Hosted Website > click on your website > click the Edit Theme/Layout button.

- That same area also has a CSS tab. If you're good with CSS, you can customize quite a lot by examining the tags in your generated website and then putting CSS statements in that area. That's actual coding work though, so most people leave it alone.

Adria
Dec 13, 2019 11:38 PM
Joined Jan, 2018 19 posts

It is a steep learning curve. I definitely could not evaluate the value after the two week trial, there is just a lot to set up. But I love it now. I am going on two years and perpetually learning more about what it offered.

I say break it down into stages and master each one. For example, I began with calendar sync, I worked my way though all the syncing on the assorted sites I use for three listings. Once that was done, I then began to tackle correspondence, first the initial set up, then tinkering with the details until I got things just right for me. I absolutely love not having to send all my notes right when a booking happens and instead having missives timed to go out at the right times for guests so they are not inundated.

AirBnB just went to not allowing guest details so now I have to go to the personal step of logging in and manually setting up reservation contact info and manually sending my first couple of emails. I am so spoiled by having it be automatic the last couple of years that I am now jumping into API, I want it to run automatically. I want the guest from China who books at 3AM my time to get professional sounding correspondence immediately.

I've added e-locks with door codes and love that, too.

Each step, just one at a time, step by step, get it properly set up and only then do I move on to the next one.

The other change to my technique is that I set aside a time to work on my OR stuff (I have a real job), I open an email and as I go through my project I type up all my questions and when I am done for the evening, I send the email and know I will likely have my answers within 24 hours. Adjust your expectations to how it works with C/S and you will no longer feel impatient, but just change your routine and be less stressed.

Lydia B
Dec 14, 2019 12:19 AM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

Adria! So glad you mentioned the changes with guest info from AirBnB. I am a newbie - only been at this since August. If you have time, could you give me the step-by-step on what you're doing since the changes? I am API integrated with AirBnB. (Not with VRBO because I only have 1 property.) THANK YOU!

Also - did you know there is a fairly new Facebook group called "Unofficial Ownerrez Support Group"? There's an Adria in the group, but don't know if that's you. :)