The vacation rental management industry is rapidly changing — and the old ways of doing things are no longer sufficient. What were once clear understandings are no longer as clear. For instance, you may have never considered that Microsoft would not let you share an Excel spreadsheet or Word document with anyone you choose — the thought would be absurd.
But that is exactly what is happening in our industry right now.
Some software providers are refusing to allow property managers complete and unfettered access to their own data — and are telling property managers that they can only work with third-party vendors that the provider is willing to work with. The reason for this is clear — to make it harder for you to leave that software provider and to control how your business functions by forcing you to use “pre-approved” vendors… which can cost you more.
You will hear various excuses for this, but stop and ask yourself: are the reasons for the provider’s benefit or yours?
Every relationship must be mutually beneficial, or it will never survive.
After all, you would never represent a property that was used by the owner for the entire year and generated no income. On the flip side, an owner would not sign on to your company if you did not advertise their property and generate bookings.
And just as you can decide not to work with dilapidated homes, impossible owners or never-available properties, you do not have to work with a software provider that holds your data hostage or controls which vendors you must work with.
You always have a choice.
Before you commit to changing software:
- Be sure it is clearly detailed in writing that your data is your data and the provider must always give you complete and unfettered access to your data. There may be a small fee for this, but it should not be burdensome.
- Be sure it is clearly detailed in writing that the provider will allow you to work with the vendors you choose to work with. They can provide your data to any vendor you choose.
LSI’s data policy is simple and clear:
Your data is your data. Period. End of policy.
We will always give you complete and unfettered access to 100% of your data that is housed on our servers anytime you want that data — for whatever reason you choose.
Remember… it is your data.