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For short-stay operators, managing property access is a fine balancing act.
On the one hand, you want to provide guests with convenient access to apartments and amenities (often at short notice) without compromising their safety or security. At the same time, you need to provide varying levels of access to property managers, owners and housekeepers for the smooth running of operations. Satisfying guests’ demands and operators’ needs can be a tricky lock to pick, but res:harmonics’ new partner RemoteLock has the key to mutual success.
RemoteLock is a cloud-based, universal access control platform for remotely managed access to short-stay properties. Integrated with smart lock hardware, online booking sites, and property management systems like res:harmonics, RemoteLock streamlines operations and delivers seamless, secure guest access.
“We’re delighted to integrate with res:harmonics. With RemoteLock embedded in res:harmonics’ PMS, property managers have complete control over their portfolio’s access settings and can deliver an amazing guest experience.” Barclay Friesen, SVP of Partner Sales, RemoteLock
Here’s five innovative ways that RemoteLock and res:harmonics together improve short-stay management.
No physical keys makes turnovers a breeze
Resetting lock box codes after every stay. Replacing lost keys at short notice. Organising impromptu key handoffs with housekeepers. When it comes to short-stay management, physical keys are an operational nightmare.
But with res:harmonics and RemoteLock, you can set self-expiring access codes for guests and housekeepers. Guests can book a stay online, receive the code automatically in a confirmation email, enter the property seamlessly on arrival, and avoid the worry of lock-outs during their stay.
When guests check-out, your housekeeping team receives a customised cleaning schedule via the res:harmonics PMS, which includes RemoteLock access codes for all the properties that require cleaning that day. You can also assign temporary codes for planned or emergency maintenance personnel if required. As such, you can minimise turnover time and increase the number of bookings you can take.
Automated access for select guests
Nowadays, physical check-in, key handovers and meet & greets are not just unnecessary, but unwanted. Most short-stay guests book online and 86% prefer contactless mobile check-in.
With res:harmonics and RemoteLock, guests receive automated access codes for each guest when they book. This gives guests complete freedom on arrival (i.e. groups of guests can turn up at different times) and during their stay (i.e. removes the need to leave keys under rocks or wait in nearby cafes). This is especially vital for the growing ‘bleisure’ trend with a quarter of business travellers planning to take a friend or family member with them in 2024.
What’s more, RemoteLock’s ‘Common Door’ feature will duplicate access for some guests (i.e. all adult guests can access the apartment and amenities) and control access for other guests in the same booking (i.e. under 16s can access the apartment, but not the swimming pool).
Multiple short-stay properties managed by exception
Whether you manage five short-stay properties on the same street or 500 apartments across Europe, wouldn’t it be great if you could manage each property by exception no matter your location?
With RemoteLock, you can easily control an individual property and communal building’s lock system remotely via the res:harmonics PMS. You can also assign property managers with varying levels of control. For example, give a junior manager the power to lock/unlock doors remotely and manage housekeeping & maintenance schedules, but not to view billing information or the property owners’ access codes.
What’s more, res:harmonics and RemoteLock’s combined reporting features give managers valuable real-time intel on their properties. For instance, analyse the timestamps for entry/exit to a communal spa, not only gauging its popularity, but using off-peak times to carry out repairs. With insightful access information delivered to your property management dashboard, you can even redesign communal spaces based on guest preference and popularity.
Personalised access schedules
Instead of a key chain-wielding janitor opening and closing every public space, property managers can now set automated and personalised access schedules for specific locks.
From automatic opening times (i.e. 7am each morning for staff doors) and auto-locking (i.e. after 30 seconds for public-facing doors) to specific access criteria (i.e. only staff access permitted after a certain hour) and exceptions schedules (i.e. no access on certain holidays), customise lock access according to your unique properties and operations.
With our integration, guests can also share personalised access settings. Be it giving friends temporary access to the property, or enabling grocery delivery drivers to enter the garage, guests can generate one-time access permissions that are shared with other devices with personalised instructions for specific locks (i.e. letting guests or visitors know the back door gate is stiff).
Integrated with a wide range of short-stay technology
From online travel agent apps and property management software to physical lock hardware and smartphone compatibility, smart lock solutions must integrate with the entire short-stay technology ecosystem used by you and your guests.
RemoteLock is a highly configurable platform. It connects to a range of locks specialists - so you can have Yale locks in some properties and August locks in others, deadbolts on some doors and push bars on others - and integrates with booking sites like Airbnb, so guests receive access codes at the time of booking as part of their automated reservation message.
But most importantly, RemoteLock integrates with your res:harmonics property management system, unlocking a wide range of synchronised benefits. For example, a guest might book an onsite spa treatment via the res:harmonics Guest Portal. The treatment booking will then automatically generate a RemoteLock access code (so the guest can enter the spa) and the treatment charge will be automatically added to the guest's final invoice. Now that’s convenience and control.
“For short-stay operators, RemoteLock’s integration with res:harmonics is the final piece of the puzzle. Now, they can use their PMS to set, schedule and personalise access for all the smart locks on their properties, providing a streamlined experience for guests and even better experience for managers.” Barclay Friesen, SVP of Partner Sales, RemoteLock
For more information on how RemoteLock and res:harmonics could help improve your short-stay management, get in touch.
Download the Ultimate Guide to Serviced Apartment Property Management Software 2023 to learn how res:harmonics property management software supports short-stay (and long-stay) serviced apartment operators.
