GuestHug introduces extra income mobile app
UK: London-based GuestHug has announced it has introduced a revolutionary mobile app to the short-term rental market.
The short-let management company has launched the app, which unlocks over £50 million a year of potential income for UK hosts through the upsale of on-demand services. It also allows hosts to automate check-ins with cutting-edge geofence technology.
Hosts will be able to offer next-level experiences to guests by inviting them to download a free guest version of the app which contains the host’s personal content.
A video welcome message, local area guide and interactive house manual are all accessed at the touch of a button, alongside customised services and experiences which can be securely ordered through the app’s sales platform. That leads to improved margins, better reviews and efficient time management for hosts.
Smooth check-ins are supported by interactive guides and the app’s powerful geo-location technology that instantly notifies hosts when guests have arrived.
With more than 100,000 Airbnb check-ins registered over the Christmas period in London alone, GuestHug is aiming to be the “must have” tool for hosts who want to remove costly “in-person” check-ins but still want to offer a fantastic arrival experience for their guests.
Co-founder Kris Engley said: “Enabling hosts to up their game and offer personalised video welcomes and geo-location based automatic check-ins is something that will be transformative to the short-letting industry.”
The boom in short-term rentals has been significant, with Airbnb alone now tallying over five million listings across 191 countries and The Office for National Statistics estimating that 40 per cent of 35 – 40-year-olds booked peer-to-peer or “home sharing” accommodation in 2017.
Competition among hosts to secure top-rated reviews and maximise guest experiences is rapidly increasing and GuestHug aims to help hosts stand out in a crowded market by giving them fingertip access to the latest in mobile technology.
Co-founded in 2016, a tablet-based prototype of the app has now migrated to a native mobile platform accessible to all, giving hosts and their guests the freedom to access and utilise GuestHug’s features from a smartphone.
Hosts can build their local guide and house manual within the app itself, thereby reducing guest queries by up to 40 per cent and over the course of the year could save hosts over 30 hours of lost time.
Co-founder Alex Woodford said: “We wanted to create a tool to save hosts’ time and improves margins giving guests a hotel-style experience created and delivered through the app. Guests can access all the information about their stay including local recommendations and experiences that are carefully selected by each host.”
GuestHug has also secured exclusive partnerships with leading service providers such as ihateironing, Bizzby and Fantastic Services, which will allow hosts to order discounted laundry, cleaning and maintenance services through the app on demand at the touch of a button.
The guest version of the app is available for free on the App Store and Play Store, with the host version having a free 30-day trial before subscription which starts at £1.99 per month for a single listing.
For more information, visit the GuestHug website here.
