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GuestReady, an international start-up in the management of local hosting units on online platforms, has just entered the Portuguese market, in Lisbon and Porto. This is a service management service specifically for homeowners, who is committed to helping them with real estate logistics by placing the ad on various platforms, establishing personalized contact with the customer, among other services.
Alexander Limpert, executive president and co-founder of the startup, explained that he had chosen Portugal as the next step: "One of the factors was: local accommodation market in the country. We analyzed 10 to 20 factors such as market signals, the number of local dwellings, the number of tourists visiting the city, cleaning costs, among others, and we found that Porto and Lisbon are very attractive cities. "The second factor, added the entrepreneur, went through"personal link in Portugal"I have been to Portugal a dozen times and every time, I go there a little bit," he told the Observer.
The GuestReady service can be explained in three steps: an owner who wants to rent your house or apartment makes contact with the company. At this point, GuestReady will want to know everything about the house and help the homeowner with several tools: design tips, logistics, value estimation, technological tools that you can talk to and even legal advice. Then the ad is prepared for various hosting platforms, such as Airbnb, Booking.com or HomeAway. This preparation consists of capturing professional photographs, recording videos to be inserted in advertising and optimizing prices.
Finally, after posting advertising, GuestReady does not stop there and may include a personalized customer service – and a careful selection – for communication, cleanliness of space, secure delivery. keys check in and also ensuring that everything is ready to receive guests and that your stay is always accompanied.
The idea of a project such as GuestReady, said Alexander Limpert, met a need that the entrepreneur himself began to feel. "I had a property to rent on Airbnb and sometimes I was so busy that I needed someone to help me with services like handing over the keys and the cleaning, "he told the Observer, adding that he had also taken into account" Customers' expectations are increasing more and more "and so it is increasingly necessary to offer a quality service. GuestReady was established in 2016 and is already operational in countries such as the UK, France, Hong Kong, Dubai and Malaysia. an investment of 3.7 million USD. (about 3.3 million euros).
A few years ago, Airbnb was only an air mattress placed on the floor, but everyone now wants the quality of a hotel, someone to receive it, in order to talk to them in town, "Alexander Limpert told The Observer.
In Portugal and at the beginning of its expansion, the company will have a team of ten people – eight are Portuguese – scattered in both cities. To perform the service, GuestReady charges a commission of between 20% and 25% of the owner's income or a pre-defined amount, depending on the service that each owner has. "For the moment, we only work with the major platforms, such as Airbnb and Booking.com, but we plan to be able to work with local platforms in the future," he said. the co-founder of the startup.
Alexander Limpert also explains that the Portuguese market "is a very fragmented market": "Many owners have five or ten properties and the work is difficult." We must always be present, "he said, adding that GuestReady used "the best technology" and its service "could generate 30 to 50% additional benefits" for owners.
We invest a lot in technology, we have a team of engineers who work to optimize everything and we offer a very personalized service to owners and guests, "said Alexander Limpert.
With regard to the new local housing rules, which came into effect in October, including the latest decision on the suspension of housing in five Lisbon zones – Bairro Alto, Madragoa, Castelo, Alfama and Mouraria – the contractor guarantees:We are well aware of the regulatory changes and we are still working according to local regulations ".
GuestReady currently employs approximately 100 people and manages approximately 800 properties worldwide. In Portugal, it is not only a matter of helping the local housing market, but also "to be a service center for other markets in terms of technology," he said. Alexander Limpert, adding that the possibility of extending the service to other Portuguese cities could exist.
* Edited by Ana Pimentel
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