Florida's panhandle gulfcoast beaches have long been a mecca for vacationers and sun worshippers. The vacation rental industry there has grown proportionately. The large management companies have become more focused on being large than providing the services as advertised. Those companies started small and appreciated their clients and guests. Eventually, the natural growth has created a corporate mentality and the appreciation turns to the bottom line.
The homeowning clients, as well as the vacationing guests, are feeling a sort of 'take it or leave it' kind of squeeze. Those who feel slighted will leave, never to return. Worse is the negative publicity not just for that company but for the industry as a whole.
A restaurant, for example, can gauge its' success on the quality of food, their pricing and the service by which that food is provided. A customers' expectations must be met. The vacation rental industry has taken its' lumps because company owners, seemingly, have lost their concern for customers expectations. The only product is service which needs to be priced fairly and provided in a way to meet or exceed all expectations.
Property owners will expect the most bookings possible. They will also expect the property to be maintained, properly cleaned and kept secure. Due to less overhead, small ( 50 properties or less ) companies can provide these services more attentively and affordably. An exceptional company will be willing to perform many services at no charge.
Vacationing guests expect to find exactly what was described. Properties are frequently misrepresented with exaggerated descriptions to secure a booking. A home left partially cleaned, with inoperable features or not located where expected are all grounds for disappointment. The small company owner will be more in touch with each individual property and also easier to contact.
Everyday the internet touches more and more people. Businesses use it to advertise. Prospective customers use the net to search for information before deciding on a purchase. Some might say that anything can be purchased online. Handshakes or eye-to-eye contact are not available on the net. Nor is the waiter/waitress who personally frequents their tables to assure a customers' satisfaction.
Small companies can advertise and optimize on the internet like anyone else. Referral fees and discounts aren't tools exclusively used by large companies. Small businesses provide a personal, attentive concern for their customers because it's a priority. One on one contact promotes communication and trust which in turn stabilizes that working relationship.