Repeat guests: the path to host success

“Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again — and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” - Walt Disney

When Walt Disney said this, he was undoubtedly talking about movies and the entertainment industry. But the lesson here, that quality services and products breed repeat customers and referrals, is especially true for car-sharing hosts.

In fact, Getaround data shows that guests are twice as likely to book cars rated 4 out of 5 stars or higher than they would be to book one with 1 or 2 stars. And, once a guest books a trip in a highly-rated car, more often than not, they’ll book that car again when it comes up in their next search — at a 67% higher rate than other available cars!

So how can you, as a host, make sure that your car (or cars) are getting those 4 and 5-star ratings, keeping repeat guests (and hopefully their friends) coming back?

Here’s what we recommend:

Your best ability is availability

It may sound simple, but it’s true: in order to get more 4 and 5 star ratings, you need to attract more guests and book more trips. What’s more: our data shows that hosts with more than ten ratings receive more interest from potential guests. More bookings and more ratings can also translate into even more bookings down the road, especially if those ratings are high.

What does this all mean? Hosts should be making their cars available to guests as much as they can. We recommend maintaining at least 85% availability, especially during weekends, when demand is at its highest. Finding a great car that’s available right when they need it most is the first step toward an excellent guest experience.

Vehicle cleanliness is next to vehicle godliness

According to our data, one of the largest factors for improving guest retention is car quality — and specifically, car cleanliness. Car condition was the top theme among negative feedback scores hosts received this past year, and guests who left negative feedback relating to car cleanliness were far less likely to book that car again. In fact, the most-cited reason for 1 or 2 star car reviews was car cleanliness.

Keeping your car clean in between trips is an essential part of ensuring a positive guest experience, and is one big way hosts can experience higher reviews and repeat business. Getaround even has a number of service and technology partnerships, some providing discounted rates with car cleaning companies, such as Sparkl,* to help hosts keep their cars as clean as possible in between guest bookings.

Maintain, maintain, maintain

Earlier this year, we provided hosts with a few winter-specific safety tips, which included regularly checking and refilling fluid levels and keeping an eye on your car’s battery level (with a little help from Getaround ConnectⓇ). But paying special attention to your car’s maintenance isn’t just a winter issue, it’s essential to do it all year round.

Not only can a car with maintenance issues affect your car quality scores and potentially lead to guest cancellations, it could potentially endanger your guests. It’s so important to not only check fluid and battery levels, but to periodically check tire pressure, change the oil regularly, and always bring your vehicle in for its manufacturer-recommended servicing milestones.

Getaround partners such as AndGo** and Curbee*** provide fleet maintenance services to hosts at a discounted rate, and similar services are available nationwide. It’ll keep guests safe, happy, and coming back for repeat bookings — making you even more money in the long run.

Read my lips

Finally, another simple yet important way to ensure higher ratings and repeat bookings is to communicate as clearly as possible with your guests. This begins with instructions and listing descriptions that are easy to follow, and goes all the way through replying in a timely and courteous fashion to guest messages and requests.

Being clear and professional in all your communication is an essential part of maintaining a positive guest experience, and making sure you’re earning a repeat customer who will not only book your car whenever they see it’s available — they’ll tell their friends to do it, too.

If you're not a host yet, take the first step and list your car today!

*Sparkl is currently available to hosts in and surrounding Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Long Beach, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

**AndGo is currently available in California

***Curbee is currently available in the San Francisco Bay Area