Wondering how we calculated your cost? Here’s what went into our formula:
Your time
At least 15% of your guest support team’s time is spent on guest screening. Whether it’s back-and-forth communication with the guest, collecting IDs (manually or with a provider) or performing online searches, it’s a big job.
While wages will range depending on the role, we found that, when you average it out, guest support agents are paid $10/hour, which we’ve factored into our formula. If you’re paying your team more, then consider your actual costs even higher.
Your tools
Manually screening your guests takes up far more than 15% of your team’s time. That’s why many property managers turn to third parties to complete stages of the process for them. The most popular services are ID verifications and background checks. But the costs of using these services for every reservation adds up quickly.
On the low end, ID verifications run you a $1.50 per reservation and criminal background checks cost at least $6—they’re even more expensive if you want a broader search. And, to be clear, these services don’t replace your guest support team. You’re still paying for the 15% of their time spent on screening.
Your process
We also account for any extra steps in the screening process that would take up additional time, such as in-person check-ins. On average, we determined that in-person check-ins take up an additional 5% of your team’s time.
Additional Expenses
Keep in mind that this calculation doesn’t include the costs of dealing with incidents, such as damages, chargeback disputes and fines. When you add in all of those extra expenses, your costs skyrocket even faster.
The incalculable
No formula will be able to encompass everything involved in guest screening. There will always be moments when guest screening eats up more time than usual. For instance, if a guest tries to book with a fake ID or a stolen credit card, your guest support team will have to devote more time corresponding with the guest to figure out whether the documents are valid.
