Airbnb property management and concierge service…

Matt Lerner, Founder/CEO of MetroButler, (a front desk, concierge and cleaning service rolled into one for shared homes like Airbnb that eliminates all the logistical burdens of short-term renting by providing services customized to your home) – (bio), joins Pavan Bahl , Samantha Shankman and John Matson at the MouthMedia Network studio at Voyager HQ.

Business model, expansion, and competition

Lerner discusses how hosts come to MetroButler, which takes over a property and does everything necessary to make the rental successful, whatever is related, and MetroButler gets 25% of the fee of bookings, the host has to do nothing. Typical host demographics, advertising in NYC, expanding in other cities and some pilot cities, how it takes a lot of time to work out quirks of other properties, and lead gen is largely inbound. A fragmented market with a lot of competitors, defending against companies that perform a lot of services that might want to pivot into this space, how customers interface with the MetroBulter team directly, and why Airbnb won’t likely get into this business.

Liability, privacy and security, company origins, and innovation

Dealing with liability, which is one of the biggest expenses and a big selling point, protecting privacy, how butlers photograph every room, furniture, every piece of electronics, and then do it again when they leave. Security protection and concerns about key exchanges. How hosts get increased business from the service, complexities of larger and more expensive properties, the most expensive property they have had in portfolio, the genesis of the company, and how it started with the team doing the work themselves. How MetroButler is leveraging innovation and new technology to get the job done and using it to go to the next level.

Off the Beaten Path

The best Airbnb ever, New Orleans, Barcelona, beating up your brothers, and how important travel is.

References:

One Fine Stay

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