Connecting with your service partner for the first time is an important milestone in building a strong working relationship. While we vet each member of our network and notify them of bookings for your property, these providers run their businesses independently. The relationship you build together depends on clear communication about how you’ll pay them, what services they’ll provide, and any feedback you have as the property owner.
As you prepare for your first meeting or walk-through, set out to understand what information they need to do their job at their best. And be ready to share all the specifics about your property, too; this will help them keep it running well within Evolve’s core property standards.
To get you started, here are the most important details to share and questions to ask in your first conversation with a service partner to make sure they can meet your property’s needs.
Provide details about:
1. Your Property’s Cleaning Needs
Explain how much space there is to service (including the number of rooms and outdoor areas), as well as what amenities need attention (like decks, grills, and pools).
2. Trash Service
Share sorting requirements and the pick-up schedule, and clarify whether your partner needs to assist.
3. Guest Supplies and Linens
Depending on how many guests your home can accommodate, you’ll need a certain number of fresh supplies available for each stay. Make sure this quantity is clear to your partner.
4. Property Access Information
Provide details about lockboxes or keyless entry codes so your partner can always get inside, and show them where your back-up key is hidden to avoid access issues.
5. Your Guest Contact
If you have a guest contact already, give your partner their contact info for streamlined on-the-ground communication when needed.
Bonus tip: come to your meeting with all the resources you’d like your service partner to use for five-star success, including checklists for cleaning, home stocking, and pre-stay walkthroughs.
Ask your partner about:
1. Availability
Bookings can sometimes stack up or come in close to check-in dates — and your vacation rental always needs to be clean and guest ready. Make sure your partner can fit back-to-back bookings and last-minute reservations into their schedule. If they can’t, let our team know so we can build a buffer on your booking calendar to avoid complications.
2. Cleaning Supplies
Discuss whether your partner provides their own cleaning supplies, or if you'll be responsible for purchasing and stocking these in your home.
3. Property Maintenance
See if your partner can take on maintenance and repair tasks alongside cleaning. If they can’t, ask if they have any preferred vendors to use in case a maintenance issue arises. And, because you’ll be paying for the maintenance, be sure to discuss whose responsibility it will be to reach out to those vendors when needed.
If they don’t offer maintenance service or recommended vendors, you may need to search for your own maintenance team separately.
4. Damage Assessment and Reporting
It’s important to ask if a partner can assess and report damage to Evolve after guests check out. If not, this could require a separate inspection. If so, clarify whether they can also assist with purchasing, picking up, and/or installing replacement items for your property.
5. Additional Services
Find out if your partner services linens off-site, or if linens will be laundered at your property. Ask if they can do deep cleans in addition to standard post-stay services, and confirm frequency.
This is also a good time to consider property access. If you have keyless entry or lockbox codes that need to be changed between guests, ask if this is a service your partner can offer.
And if you still need a guest contact, ask your service partner if they can provide on-call guest support during stays — and what additional costs look like.
6. Payment Details and Scheduling
Ask about your partner’s fees and payment structure. They may set fixed prices, charge per hour, or determine what they’ll invoice you another way. From there, make sure you’re clear on how often you’ll be billed and their preferred payment method.
Getting these details ironed out helps set clear expectations and eliminate surprises so you can both succeed as owner and service partner.
If you have any questions, chat with us through your Owner Account. Our chat tool is available 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM MT seven days a week.
Related Articles:
How Can Evolve Service Partners Support My Rental?
Who Is My Guest Contact and What Are Their Responsibilities?
Can Evolve Help Me Find a Service Partner?