Key Access

[Ephraim21]

What is the most user-friendly key management device for an Air BnB

[Marie8425]

@Ephraim21 

Most of us have moved to keypad locks, physical keys can lead to problems, key pads avoid.

Airbnb does sync with certain ones I just manage on m phone app.

If you have to do a physical key generally lock boxes are used.  You have to have some type of plan if physical key misplaced and requires replacement.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Marie8425 , that's definitely an interesting observation! 

Which particular keypad/smart locks you are using?  Are you using an August or Schlage lock? 

We'd love to hear more how you handle digital locks 🔐

Regards,

[Marie8425]

I just buy from Amazon and I have the phone app Alarm.  Gives me the same abilities to turn code on and off by dates and times.  For my rentals also Guests have access to 3 keypad locks, so I turn that on and off by Guest.  

What I really love about keypad locks is I schedule an auto lock om entry doors.  I don't mention it, it locks if door inactive 10 minutes, saves me from lock forgetting Guest Haha.

[Bhumika]

Haha! these are brilliant tips @Marie8425.  Have you ever had to use the auto lock powers or had a case where guest forgot to lock the door? 😉

@Ephraim21 do you think these kinds of auto locks might help your listing as well? I loved the idea of the inactive door getting locked incase somebody forgot to lock it~ 

[Marie8425]

@Bhumika 

Guests and my husband, haha.  I love it and I don't make a big deal so if the Guest went to their car 15 minutes.  They just enter their code and enter, no big deal.

[Marie8425]

@Bhumika

Another tip, I did last year.  I have a garage.  I have a sensor on my garage door because my husband like many sometimes leaves the big door open.  The story I seen was somebody did that by accident, but what the news story was about is a criminal seen the garage open and walked through the upen garage to the unlocked garage entry door to the house.  

I installed a keypad lock on the door from my garage to my house.  It self locks at the 10 minutes if left unlocked.

[Bhumika]

That's a good one too @Marie8425 ! I vaguely recall watching a similar video. Definitely a good tip to ensure safety of garage and listing 👏  

[Bhumika]

Haha, @Marie8425 ! I always love to read the team work between you and your husband, what an adorable camaraderie 😍  Please keep sharing about these things, we love to read and admire them 🤗

Absolutely fair with the guests, especially since they know the entry code anyways!

[Graham490 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ephraim21 .. we have only one place that we offer, so use a digital lock E-Lok.

This is connected to the internet via WiFi and  the admin via phone app. It has a battery that so far, with regular use has 50% charge still available after 18 months.

There is a physical key inside a lock box - accessible but placed away  from the door. This we have in. case the digital lock has any issue and we are then able to direct guest to the lock box and give them the code as required.

The digital lock gives me the opportunity to engage with the future guest about a week out from their stay and ask them to give me 4 numbers that are meaningful to them. I then load this as their entry code.  

This does 2 things... 1. lt lets me makes contact a few days before their arrival and 2. Gives them a code that they will remember.

I figure personalizing their code and communicating with the guest helps build a relationship.

The app allows:

 • many "key holders" each with unique codes

• remote locking and unlocking

• record of door openings

• loading of codes by name, dates (in and out), times (for booking in and out times)

Regards, Graham 

[Snehal1]

That's great to hear @Graham490 ! I also follow a similar approach at my remote homestay. Since we don’t have reliable Wi-Fi at our location, I keep one physical key in a lockbox placed discreetly away from sight. I also share a manual code number with guests in advance.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Graham490 @Snehal1 , these are great tips! Thanks so much for sharing them. 

Out of curiosity, have you ever had a situation where a guest struggled with accessing digital/physical lock or needed to use the backup key? If so, how did you handle it?

Hi @Ephraim21 what do you think of the ideas shared by Graham and Snehal? Are you looking forward to explore digital locks?

[Graham490]

Hi @Bhumika ...Thankfully No.

I did make the mistake one time of allowing the guest to check in before the usual 3pm, but I did not adjust the entry time in the app. A phone call from the guest resolved the problem as I was able to remotely unlock for them, while on the phone.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Graham490 , sounds like you handled the situation smoothly, even though there was a hiccup with the early check-in! 🎉

Do you usually get such frequent requests for early check-in? Or it was just a one-off!

Regards,

[Snehal1]

My Home stay is in community leaving which has a Security person and Main gate to enter in the Premises of Community leaving.  We have a Rule to show id and enter details in a Register.  But some guest do not like the Procedure.  How to handle the situation.  My Place has a Manual number lock, for which I give to guest after booking.