WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:05.500 --> 00:00:08.760 Steve V2: Welcome to Keynotes, a podcast just for Casago homeowners. 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:12.220 This is where we explore how to get the most out of your relationship with 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:16.630 Casago, learn tips and tricks on how to make more income with your property, 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.999 and learn a little bit about the short term rental industry along the way. 00:00:20.699 --> 00:00:24.340 I've been a vacation rental nerd since my 20s, and the team has finally let 00:00:24.340 --> 00:00:27.289 me have this podcast so I can share everything I've learned with you. 00:00:27.930 --> 00:00:32.529 I'm your host, Steve Schwab, and this is Keynotes. 00:00:37.290 --> 00:00:38.460 Hey, welcome to Keynotes. 00:00:38.510 --> 00:00:39.620 I'm your host, Steve Schwab. 00:00:39.680 --> 00:00:43.690 Today we're talking to Juan Carlos and Flor from Costa Rica. 00:00:44.460 --> 00:00:48.840 They've been with Casago now for a little bit less than a year and have found some 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:51.050 great growth as they've gone forward. 00:00:51.620 --> 00:00:55.169 And we'll be talking a little bit about their approach to hospitality and 00:00:55.169 --> 00:00:57.029 how they think about homeowners guys. 00:00:57.060 --> 00:00:57.780 Welcome to the show. 00:00:57.780 --> 00:00:59.899 Steve. 00:00:59.900 --> 00:01:00.679 It's nice to be here. 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:01.740 Yeah, it's really great to 00:01:01.813 --> 00:01:02.143 have you 00:01:03.137 --> 00:01:06.171 . So you came on with Casago a little less than a year ago. 00:01:06.201 --> 00:01:09.561 Can you tell me a little bit about how you ended up getting interested 00:01:09.571 --> 00:01:11.311 in , the short term rental industry. 00:01:12.231 --> 00:01:12.581 Speaker 3: Sure. 00:01:13.101 --> 00:01:17.501 So yeah, we have been in the hospitality industry for, for a long time, right? 00:01:17.501 --> 00:01:20.441 We own and run hotels, restaurants in Costa Rica. 00:01:21.421 --> 00:01:26.741 We saw that short term rentals was an excellent opportunity to continue 00:01:26.761 --> 00:01:28.821 growing basically in the market. 00:01:29.291 --> 00:01:31.201 So we're operating from Haco beach. 00:01:31.301 --> 00:01:35.741 And so there's a lot of development going over there, uh, condos and everything. 00:01:35.741 --> 00:01:39.021 And that was a great opportunity to use our hospitality background 00:01:39.021 --> 00:01:40.651 to, to continue growing. 00:01:40.716 --> 00:01:42.686 Steve V2: How about you, Flor? 00:01:42.706 --> 00:01:43.366 How did you get into it? 00:01:43.436 --> 00:01:46.176 Speaker 2: This is my first experience in vacation rental. 00:01:46.256 --> 00:01:50.196 So I worked before for hotels, Juan Carlos. 00:01:50.196 --> 00:01:55.696 So we have like a previous experience in hospitality, but not in vacation rentals. 00:01:56.186 --> 00:01:59.186 So, um, it was my first job. 00:01:59.326 --> 00:02:01.296 I started with the company in January. 00:02:01.796 --> 00:02:02.176 Wow. 00:02:02.616 --> 00:02:04.966 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was very interesting in January when we started 00:02:04.986 --> 00:02:08.796 because I remember Flor and me, the first day that we started with 00:02:08.806 --> 00:02:09.586 Casa, that's like what I was saying. 00:02:10.181 --> 00:02:10.501 Okay. 00:02:10.501 --> 00:02:12.271 So this is new to us, right? 00:02:12.271 --> 00:02:15.851 Vacation rentals that we, we were sure that we're going to learn a lot this year. 00:02:15.851 --> 00:02:16.051 Right. 00:02:16.051 --> 00:02:17.131 And it was going to be very fast. 00:02:17.721 --> 00:02:17.901 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:02:17.901 --> 00:02:19.761 You guys have come along really well. 00:02:20.191 --> 00:02:24.011 And while there's a lot of technical expertise to learn within it, I feel 00:02:24.031 --> 00:02:29.031 like you have the hospitality mindset coming from restaurants and hotels, 00:02:29.051 --> 00:02:34.811 understanding that service industry, just a really solid foundation in how 00:02:34.811 --> 00:02:38.191 to take care of homeowners and guests just innately has come from you guys. 00:02:39.361 --> 00:02:42.301 Have you seen any similarities between running restaurants 00:02:42.321 --> 00:02:44.021 and short term rentals? 00:02:45.091 --> 00:02:46.121 Speaker 3: Sure, definitely. 00:02:46.121 --> 00:02:48.451 The hospitality part is really important. 00:02:49.051 --> 00:02:53.831 And also the fact that we already were running housekeeping, 00:02:53.891 --> 00:02:56.921 maintenance, a guest service, right? 00:02:56.921 --> 00:03:01.001 I mean, all the hospitality elements were definitely very important. 00:03:01.541 --> 00:03:04.821 But one thing that we realized from the beginning, because this is a 00:03:04.831 --> 00:03:05.941 different type of business, right? 00:03:06.556 --> 00:03:10.816 Was the owner centricity right of the short term rental, which is completely 00:03:10.826 --> 00:03:15.796 different than how hotels are right so basically understanding that our clients 00:03:15.796 --> 00:03:20.966 the owner right and we're taking care of his or her condo right and receiving his 00:03:21.006 --> 00:03:22.856 renters or his guest and everything else. 00:03:22.886 --> 00:03:24.576 And that was a very important part of it. 00:03:24.846 --> 00:03:26.406 Steve V2: Yeah, yeah, there's a big paradigm shift. 00:03:26.436 --> 00:03:31.246 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that the key for both for owners and for the guest. 00:03:31.586 --> 00:03:34.026 It's the anticipation of needs for both. 00:03:34.026 --> 00:03:34.221 Yeah. 00:03:34.851 --> 00:03:38.181 That's important for this business and communication, of course. 00:03:39.001 --> 00:03:41.491 Steve V2: Yeah, yeah, I mean, man, you touched on a couple 00:03:41.491 --> 00:03:42.521 of really great things there. 00:03:43.121 --> 00:03:45.671 Balancing those needs between homeowners and guests. 00:03:46.001 --> 00:03:52.391 When you provide a really great stay for a guest, you're really serving that 00:03:52.421 --> 00:03:56.321 owner, ? Because that owner has better guests, they have better reviews, they 00:03:56.321 --> 00:03:57.961 have people coming back over and over. 00:03:58.291 --> 00:04:00.811 So part of taking care of that homeowner is taking care of that 00:04:00.901 --> 00:04:04.771 guest, but The balance of making sure that , you're taking care of both, 00:04:04.801 --> 00:04:08.161 but, , our fiduciary always being to that homeowner , is certainly , the 00:04:08.161 --> 00:04:09.911 big shift there, right, in paradigm. 00:04:10.581 --> 00:04:12.481 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that also is the key of your business. 00:04:12.761 --> 00:04:15.931 So, if you have big guests, uh, coming back, so you have 00:04:16.141 --> 00:04:17.151 more business every time. 00:04:17.341 --> 00:04:18.661 Steve V2: Yeah, yeah, exactly. 00:04:19.801 --> 00:04:25.161 Tell me a little bit about your philosophy and approach on hospitality. 00:04:25.261 --> 00:04:27.741 , What are some of the key tenets that you think about in 00:04:27.751 --> 00:04:29.271 the short term middle space? 00:04:30.251 --> 00:04:32.921 Speaker 2: Creating experience for guests, that's very important. 00:04:32.921 --> 00:04:37.411 And as we mentioned before, anticipation of needs. 00:04:37.931 --> 00:04:39.081 For us, , that's the key. 00:04:39.581 --> 00:04:40.531 Communication. 00:04:41.031 --> 00:04:42.631 . Speaker 3: So you're receiving these guests, right? 00:04:42.631 --> 00:04:47.711 , you're the host to these guests and, and creating that experience, uh, let's. 00:04:48.276 --> 00:04:50.296 Basically those guests come back because they want to come 00:04:50.296 --> 00:04:51.396 back to your condos, right? 00:04:51.396 --> 00:04:54.306 To your place, but also them telling other friends,? 00:04:54.306 --> 00:04:56.736 That they should come and have the Casago experience, right? 00:04:56.916 --> 00:04:57.636 Which is different. 00:04:58.816 --> 00:05:04.206 Steve V2: With you guys being the local owners of Casago, , , what makes Casago 00:05:04.816 --> 00:05:10.116 unique compared to other services in your markets for those homeowners? 00:05:11.501 --> 00:05:14.611 Speaker 3: The first thing definitely is that even though it's a franchise 00:05:14.611 --> 00:05:19.001 and an international company, it's still local and it feels local in the market, 00:05:19.001 --> 00:05:20.111 ? We are over there. 00:05:20.611 --> 00:05:22.341 We understand the market in Hakko. 00:05:22.811 --> 00:05:24.651 Also, our, our office is there, right? 00:05:24.651 --> 00:05:28.801 And so we have that contact with the, with the guests, with the owners, right? 00:05:28.801 --> 00:05:29.421 And everything else. 00:05:29.431 --> 00:05:35.401 So I think that's, a international company, but a local is very important. 00:05:35.781 --> 00:05:38.381 But the other thing is the customer experience. 00:05:38.381 --> 00:05:39.151 What you get is. 00:05:40.161 --> 00:05:41.381 standards, right? 00:05:41.541 --> 00:05:41.791 Yeah. 00:05:41.841 --> 00:05:42.561 Training. 00:05:43.021 --> 00:05:47.191 So basically we know that for the owner or for the guest, the level of service 00:05:47.201 --> 00:05:51.631 they're going to get is different, ? It's more consistent, more personalized. 00:05:51.631 --> 00:05:53.181 , , and I think that's a big key, right? 00:05:53.181 --> 00:05:57.331 So, so when we were talking to local people in HACO, , and they have 00:05:57.331 --> 00:05:58.911 maybe smaller companies over there, 00:05:58.961 --> 00:06:03.231 ? They don't have that support, that backup, that level of service, ? Or 00:06:03.281 --> 00:06:05.861 very big ones, which are the same. 00:06:05.861 --> 00:06:09.961 . So in that sense, I think there's a big trust when we come with the Casago brand 00:06:10.481 --> 00:06:12.401 and big expectation from people, right. 00:06:12.411 --> 00:06:15.611 That we're coming to the market, you know, they're excited, you know, 00:06:15.611 --> 00:06:17.251 to have a, their homes with us. 00:06:17.251 --> 00:06:18.711 . And I think that's very important. 00:06:19.021 --> 00:06:19.301 Yeah. 00:06:19.781 --> 00:06:19.941 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:06:19.941 --> 00:06:21.981 I think that it's a combination. 00:06:22.271 --> 00:06:25.861 So in the market, you can find like maybe technology, but you 00:06:25.861 --> 00:06:30.151 don't have like customer service or they are not like owner centric. 00:06:30.546 --> 00:06:34.136 And I think that Casago, they have everything, a combination of technology, 00:06:34.196 --> 00:06:39.826 customer service, they're owner centric, property care, everything in one company. 00:06:40.376 --> 00:06:43.686 Steve V2: It really hits that sweet spot where you have that international reach 00:06:43.696 --> 00:06:49.966 and enterprise tools and technology, but the owner is still there, on 00:06:49.966 --> 00:06:54.186 the ground, being the expert in the market, and, you know, Being able to 00:06:54.186 --> 00:06:59.296 make decisions as a local business for what's best for those owners, 00:06:59.306 --> 00:07:01.006 for those guests, for the community. 00:07:01.106 --> 00:07:03.356 Speaker 3: And that's interesting when you, when you put it like that too, 00:07:03.376 --> 00:07:09.096 because before vacation rentals, we were in hospitality in the market, right? 00:07:09.096 --> 00:07:10.596 So we have been there for many years. 00:07:11.266 --> 00:07:15.646 And we understand not just The guest destination, but we also 00:07:15.646 --> 00:07:18.646 understand the people that we work with and all those complexities, 00:07:18.646 --> 00:07:21.956 ? So it definitely definitely makes us same that expertise is 00:07:21.956 --> 00:07:23.166 very important for everything 00:07:23.626 --> 00:07:28.256 Steve V2: It's impossible to do this without a local owner who truly 00:07:28.286 --> 00:07:33.886 understands the community The culture just the lay the land the economics and 00:07:33.886 --> 00:07:39.106 the needs and wants of that community and homeowners and guests So we have 00:07:39.106 --> 00:07:41.566 something inside a Casago and Flor. 00:07:41.586 --> 00:07:42.826 You've mentioned it earlier. 00:07:43.216 --> 00:07:44.476 I want to explore it a little bit more. 00:07:44.526 --> 00:07:49.766 We have this credo and the first tenant of the credo is being owner 00:07:49.766 --> 00:07:51.606 centric, the owner centric approach. 00:07:52.146 --> 00:07:55.666 Can you tell me what that means to you in your own words? 00:07:56.586 --> 00:08:01.066 Speaker 2: I think that, , for us, it's to put, , the owner needs is 00:08:01.066 --> 00:08:04.516 the center of everything because here's where you have their goals. 00:08:04.936 --> 00:08:07.776 So we need to work according with their goals. 00:08:08.436 --> 00:08:14.206 So, , all the decisions that we make are based on their needs and their goals. 00:08:15.306 --> 00:08:17.586 Speaker 3: The fact that the owner is trusting us, , to take 00:08:17.596 --> 00:08:19.226 care of his home, , or his condo. 00:08:19.781 --> 00:08:21.981 I think that's very important, ? And so we, we have to gain 00:08:21.981 --> 00:08:23.091 that trust back too, right? 00:08:23.091 --> 00:08:25.831 By, by definitely putting the owner first, ? And their interests. 00:08:26.061 --> 00:08:28.561 Steve V2: Yeah, absolutely., I think it makes a big difference. 00:08:28.611 --> 00:08:31.931 , you hear a lot of companies talking about guests, guests, guests. 00:08:31.931 --> 00:08:37.491 And when you go to Airbnb and the other OTAs, it's very guest centric. 00:08:37.921 --> 00:08:40.741 But at the end of the day, these homeowners are the owners 00:08:40.741 --> 00:08:42.091 of the product and the supply. 00:08:42.091 --> 00:08:44.951 And we have a fiduciary to them putting them at the 00:08:44.951 --> 00:08:46.691 center of all of our decisions. 00:08:46.691 --> 00:08:50.711 Like you said, for is really the big difference maker that we put into 00:08:50.711 --> 00:08:54.821 words as a primary principle of how we all decide to operate as a community. 00:08:56.191 --> 00:08:59.921 How do you implement some of the owner centric mindset, , on a day to day basis? 00:08:59.931 --> 00:09:02.661 What are some of the practices you do to help facilitate that? 00:09:03.501 --> 00:09:06.481 Speaker 2: I think the most important is to be, like, responsive with 00:09:06.481 --> 00:09:09.491 them and to keep the communication. 00:09:09.991 --> 00:09:13.291 I used to speak, , with them, like, all weeks, . If they have any 00:09:13.291 --> 00:09:17.441 questions, uh, they know that if they text me or they send me an email 00:09:17.481 --> 00:09:19.341 they will get a response very soon. 00:09:19.921 --> 00:09:23.981 So, I think that that's one of the keys with them, uh, to be like very responsive 00:09:23.981 --> 00:09:25.791 and to give like a clear communication. 00:09:25.971 --> 00:09:26.271 Yeah. 00:09:27.611 --> 00:09:29.571 Speaker 3: Definitely, and that we're there for them, right? 00:09:30.391 --> 00:09:33.711 Each owner is different, right, and they have their own needs, , but listening 00:09:33.711 --> 00:09:37.481 to them, , and us being there for them too, I think is very important. 00:09:37.481 --> 00:09:37.721 Yeah. 00:09:37.721 --> 00:09:39.531 Yeah, be transparent like Laura was saying too. 00:09:40.631 --> 00:09:46.511 Steve V2: Do you have any stories that demonstrate why Casago would be a good 00:09:46.521 --> 00:09:49.311 choice for local homeowners to tell? 00:09:50.511 --> 00:09:51.251 Speaker 2: Yes. 00:09:51.851 --> 00:09:55.001 So, I remember one of the owners that we have right now, 00:09:55.031 --> 00:09:57.211 so it was a few months ago. 00:09:57.681 --> 00:10:00.471 At the beginning, I had like a few of the owners. 00:10:00.561 --> 00:10:02.641 You know, the development is new. 00:10:03.126 --> 00:10:06.806 And even if we don't have like a lot of reservations, maybe because 00:10:06.806 --> 00:10:10.296 it's our rainy season, we have small things with the owners. 00:10:11.166 --> 00:10:15.866 So I keep like getting like message and emails and it was me at the moment. 00:10:16.196 --> 00:10:21.186 So I remember that he sent me a message during the weekend, I think, uh, over 00:10:21.546 --> 00:10:26.376 during the night and at the next day it was like off and I forgot to response. 00:10:26.746 --> 00:10:30.526 So the next day of one day I was sending a message. 00:10:31.076 --> 00:10:34.786 And I think that he was like upset because I didn't respond to his questions. 00:10:35.276 --> 00:10:38.816 So I understood in that moment that he needs attention. 00:10:39.166 --> 00:10:43.996 So I think that from that moment, I started , if he sent me a message or 00:10:43.996 --> 00:10:46.206 email, I like respond immediately. 00:10:46.626 --> 00:10:49.076 So the communication that we have right now, it's nicer. 00:10:49.726 --> 00:10:52.726 And I think that now he's very happy with us. 00:10:52.796 --> 00:10:56.056 And he keep mentioned that's why he is with CASAGO because 00:10:56.056 --> 00:10:57.576 we know what we're doing. 00:10:58.016 --> 00:11:03.056 Every week he's asking And he's confident that we are taking care of 00:11:03.056 --> 00:11:08.836 the unit and that we are working for them and that we know what we are doing. 00:11:08.986 --> 00:11:09.526 Steve V2: that's great. 00:11:10.076 --> 00:11:10.466 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:11:10.826 --> 00:11:15.506 Also, for instance, with this, the owner, the same, many of them are maybe first 00:11:15.516 --> 00:11:17.726 time owners, , of a short term rental. 00:11:18.241 --> 00:11:19.451 So it's important, right? 00:11:19.451 --> 00:11:23.321 Not to only understand their needs, , but to be with them, , also let 00:11:23.321 --> 00:11:28.511 them know what a owning a vacation rental is, ? Because there's many, 00:11:28.511 --> 00:11:30.431 many important parts of it, right? 00:11:30.431 --> 00:11:32.941 So I think that's really, really nice. 00:11:33.331 --> 00:11:36.611 And another thing that we have been doing too, is that since maybe it's 00:11:36.651 --> 00:11:40.981 their first home they buy in HACO, ? We have a partnerships with different 00:11:40.981 --> 00:11:44.731 restaurants, with different tours, with different things in the community. 00:11:45.336 --> 00:11:50.036 That basically , have allowed us to give them, , the opportunity for a new owner 00:11:50.066 --> 00:11:53.846 to go on and explore more their community where they're put at home, right? 00:11:53.846 --> 00:11:56.426 So that they can go maybe to a restaurant, maybe they can go try 00:11:56.426 --> 00:11:59.916 this, ? We have done it also with spas, with yoga studios and different things. 00:11:59.916 --> 00:12:04.841 So I think that's very nice because we want them to also, You know, sometimes 00:12:04.841 --> 00:12:09.411 it's an investment only, but we also want them to, to enjoy their, their new place. 00:12:09.461 --> 00:12:09.841 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:12:09.911 --> 00:12:12.971 I , those experiences are so important and a lot of these 00:12:13.001 --> 00:12:15.301 investments are lifestyle investments. 00:12:15.301 --> 00:12:16.851 , they're investing for the financials. 00:12:16.851 --> 00:12:17.241 Yes. 00:12:17.731 --> 00:12:20.071 But there's also a lifestyle element that goes along with it, right? 00:12:20.071 --> 00:12:23.371 The privilege of being able to enjoy a beautiful place off seasons 00:12:23.371 --> 00:12:24.771 or whenever it's , not booked. 00:12:25.056 --> 00:12:25.406 Speaker 3: Sure. 00:12:25.846 --> 00:12:29.386 And we can see that when we have, we just started basically, right? 00:12:29.386 --> 00:12:36.216 Our first homes went, went live, not like very recently, and we already 00:12:36.326 --> 00:12:40.636 have been getting owners recommending to other owners, , to work with us, 00:12:40.686 --> 00:12:41.946 , even from different places, right? 00:12:41.946 --> 00:12:46.536 So, so I think that shows exactly that experience that you're talking about. 00:12:46.606 --> 00:12:46.906 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:12:46.956 --> 00:12:47.126 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:12:47.126 --> 00:12:47.326 That 00:12:47.336 --> 00:12:50.666 Steve V2: word of mouth is the temperature check to see if your 00:12:50.676 --> 00:12:51.766 homeowners are happy or not. 00:12:51.896 --> 00:12:52.836 . So really cool. 00:12:52.876 --> 00:12:58.226 So if a homeowner wants to get a hold of you to find out more information 00:12:58.276 --> 00:13:02.666 about property management services by Casago, what email or phone number 00:13:02.666 --> 00:13:03.956 should they be reaching out with 00:13:04.886 --> 00:13:05.506 Speaker 2: Costa Rica? 00:13:05.506 --> 00:13:05.716 P. 00:13:05.716 --> 00:13:05.996 m. 00:13:05.996 --> 00:13:11.027 at That's uh, my email so they can contact me anytime. 00:13:11.027 --> 00:13:11.584 And is 00:13:11.584 --> 00:13:14.076 Steve V2: there an office phone number that they can reach out to you? 00:13:14.176 --> 00:13:20.726 Speaker 2: Yes, our contract code is 506 and the phone number is 40379096. 00:13:21.626 --> 00:13:22.036 Perfect. 00:13:22.276 --> 00:13:23.416 Steve V2: Guys, thanks so much for coming on. 00:13:23.416 --> 00:13:26.016 What a pleasure to be able to talk to you and catch up. 00:13:26.656 --> 00:13:27.796 And we'll be doing it soon. 00:13:28.446 --> 00:13:31.341 And we're looking forward to hosting Costa Rica too, I think, too. 00:13:31.621 --> 00:13:32.771 Yeah, I can't wait for that. 00:13:33.101 --> 00:13:33.971 So that'll be exciting. 00:13:34.231 --> 00:13:35.151 Thank you again so much guys.