Before joining the franchise, Tom and his wife ran a local hotel in Chichester—a business they had to leave when lockdown occurred and redundancy followed.
With years of hands-on experience in hospitality, they gained a strong understanding of guest service and operations, along with the importance of a personal touch.
When Tom’s wife came across a Facebook ad for franchise opportunities with Pass the Keys, it caught their attention at just the right time. Although they weren’t actively looking for a new venture, the ad felt like a chance to apply their hotel management experience to a new sector.
The increasing popularity of short-term rentals offered a fantastic opportunity to combine traditional hospitality with modern, flexible accommodation solutions, making the franchise option particularly enticing.
The idea of combining their skills and experience with a proven system made it a “really sensible” option, as Tom recalls.
A proven business model and expert support
One of the first steps they took was to embrace the franchise model. This meant they could build on a business structure that had already been tested and proven successful in various markets, rather than starting from the ground up.
Tom explained, “We buy the business. We get the manual on how to run it. We get expertise in sales and marketing, and all the things that we need to run a successful business.”
This support was crucial as it eased the steep learning curve that often comes with learning a new business. With a clear operational manual and access to experienced professionals, Tom and his wife could confidently move ahead, knowing they had support to rely on.
For Tom, the Marketing support he continues to receive is the main benefit. This allows him to focus on managing and growing the business while Pass the Keys’ digital marketing experts bring in a large portion of his leads.
“Looking back, there’s no way that we would have grown this quickly had we done it ourselves,” he added.
Bespoke technology for operational excellence
A cornerstone of the franchise’s success lies in its bespoke technology. Tom emphasizes that these digital tools are essential, especially when managing 50 properties as he is.
“I don’t think we could do this job without having the technology behind it,” Tom stated.
For instance, when a guest makes a booking for a weekend stay, the system automatically assigns a cleaning job to one of the cleaners. The cleaner then confirms their arrival via an app—a seemingly small detail that becomes crucial when coordinating multiple cleans a day.
This real-time tracking not only streamlines operations but also gives Tom the peace of mind of knowing exactly when and where each task is completed.
A typical day
Here’s what Tom’s daily routine looks like:
- Early morning
- Check new guest bookings that arrived overnight.
- Confirm arrivals for today, tomorrow, and the following day – assuring any special requests (e.g., toddler equipment) are in place.
- Late morning
- Review cleaner assignments and conduct spot checks on properties.
- Follow up on host leads to avoid missed opportunities.
- Midday
- Visit potential clients to discuss their needs, explain the service, and sign them up.
- Oversee professional photography for newly onboarded properties.
- Afternoon
- Gather critical information (boiler details, stopcock location, Wi-Fi codes) at each new property.
- Update the app with property photos for the cleaner and guest manuals.
Future ambitions
Now, four years into the franchise journey, Tom’s business has flourished. With the help of a full-time assistant and an on-the-ground assistant, he’s been able to maintain high service standards and efficiently manage the growing portfolio of properties.
Looking ahead, Tom is eager to delegate day-to-day operations to a manager. This move will allow him to focus on broader business opportunities and even start a new venture, all while ensuring his current franchise continues to thrive.
If you’d like to learn more about Pass the Keys’ franchise opportunities, request your free information pack here.
