Five Star Beach Properties Install Oracode Online Locks
System Provides Real-Time Notifications and Alerts
About Five Star Beach Properties: When it comes to hospitality, Chuck Steeg, COO of Five Star Beach Properties understands just what it takes to help guests feel welcome and relaxed. His 30 years of knowledge and hands-on experience has made him a leading practitioner and one of the most well-respected professionals in the industry. His biography is top notch and includes achievements, such as:
- Founding board member of the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals Association
- Board Member of the Florida Vacation Rental Managers Association
- Licensed Florida and Alabama Real Estate Agent
- Certified Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professional
- Served on Industrial Relations Committee for VISIT FLORIDA
“I began my career in hospitality at a very young age when I was a hotel linen boy,” says Steeg. “I then spent a decade working for a family entertainment center and another 14 years at a property management company where I learned every aspect of the business.” While at the property management company Steeg wore many hats, including housekeeping supervisor, service lead, general manager, vice president, and finally COO. During his tenure, Steeg not only revamped standard industry practices, but he pioneered a housekeeping follow up system. “By today’s standards it sounds primitive, but the housekeeping follow up system employed a caller ID to identify the cleaning status at individual units,” notes Steeg. “Cleaning 700 units on a Saturday, within four hours, that are located in 187 buildings and 300 private residents, and spread over 45 miles, is an enormous logistical challenge—any way to monitor a unit’s condition is huge. A clean and guest-ready unit means immediate occupancy and that is a win-win for everyone.”
"Our attention to detail along with exceptional service allows us to get higher rates for our owners. We have found that guests will pay more to rent a well-kept, cleaned, and cared for property"
— Chuck Steeg, Chief Operating Officer Five Star Beach Properties
In 2013 Steeg leveraged his experience and went out on his own, first as a consultant, then as owner of a small property management company. Steeg merged his company with Five Star Beach Properties to create one of the best luxury brands in the vacation rental market. Five Star Beach Properties manages approximately 80 luxury and beachfront properties from Destin to Panama City, Florida and has built a stellar reputation for exceptional service and world-class marketing services. The company also has a “sister” company, Destin Rental Bliss, which manages approximately 60 properties.
According to Steeg, “Our attention to detail along with exceptional service allows us to get higher rates for our owners. We have found that guests will pay more to rent a well-kept, cleaned, and cared for property.” In addition, the company provides a concierge service, which includes meeting each guest at the property for a one-on-one tour. The service also helps guests with restaurant recommendations, excursions, limousine arrangements or in-home spa treatments. “At Five Star, we understand the importance of making a good first impression,” says Steeg. “We want to please every guest upon arrival. Currently we provide a beach bag with bottled water, fresh baked bread, and beach toys; this is one simple way to let our guests know that we value them and want their vacation to be a great experience.”
Before a property can enter the Five Star rental program, the property must meet some very specific criteria, such as location, quality, amenities, and general upkeep to determine whether a property is Five Star. According to Steeg, “We built a brand that is second to none, and we are not willing to compromise it by bringing on sub-par properties.” As part of the Five Star rental program, owners are required to purchase three full sets of luxury linens, a Kaba door lock, and an annual VRBO membership package. The linen package includes all sheets, towels, and mats. “By purchasing the linen package, owners do not pay a monthly fee for linen use or pay to restock lost or damaged linens,” adds Steeg. “It is one more way to streamline the vacation rental process.”
"When a guest checks out any time before 10 a.m., I use that to my advantage. Oracode lets me use that to my advantage, which helps ensure that everyone at Five Star has a successful day."
“At Five Star, we don’t have a check-in desk; it’s a sign of the times, and the way the industry is heading,” states Steeg. “With no check-in desk, you eliminate the expensive brick and mortar as well as any office staffing. Anyone who has space on the main drag in a resort town knows how costly that can be. Oracode enables us to operate off the beaten path.”
The rental program requires that a property install a Kaba Oracode keyless lock. Oracode is an intelligent, electronic access control system that provides keyless entry for temporary users, such as vacation renters and timeshare owners. Using a time- and datespecific code, Oracode eliminates keys and cards as well as timeconsuming access control management. “Just as the linen package streamlines the rental process, Oracode simplifies guest check in, not only for Five Star, but for the guest,” adds Steeg.
Access codes are generated through a high-security server on the Internet and can be communicated to the guest verbally, by text, or email. When a user enters a code into a lock, the lock uses its stored “digital key” to decrypt the code. If the lock ID matches the lock’s real time-clock and indicates that the current time is between the designated parameters, then the lock will open. Otherwise, it will remain locked and secure. In addition, codes automatically expire at the end of the authorized period.
“At Five Star, we don’t have a check-in desk; it’s a sign of the times, and the way the industry is heading,” states Steeg. “With no checkin desk, you eliminate the expensive brick and mortar as well as any office staffing. Anyone who has space on the main drag in a resort town knows how costly that can be. Oracode enables us to operate off the beaten path.”
Oracode locks are available as either stand-alone or online and offer the following:
- A full-body or deadbolt lock
- Ocean Front Satin Chrome or Ocean Front Oil-rubbed bronze finish
- Operation with three alkaline batteries (approximately two to three years life span)
- An emergency key override with a bump-resistant core
- Audit memory for storing the last 5,000 entries (date, time, user, and code)
The difference between the online and stand-alone series is the lock’s real-time communication capability with the Oracode Live website. “While all of our properties have an Oracode lock, we just started to install online locks because of the additional functionality,” adds Steeg. “The online locks let you know when a guest arrives/checks out, a door is not locked, the housekeeper has arrived/left, and the inspection is complete.” With the online version only, the guest, housekeeper, inspector, maintenance, etc. can enter a special code and the lock sends a notification indicating they have entered or left a property.
“The key to vacation rental housekeeping is getting a jump start on a cleaning day,” states Steeg. “As part of a guest’s arrival package, we include an express check-out code. When a guest enters the code upon leaving, the lock sends us a notification, which tells us they have left; we in turn let the housekeepers know that they can begin cleaning.” The online system offers up 10 different special codes that users can employ to send notifications, such as when a property is ready for inspection or maintenance is complete. In addition to special codes, the online system allows administrators to generate, cancel, or extend access codes remotely as well as audit locks from any PC or mobile device. Remote capabilities add an extra layer of convenience, especially if a property is located in a secluded location. According to Steeg, “On virtually every Saturday, resources are slim, so if you can maximize them, then you’re ahead of the game. It’s what I call an early-out window. When a guest checks out any time before 10 a.m., I use that to my advantage. Oracode lets me use that to my advantage, which helps ensure that everyone at Five Star has a successful day.”
Chuck Steeg
Chief Operating Officer
Five Star Beach Properties
12273 Emerald Coast Parkway, Suite 208
Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Tel: 800.208.2324
www.fivestargulfrentals.com