We recently had the chance to connect with Kevin Copeland and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kevin, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
We had a guest recently reach out to tell us her shower was clogged and there was standing water in the bathtub. I went over to assist and found her plunging away, she said she had been at it for a while, but no results.
I reached down and lifted the bath tub stopper for her. She had literally sucked the paint off the top of the stopper with that plunger! LOL!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kevin Copeland, I own two iTrip Franchises here in Nashville. We have hosted over 50,000 guests in the last few years, and work hard to make sure they have a world-class experience in Nashville. All the while, we must make sure our real estate owners/investors are seeing a return that keeps their interest in owning commercial property in our great city. Oh, and by the way, we are keenly aware of our neighbors and understand that tourism can be a double-edged sword. Our mission is to keep all three groups happy through our three core principles: Hospitality, Stewardship and Quality.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a kid who grew up in the country with three siblings. My folks still live on the same gravel road, and my dad (in his 80’s) still bales hay three times a year. We had one bathroom (no shower), a party-line telephone, and made-do with what we had. Those lessons have served me well in the Short Term Rental Space.
Sometimes, you must get creative to prepare for a guest. Once this year, a guest checked out at 10 am, with another group arriving at 3 pm. Our QC inspector found a broken bed frame, and there was no time to install a new one. I used a scrap 2×4 from the truck and a flat rock I found in the parking lot as a make-do leg.
The guest never knew the difference and we got a 5-Star review. A new bed frame was installed on the next turn.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You cannot please everyone. You cannot be all things to all people. Recognize early when someone is a taker. In the hospitality world this year, 4-Stars is the new 5-Stars. People want more for less and you will go mad, broke, or both trying to cater to everyone. It is ok to say no. It is ok to move on, and protect yourself.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe the online travel agent algorithms have too much control over purchasing decisions and consistently mismatch guests and accommodations. I only have internal data to prove this, so I’ll admit – I mostly speculate that if we had a better way of differentiating high-end, luxury vacation homes in Nashville from clean and functional crash pads, it would be better for guests, property owners and neighbors.
As it is, all too often affluent guests are booked in the wrong properties and the “here for a good time” guests are sometimes put in properties they do not respect. The OTA’s (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, etc.) put most emphasis on the price which compounds the problem. A revenue manager must price the contrasting properties with relative consistency for either to remain relevant in searches.
My hypothesis is that better (and honest) filtration of property characteristics could solve this problem.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
The real estate investors we work best with are those who are not emotionally attached to their property. It is just another cog in their investment portfolio. Many of them I’ve never met in person. Some have never been to Nashville and have no idea what their property looks like. They just know that Kevin and the iTrip Team take care of it like their own and we send them a fat check every month.
Having said that – I take their calls and texts no matter what. I think that is what they would miss if I retired. I work hard to be partners with my clients in this industry. That takes a lot of open and transparent communication. Retiring would mean iTrip Property Owners would lose a business partner.
Image Credits
Abode Photography
