Campground management is easier said than done. Between checking campers in and out, to keeping up the grounds, there’s little time to do general tasks such as keeping up with the books. Below are some tips and tricks to help save you time and make life easier:
1. Make your own check-in kiosk for late-night arrivals:
The hotel and lodging industry never sleeps. So it’s no surprise that campers and RVers will show up at all hours of the night looking for a spot to rest their road-weary mind. The hard part is that you sometimes don’t have a spot or the staff on-site to get them all settled in. This can lead to a few different scenarios, but most commonly we hear that campers will just “self-assign” themselves a spot. Not to mention, there’s a possibility that they won’t pay at all. Making your own check-in/reservation kiosk using Bonfire. A wifi connection and an iPad is all it takes to create a great in-house solution to these potential problems. If you’d like more detail about how to get this set-up, check out this post.
2. Keep out noisy campers or those just looking to throw parties:
Putting up signs that say “FAMILY Campground” around the park will help keep out people who might cause issues for other campers. If all else fails, issuing a 100% refundable deposit if noise is kept to a certain level or there are no complaints should do the trick.
3. Use Bonfire’s campground management software to revamp your reservation process:
Without the right reservation software, running your RV park or campground can get unorganized fast. Bonfire’s management software is simple-to-use and simple-to-learn with an online booking portal and an all-in-one reservation system. The integrated payment allows you to take deposits to hold a site reservation and also allow your future guests to payment for their entire reservation. These are just some of the tools Bonfire provides for efficient reservation management, and it can be the simple solution that gets your park running and online.
4. Make sure you have amenities for your campers’ four-legged pals:
It's no secret that pet owners are willing to do anything for their pets - including choosing a campground that caters to them. Providing a dog run for your camper's best friends will automatically make your campground a better choice than one without. Outdoor pet showers are also a great way to make your camper’s life easier. If there are horse trails, competitions or rodeos near your campground, having watering troughs and corrals for horses can open up your campground to business from a whole new type of camper.
5. Utilize your space efficiently:
Whether you're sleeping under the stars or in your air-conditioned fifth wheel, nothing spoils a great day of camping like being able to hear your neighbor snore all night. If it's not possible to space your campsites further from one another, planting trees between spaces is another way to create a noise barrier and sense of privacy for campers. If you have complaints about noisy campers, try to group together families in one area of your campground to separate those looking for a calm environment from those looking for a more noisy one.
6. Stay on top of cleaning:
Trying to make your park more appealing to new guests while accommodating year after year tenants can be hard. Starting clean up days where you and your crew are all hands on deck might just be the push some people need. You can help with things like bulk trash collection and other basic cleanup. Additionally, as a campground owner, you probably already own tools such as power washers. Let owners check them out and reserve times to use these tools for free.
7. Keep your Wifi fast:
When setting up wifi, ask your provider to restrict some sites such as streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and HBOgo. This will stop people from eating up all your bandwidth but still allow them to check social media profiles.
8. Stay Creative With Ways To Make Money
Extra money can be made in a variety of ways including things like vending machines and make sure it is full of things kids love. They will definitely be the ones pulling the strings. If you position it by the pool, they will go flying off the racks.
9. Give out next visit coupons as campers leave or enter.
This will get them back to your park or they could hand them out to friends. Make sure and make one to two new improvements each year. That way when repeat customers come back to your RV Park or campground and say “what’s new this year?”, you can delight them with something.
`10. Make sure and make one to two new improvements each year.
Making new improvements and alerting past customers will keep them coming back.
We hope you find these five hacks helpful! Convenience is key in today’s world, so make that a priority for your management and for your campers. If you have any additional tips, we would love to hear them!
