How and when to correctly change the management company in Phuket 🌴

The purpose of this article is to help owners change management companies smoothly, with minimal risk to guests, profitability, and the property’s reputation.

When to consider changing management companies 🧭

Common, non-urgent reasons: insufficient transparency in reporting, low occupancy and poor prices, delays in service and repairs, communication difficulties, lack of improvements over time. If the situation is critical (disputes, non-payments, double bookings), a separate crisis plan is needed.

Why the season and timing are important 📆

To make the transition painless, it is best to avoid peak months. November, December and until mid-February are the times of highest demand: calendars are full, and it is difficult to reschedule guests. The optimal window is April–August: there is enough time to prepare the property and get bookings for the new season in advance.

Expectations and reality 🎯

Even a strong team needs time to prepare and ramp up demand. On average, it takes one to two months to achieve a steady flow of bookings. During the high season, preparing a property often takes longer due to contractor availability, weather conditions, and a busy schedule of arrivals.

Approximate timeframes for when guests make bookings:

• during the high season — approximately 60–5 nights before arrival;
  during the low season — approximately 180–50 nights.

These are average estimates: the actual figures depend on the location, accommodation class and selected sales channels. For example, around 25 December, bookings for the period after 15 January are usually visible, and by 10 June — for August–October.

Step-by-step plan for changing management companies 🗺️

1) Collect data for 1–3 years: reports, bank statements, key figures — average price per night, occupancy rate, monthly income.

2) Assess the condition of the property: appliances, furniture, wear and tear, amenities. If you can’t do it yourself, ask a representative or request recent photos/videos.

3) Talk to alternative management companies: compare their approach, transparency, range of services, and list of sales partners.

4) Compare terms and conditions: it is important to calculate the commission in the same way. Clarify what amount it is calculated from — before or after booking site commissions. A higher commission is sometimes justified by extended service, and a ‘low’ commission may turn out to be higher due to the calculation method.

5) Notify the current management company in advance of your intention and the date. Agree on how existing bookings will be handled and how payments for them will be made.

6) Transfer data on future bookings (in compliance with personal data regulations), access to booking sites and calendars, email, the booking system, and instructions for the property.

7) Conduct a joint inspection with the new management company: handover certificate, inventory, condition report.

8) Sign a detailed management agreement with clear service levels, deadlines, rules for cancellations and double bookings, reporting and access. Do not work on a verbal basis.

9) Agree on a plan for improvements to the property (if required): even small updates significantly improve the quality of reviews and occupancy rates.

Pre-launch checklist 🧰

• Do some cosmetic repairs and fix minor defects.
• Repair or replace furniture and appliances.
• Stock the property with everything you need, from bed linen to shampoo.
• Add some decor and do some light home staging.
• Order professional photographs.
• Add the property to the booking system and websites such as Airbnb, Booking, Agoda and others; set prices and rules.
• Send out information to agent and client databases.
• Update the website, marketing materials and internal documents.
• Train staff on the features, advantages and service standards of the specific property.

After this preparation, booking begins. In high season, the booking window is shorter, in low season it is longer, so a property that is prepared in advance has a significant advantage.

Conclusion ✅

A planned change of management company is a manageable process. Choose a quiet period, agree in advance on current bookings and payments, ensure a complete transfer of data, and take the time to prepare the property. This will maintain guest satisfaction and lay the foundation for increased profitability in the next season. 🌿

P.S. At Holy Cow Phuket, we also work with difficult, critical, and urgent cases, but we advise against letting it get to that point.

Yours sincerely, Sergey Shalyapin

Founder of Holy Cow Phuket