Contents
Introduction
If you own an RV, chances are you might have heard of the current trend where people are renting their camper vans out for good money. This has helped many owners offset the monthly payments for their RVs, and helped them build a sizable amount of savings.
If you’re looking to cash in on this lucrative market, then you’re in luck. There are some things you ought to know before renting out an rv to a stranger, and the main thing you might want to try is to maximize your earnings. After all, you’re renting out an extremely expensive vehicle — and a home on wheels at that.
Peer-to-peer rental markets
Many RV owners rent their camper vans through peer-to-peer rental markets online, as it does a great job of matching renters and owners. Not only does it foster foundations of trust between owner and renter, but owners also get to show new campers the ropes. It can be rather fulfilling to show newcomers the world of road trips, and all the magic it has to offer.
When using a bigger platform, it’s important to keep in mind that renting out your vehicle takes more than simply handing over your van keys. You have to try to keep your renters happy in order to increase your earnings and create a thriving business for yourself.
Catering to Your Customers
In order to create the best rental experience for your renters, try to think about the first time you ever rented an RV. What made it good? And what made it not-so-good? If you rented your camper van from a big-time commercial dealership, chances are you probably got the keys to a Class C van freshly minted from the factory, just like every other customer. If you picked up your RV from a dingy car rental lot, you might have dealt with unfriendly customer service who could not have cared less about your road trip to the Canyon. What these rental places have in common is that they lack the defining personal touch, when it could bring so much excitement to the start of an adventure on the road.
You’ll be changing all that when you rent your RV on a peer-to-peer market. By meeting your renters face to face, you get the opportunity to show them the authentic camper van lifestyle and all its joys. Interested customers meet you at an agreed-upon location, and you will personally bring them through what they have to know to run your RV.
This gives you, the owner, the opportunity to make the temporary owners of your RV feel right at home. This helps you build a good reputation on the rental site you have — the more stellar reviews you get, the higher you’re rated as a trusted RV owner. While the RV renter community continues to grow in the pandemic, it’s still a rather small one, so you’re likely going to see the same customers again. This means that the more comfortable you make first-time customers feel, the more likely they’ll come back to rent your van — which helps you create a loyal customer base, saving you the trouble of always having to wait for new renters, and keeps your business thriving.
What makes this all better is that these renters don’t just stay your customers — they become your friends. As the camping community grows, you get to meet more like-minded individuals. Share camping tips with your customers, road trip hacks with your renters, and build a lifelong connection with the people calling your home theirs.
How to Make Your RV Welcoming
Think back to your last luxurious hotel visit. What made it so memorable? Chances are, it’s because you felt like an important guest, and you probably got some freebies on the way.
Why not do the same for your RV? Build a welcome basket for each of your guests. Add a tasty bottle of wine, some cheese, and perhaps some chocolate to a gift basket for your renters.
Not everyone is an RV expert like you. For their benefit, and yours, why not write a manual on how to operate an RV? Many of your customers are bound to be total greenhorns when it comes to motor homes and would appreciate all the help they can get. While you’re at it, throw in some fun extras too! After all, you know your hometown best — add some suggestions for the destinations you think should not be missed in your area. That way, they won’t run out of places to visit.
Don’t stop there! When it comes to road trips, more is always better. Offer extra benefits at a charge to your renters — you can loan out of the spare surfboard you have stored at home, attach bike racks on top of your RV, or even lend out your grill. Some campers are more adventurous than others, so giving them more options to maximize their road trip will be bound to make you a much more attractive go-to owner than others. What’s more, aside from gaining their interest, you get that benefit of extra cash — what’s not to love?
Lastly, leave your contact details. While most RV rental platforms offer some form of customer service or another, it can’t beat contacting the owner directly when renters run into problems that need fixing, or if they find themselves having a question about the interior of your RV. Of course, be available to pick up their calls if they need you — you’ll also want to know if your van is in safe hands.
Conclusion
If you have an expensive home-on-wheels just sitting idle in your garage, why not consider letting others take it out for a spin? Share the joy of your past road trips with a stranger, and watch them fall in love with adventure just as you have. Renting out your RV is not only meaningful — it’s a great way for you to earn money and not have to incur negatives from the time that your camper van’s engine is not running. With our list, we hope you are more equipped when renting out your RV.
