Quick answer
Property managers should evaluate vendors on six criteria: responsiveness, pricing clarity, hospitality references, licensing, guest communication style, and contingency planning.
A vendor who answers four of six checklist questions with specific, verifiable answers is a better candidate than one who answers all six vaguely. The backup plan question is the most diagnostic — prepared vendors have a concrete answer; unprepared ones say it won't happen.
Every vendor you recommend to a guest reflects on your property. The cleaning service that leaves a mess, the driver who doesn't show, the luggage company that loses a bag — guests attribute these experiences to the host, not just the vendor. A short evaluation checklist doesn't guarantee perfect vendors, but it catches the obvious problems before they reach a guest.
Who this is for
Property managers running any scale of operation, from a single listing to a portfolio of fifteen. The checklist is designed to be completed in 20 minutes per vendor — short enough to be consistent without adding significant overhead to your sourcing process.
The six-question evaluation checklist
- Responsiveness: Do they respond to new inquiries within 4 hours on weekdays?
- Pricing clarity: Is their pricing stated upfront with no hidden fees or ambiguous line items?
- References: Can they name two to three hospitality properties they currently serve?
- Licensing: Are they licensed and insured for the specific services they offer to guests?
- Guest communication: How do they communicate with guests, and is that method reliable?
- Backup plan: What is their specific contingency if they can't fulfill a booking at the last minute?
How to use this checklist
Run any prospective vendor through all six questions before a trial engagement. Score honestly: a vendor who answers four of six with specific, verifiable answers is a better candidate than one who answers all six vaguely. Pay particular attention to the backup plan question — it's the most diagnostic. Vendors who've actually thought about operational reliability have a concrete answer. Those who haven't say it won't happen.
Red flags to watch for
Specific red flags: pricing that's only available by phone or quote rather than stated upfront; references that are personal contacts rather than actual property managers or business owners; licensing mentioned vaguely without specifics on what's covered. These aren't automatically disqualifying, but they warrant a deeper follow-up conversation before committing.
Building and maintaining your approved vendor list
Create a shared document with your approved vendors organized by service category. Include contact information, pricing notes, the date you last used or reviewed them, and any notes on guest feedback. Review this list quarterly and replace vendors whose responsiveness or quality has declined. BNBwhitepages lets you search for new candidates by city and service type when you need to add or replace a category.
The Six-Question Vendor Checklist
- Responsiveness: respond to new inquiries within 4 hours on weekdays?
- Pricing clarity: stated upfront, no hidden fees, available in writing without prompting?
- References: two to three hospitality properties they currently serve?
- Licensing and insurance: covered for all services they offer guests directly?
- Guest communication: direct method — app, text, or phone — that's reliably answered?
- Backup plan: a specific contingency for last-minute cancellations?
