Building a Strong Team Culture in Vacation Rentals with Bethany Smith of Hobbspitality

The Vacation Rental Show: How We Grow

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show: How We Grow, host Lynell Gordon is joined by Bethany Smith, Chief Administrative Officer at Hobbspitality.

Together they explore:

• Bethany’s journey from housekeeper to manager
• Optimizing housekeeping operations
• Fostering strong connections with guests
• The significance of core values in shaping company culture
• Memorable guest stories
  

Bethany Smith is Chief Administrative Officer at Hobbspitality, a family-rooted vacation management business. Hobbspitality grew out of Hobbs Realty, which was started in 1977 by James O. Hobbs, Betty Hobbs, and their son Jimmy, and has helped generations of families become happy homeowners and satisfied vacationers.

This episode is sponsored by Bluetent.

Episode Highlights:

[02:56] Bethany explains the importance of consistent branding within their team. Hobbs Realty follows a unique branding practice during the high season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) where all employees are asked to wear black and white during weekdays and "Hobbs Realty blue" on Saturdays. Each team member has the freedom to shop for their clothing, which is then embroidered with the company logo, allowing them to express their individual style while maintaining a unified company image. This approach fosters a sense of identity and team cohesion, as well as helping guests easily identify staff. Bethany emphasizes that this branding isn’t just aesthetic but serves as a physical representation of the team’s collective professionalism and company values.

[08:08] Reflecting on operational improvements, Bethany describes a methodical approach to implementing changes in their housekeeping operations. During the busy summer season, they maintain a running list of things that break down or need addressing but avoid making immediate changes in the heat of the season. Instead, they reassess in the fall. This approach helps maintain stability and ensures that the changes made are well considered. She also advises against introducing too many new processes at once, particularly when dealing with departments like housekeeping, where staff often bear significant responsibility for the guest experience. For example, after implementing guest amenity kits in 2024, they decided to perfect this service before introducing new initiatives in 2025, giving each change time to take effect and be evaluated thoroughly.

[29:39] Bethany discusses the introduction of core values into her company’s culture in recent years, which has significantly improved team dynamics and performance. These values serve as performance indicators, helping manage both expectations and accountability across all departments. Bethany explains that in her experience, the attitude and the values that your team embraces will have a larger impact on guest and homeowner satisfaction. By integrating these core values, tailored for each department, into daily operations and making them second nature to the team, Bethany has streamlined difficult conversations, allowing her to manage human resources more effectively. This approach has led to better alignment between team behavior and company standards, especially in housekeeping.

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