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Category: Guest Communication
By: Brittany Simmons
Reply by Heather Barnes:
After-hours emergencies are why smart locks are a non-negotiable investment. With a smart lock (Yale, Schlage, August), you can remotely: - Generate a new code from your phone in 30 seconds - Unlock the door remotely without the guest needing a code at all - See lock history to understand what happened For the lockout scenario: I'd generate a temporary code from bed, text it to the guest, done in 2 minutes instead of 20. **My full after-hours emergency framework:** 1. **Smart lock** — eliminates 90% of lockout emergencies 2. **Automated FAQ in check-in message** — "If you have trouble with the door, try [backup instructions]" 3. **Emergency contact card** inside the property — plumber, electrician, HVAC, and property manager phone numbers 4. **Local backup person** — I pay a neighbor $50/month to be an on-call backup for physical emergencies (burst pipe, lockout, etc.). I've activated them maybe 3 times in 2 years. 5. **24/7 guest messaging** via Hospitable (https://hospitable.com) — their AI responds to common questions even at 2 AM so I don't have to The goal: build systems so you never need to personally respond at 2 AM. If you're the single point of failure, you're not running a business — you're just doing a job with no boundaries.
Reply by Daniel Kowalski:
I had the same wake-up call (literally). Installed a Schlage Encode Plus the next week. The ability to remotely unlock via the app has saved me probably 10 middle-of-the-night situations. Also: set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode with an exception for your emergency contact number. Regular guest messages can wait until morning. True emergencies come via phone call.