Managing a short-term rental (STR) is no small feat. From scheduling cleanings to handling maintenance and guest turnovers, hosts and property managers juggle a long list of responsibilities. What if you could put your short-term rental operations on autopilot?

In this episode of The STR Data Lab, AirDNA’s Chief Economist, Jamie Lane, sits down with Assaf Karmon, CEO and co-founder of Turno, to discuss how vacation rental automation is revolutionizing the industry. Turno is a platform designed to help STR owners and managers automate scheduling, source reliable cleaners, and ensure seamless property operations.

Jamie, a Turno user himself, shares his experience finding reliable cleaners for his rental in North Georgia, highlighting the efficiency and ease that Turno provides. Assaf details how automating your collaboration with Airbnb cleaning businesses can eliminate manual work, reduce scheduling headaches, and keep operations running smoothly—even in remote locations.

Here’s what you can expect from this episode:

• How automation tools for vacation rentals help hosts find, vet, and manage professional cleaners.
• Why vacation rental cleaning automation leads to better guest experiences and increased efficiency.
• The importance of building a redundant cleaning team to avoid last-minute cancellations.
• How automation extends beyond cleaning to maintenance tracking and inventory management.
• The risks of over-automation and how to maintain control while leveraging technology.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to use automation to run your STR efficiently, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.

Episode Highlights

What is Turno?

Assaf explains how Turno simplifies vacation rental cleaning automation, helping hosts connect with experienced cleaners across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe. The platform also includes features like cleaner vetting, guest cleanliness scores, and automated scheduling.

How Turno solves the biggest pain points for STR hosts:

• Hosts can find and hire pre-vetted, experienced cleaners who specialize in short-term rentals.
• Cleaners receive automatic job notifications, eliminating back-and-forth scheduling.
• Turno integrates guest cleanliness ratings from Airbnb to help hosts assess cleaner performance. Turno assigns cleanliness scores to the actual cleaner responsible for the job, helping hosts verify the quality of a cleaner’s work.

Beyond cleaning: The full scope of STR automation

Assaf details how Turno integrates with other property management tasks, such as:

• Automated maintenance tracking – Assign maintenance tasks as needed.
• Inventory management – Track and restock essential supplies like toiletries and linens.
• Guest check-out verification – Detect when guests leave early and notify cleaners to start sooner.

The risks of over-automation and how to manage them

Automation is powerful, but relying too much on technology without human oversight can backfire. Assaf highlights common pitfalls that hosts should be aware of:

• Cleaners failing to accept jobs on time, leading to delayed turnovers.
• Last-minute cancellations from a cleaner without a backup plan.
• Over-reliance on automation, assuming an STR will run indefinitely without human intervention.

Turno offers management-by-exception alerts to mitigate these risks. Hosts are notified if a cleaning hasn’t started on time or if no cleaner has accepted a job. Additionally, Turno’s support team can step in and manually source a cleaner in case of an emergency, ensuring that hosts never get stuck without a solution.

Success stories and takeaways

Assaf shares a real-world example of a host whose STR continued running seamlessly—even after they passed away. Turno ensured that cleanings, bookings, and payments continued without disruption, demonstrating how a fully automated Airbnb cleaning business can operate independently.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Automate Your STR Today

Short-term rental automation isn’t just about convenience—it’s about freeing up your time to focus on scaling your business. Whether you manage a single property or oversee a large portfolio, Turno provides the tools to streamline your operations and eliminate unnecessary stress.

Resources & Links

Explore Turno: turno.com

Assaf Karmon on LinkedIn: Assaf Karmon 

Read More:How to Automate Your Airbnb Business: 9 Ways to Get Started 

Learn with AirDNA: Direct Booking Glossary Entry

Connect with Us

Jamie Lane on LinkedIn: Jamie Lane
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