We recently caught up with Cristina, a member of the local cottages.com team who look after holiday homes throughout Dartmouth and the surrounding area. Having worked with the business for almost eight years, Cristina knows just how busy holiday letting can become, particularly during the peak summer season.
The local operation uses two units at Indoor Self Storage Dartmouth, so we wanted to find out how that extra space helps the team stay organised, keep essential supplies close at hand and support the day-to-day running of the business.
Can you tell us a little about cottages.com and the properties you look after?
cottages.com is an international holiday rental company. Locally, the business was previously known as Dartmouth Holiday Homes and has a long-standing connection with the town.
We look after holiday homes throughout the area, providing a wider property management service as well as managing the holiday lets. This includes arranging cleaning, caring for the properties and making sure everything is ready for guests.
What does a typical week look like during the busy holiday season?
The holiday season is incredibly busy. Dartmouth is packed with visitors, and our properties are fully occupied, so there’s always plenty to do.
We need to make sure that the homes are cleaned, properly prepared and ready for each new arrival. We’re also there to help guests and property owners when any problems arise during a stay.
We’re looking to grow the business further, so we may need even more storage space in the future.
What kinds of items do you store at Indoor Self Storage?
We use one unit mainly for the linen needed by our cleaning teams.
In the second unit, we keep important operational items, including spare stock and anything we might need at short notice if something at a property is missing, damaged or needs replacing.
Because the properties are in and around Dartmouth, having the storage units nearby means these items are easy to collect whenever they’re needed.
Between the two units, we have the stock and supplies we need to support the local operation.
We have used the same storage units for several years, although this may change as the business grows. It is reassuring to know that there is the flexibility to take more space if we need it.
How has having that extra space supported the business?
It has been absolutely brilliant. Having a dedicated place for our linen, stock and other essentials helps us stay organised and makes it much easier to deal with unexpected problems.
The units have become an important part of our day-to-day operation.
The storage is secure, accessible and very conveniently located for the properties we manage.
How does having storage in Dartmouth help you provide a great service to your customers?
For us, being based so close to the properties we manage is a real advantage. If a guest is locked out, linen needs replacing or an item is urgently required at a property, we can collect it locally and deal with the problem straight away.
During the busiest parts of the year, that can make a real difference to the service we’re able to provide to both guests and property owners.
