Offer grocery stocking services to your guests with Noshable (Ep 606)

Summary

In this discussion, Conor from Nostal explores innovative ways to enhance the hospitality experience for short-term rental guests. Nostal aims to remove friction by offering services like stocked groceries, restaurant reservations, and AI-powered shopping features for meal planning. They also plan to integrate with popular property management systems to streamline operations for hosts. With future features like group ordering and collaboration with local restaurants, Nostal is transforming how hosts manage guest needs, creating a seamless, enjoyable experience that goes beyond just providing space.

Takeaways

• 😀 The importance of removing friction for guests is emphasized, such as stocking groceries in vacation rentals to create a seamless arrival experience.
• 😀 Disney's approach to hospitality is mentioned as an ideal example of providing a magical experience, although smaller, simpler touches can have a significant impact on guests.
• 😀 A story from the book 'Setting the Table' illustrates the challenges of predicting customer needs, highlighting the importance of attentiveness in hospitality.
• 😀 Nostal is a company aiming to redefine hospitality by offering a grocery stocking service for vacation rentals, using AI to streamline the process.
• 😀 Nostal’s AI Shopper feature allows guests to input meal preferences or recipes, and the system automatically populates a shopping cart with the necessary ingredients.
• 😀 A feature for group orders is being developed, where one person can manage the shopping cart, and others can contribute to it, simplifying payment and reducing confusion.
• 😀 Nostal plans to integrate with popular property management systems like Guesty, Breezeway, and Hostfully to streamline operations for hosts and property managers.
• 😀 Future plans for Nostal include expanding to allow guests to pre-book restaurant reservations based on their culinary preferences, enhancing the overall guest experience.
• 😀 The ability for hosts to offer a more complete hospitality experience, by providing food, drink, and space, is seen as an opportunity in the saturated vacation rental market.
• 😀 The goal of Nostal is to shift the mindset of vacation rental hosts from merely offering a place to stay to providing a comprehensive, memorable experience for guests.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the service discussed in the transcript?

The primary focus of the service, Nostal, is to streamline the hospitality experience for vacation rental hosts by simplifying tasks like grocery shopping and providing local services for guests before they arrive.

How does Nostal improve the guest experience upon arrival?

Nostal enhances the guest experience by pre-stocking the property with groceries, drinks, and essentials, allowing guests to start their stay without the stress of grocery shopping or searching for food options.

What role does AI play in Nostal's service offering?

AI is used to automate meal planning and shopping by allowing guests to input recipes or meal preferences, which the platform then uses to generate a shopping list and add ingredients to the cart. This feature aims to simplify the ordering process for both guests and hosts.

What future integrations are Nostal planning to enhance its service for hosts?

Nostal plans to integrate with popular property management systems like Guesty, Breezeway, and Hostfully in early 2024. This will allow hosts to manage work orders and guest requests more efficiently through these platforms.

How does the group order feature work in Nostal?

The group order feature allows one person to manage and pay for the entire grocery order, while other members of the group can contribute their own items. The main account holder can approve the final cart, ensuring smoother payment splits and avoiding the hassle of collecting money from others.

What challenge does the group order feature solve for vacation rental guests?

It addresses the common issue of one person being responsible for all the grocery shopping and payment for a group, while also ensuring that everyone contributes fairly and the payment process is streamlined.

What other hospitality service is Nostal planning to offer in the future?

Nostal is looking to partner with local restaurants to help guests book reservations in advance, allowing hosts to offer a more comprehensive hospitality experience, including pre-arranged dining options.

How does Nostal aim to transform the hospitality industry for vacation rentals?

Nostal seeks to shift the focus from merely providing space to offering a more immersive and seamless guest experience, by reducing friction through services like grocery delivery, AI shopping, and restaurant reservations.

What is the inspiration behind Nostal's services and features?

Nostal was inspired by the desire to offer a higher level of hospitality in vacation rentals, addressing common pain points like grocery shopping and meal planning, and providing a more personalized, stress-free experience for guests.

How can people interested in Nostal get in touch or learn more?

Interested parties can contact Nostal at [email protected] or connect with Connor on LinkedIn. They can also visit the website at [info.shop.com](http://info.shop.com) for more information or to sign up for a demo.