← Hostaway
Hostaway role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
Software that helps vacation rental managers run bookings, messages, and cleaning across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com in one place.
Who you'd be calling
Owners and operators of vacation rental businesses, from hosts with a few properties to property management companies.
Your opener
“Hi [Name], this is [You] from Hostaway. I know I'm calling out of the blue. Do you have a quick minute? I saw you manage vacation rentals, and I wanted to ask how you keep your Airbnb and other bookings in sync.”
Problems you solve for them
- Juggling bookings across several sites causes double bookings
- Answering guests and scheduling cleaners eats hours every day
- Hard to grow past a handful of properties with manual work
Discovery questions to ask
- How many properties do you manage, and which booking sites do you list on?
- How do you handle guest messages, cleaners, and calendars today?
- Have you ever had a double booking or a missed message, and what did it cost you?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy right now.”
→ I understand, you've got guests to take care of. Can I call you back at a better time, maybe later today or tomorrow?
“We're not interested.”
→ No worries. Is that because what you use works well, or because switching sounds like a hassle? I'm curious what's working.
“We already use Guesty or another tool.”
→ Plenty of managers do. What do you like about it, and is there anything you'd change, like pricing, support, or the features?
“Just send me an email.”
→ Sure. To make it useful, how many properties do you manage? And what's the biggest time sink: messaging, calendars, or cleaning?
Competitors worth knowing
Guesty, Hospitable, Lodgify, OwnerRez
Interview tips for this company
- Learn terms like channel manager, OTA (Airbnb, Vrbo), and PMS (property management software), and be ready to explain them simply.
- Think of the buyer as a small business owner who is often a host themselves. Keep the call short, friendly, and about saving time.
Written from public information about Hostaway to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.