1-page Solution Brief - Posted 1/15/2008

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Algarvesol

Apartment Owners Run Rental Property Business in Spare Time with Free Online Services

Emma Antunes and her husband had always dreamed of building a business in overseas property rental. But the couple were realistic about their ambition. They both worked full time, so it needed to be a business that could be set up at little cost and managed online, outside work hours.

In 2007, the couple bought their first apartment in a stunning location in the Algarve, southern Portugal. They placed an entry on a Web site called Owners Direct, a service that advertises more than 20,000 holiday apartments. But Antunes wanted theirs to stand out among the competition. “On its own, the Owners Direct site is restrictive because we can only use a limited amount of copy and images,” she says. Microsoft® Office Live Small Business offered the ideal solution. The free, Internet-based software and services package gave the couple all the tools they needed to set up and manage a professional online business. It included a domain name, e-mail accounts, and a Web site. Antunes says: “We didn’t have to spend any money to develop the Algarvesol Web site, so we spent our budget on advertising instead.”

“We didn’t have to spend any money to develop the Algarvesol Web site, so we spent our budget on advertising instead.” Emma Antunes Founder, Algarvesol

Professional Site Wards Off Competitors

All the couple needed was a computer and Internet connection to build a comprehensive Web site—complete with prices and an availability calendar—in just a few hours. Their Owners Direct page links to this site, so potential customers can easily access more detailed information. “This alone helps our business appear more professional than many others advertised,” Antunes says. She explains that by having its own e-mail address, Algarvesol looks like a business rather than someone simply renting an apartment. It also means they can manage enquiries in their spare time, even while on holiday. “We can respond to requests for dates and prices from any location by accessing these e-mail messages with our Windows Live® powered smartphone. This way, potential customers don’t give up and look elsewhere.”

Already, the couple have received significantly more bookings than expected since setting up the site in September 2007. “We’re halfway towards our booking goal for next year, and the early bookings season hasn’t even started yet. If this success continues, the apartment will pay for itself, and we will be able to consider increasing our portfolio."

For more information on how Office Live Small Business can affect your company please visit:
http://www.officelive.co.uk

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