The Stäy Aparthotel Revolutionized Inventory Management and Invoicing in Three Weeks

Client

staey.de

Property Type

Medium-sized aparthotel

Location

Mannheim, Germany

The project launch

September 2022

About Stäy

With a strong focus on comfort, privacy, and sustainability, Stäy offers a wide range of furnished apartments designed to cater to individual business travelers and teams.

Since its establishment in January 2022, the company has quickly emerged as one of the largest providers in the region. For now, it boasts approximately 180 apartments and 400 beds. Apart from a convenient location in Mannheim, they offer disability-friendly facilities, free WiFi, and on-site parking, ensuring a comfortable stay for all guests.

To support the company’s growth, its CEO, Alexis Gonzalez, sought a software solution that could organize daily routines, enabling effective inventory management across multiple properties and channels.

Challenges Faced by Stäy

As a young business, the aparthotel encountered several operational challenges that had to be addressed as fast as possible:

Managing a large inventory

With 180 apartments and over 60,000 booked nights per year, Stäy required a reliable property management system to efficiently manage their extensive inventory. Overbooking was a significant concern, and they needed robust software that could prevent separate guests from booking the same unit.

Organizing front- and back-office operations

To ensure smooth operations, Stäy was looking for a centralized system that could help them effectively manage guest data, reservations, and housekeeping schedules in a digital way. This was particularly crucial during periods of staff shortages, and they aimed to reduce workload without compromising high standards.

Enabling automated billing for companies

As Stäy primarily serves corporate travelers as their main clientele, automating the billing process was essential. What they needed was a set of features to automate company invoicing, eliminate errors and ensure timely payment.

Managing orders and cleaning services

The client aimed to streamline their service management, specifically for cleaning. They needed a solution that would allow them to easily schedule it on a recurring basis, whether weekly, biweekly, or monthly, with minimal effort. The property also aimed to reduce the large amount of manual work associated with scheduling daily cleaning for long-term stays.

Solutions Provided by HotelFriend

To overcome these challenges, the client adopted a comprehensive HotelFriend suite that includes a cloud-based Property Management System (PMS) and an integrated Channel Manager. Here is what propelled Stäy to success:

An all-in-one PMS: HotelFriend's PMS empowered administration to efficiently manage all aspects of operations from anywhere, at any time.
Through this cloud-based system, Stäy Aparthotel could automate workflows and access critical information, such as guest profiles, bookings, housekeeping schedules, and accounting, all from a single interface.
A seamless Channel Manager: An integrated Channel Manager enabled Stäy to synchronize their inventory and rates with Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).
The HotelFriend team guided the client through the whole process, helping them to connect all the channels they need for work. This ensured that all OTA channels were updated simultaneously, eliminating the chances of double bookings.

Results Achieved

Stäy's partnership with HotelFriend has led to incredible results, including reduced paperwork and smooth operations. Check out the key achievements that have made them stand out from the competition:

Around 180 apartments went live in three weeks

HotelFriend's team collaborated closely with Stäy Aparthotel during the implementation process, helping with a seamless transition to the new software. Within just three weeks, all 180 apartments were successfully onboarded onto the HotelFriend system, allowing for efficient inventory management.

Eliminated double bookings

Double bookings became a thing of the past thanks to the flawless synchronization capabilities of HotelFriend's Channel Manager. The integrated system ensured that availability and rates were updated in real-time across all online booking channels, preventing conflicting bookings.

Manual data entry cut by 90%

Efficiency skyrocketed, errors plummeted, and they now operate in a "set-and-forget" mode. With the new solution, the administration can schedule cleaning services for months ahead, avoiding the need to repeat the same action every day. This allowed them to focus on other important aspects of their business.

Streamlined invoicing for companies

With HotelFriend's PMS, the aparthotel automated its billing processes for corporate clients, facilitating the generation and distribution of accurate invoices. The result? Stronger relationships with their corporate clientele and enhanced financial management.

Staff training time reduced to one day

A user-friendly interface and intuitive features allowed Stäy Aparthotel's team to become proficient in using the system within a single day. For instance, Front Desk users now have a comprehensive overview of guest-company associations without the need to click on the booking. The streamlined onboarding process allowed Stäy Aparthotel to optimize its workforce and allocate resources more efficiently.

«I truly appreciate their competence and professionalism. The response time was super fast, and the team was incredibly friendly. Keep it up!»

Founder and Co-CEO of Stäy

Alexis Gonzalez