Gaudi Accommodation is a complex of 12 apartments, rented as a hotel, located in Cluj Napoca, very close to all the city's attractions. The apartments offer multiple facilities (parking, terrace, airport transportation) and allow guests a complete digital experience, from reservation and check-in to payment and check-out.
Business Challenges
The Gaudi Accommodation complex was designed from the start to be self-service. This business decision required guests to book their rooms themselves, have quick access to the building and apartments, and do online check-in and check-out.
Also, a high-performance PMS was needed to automate and centralize the processing of reservations from multiple booking platforms and to update availability and prices.
The Solution
Gaudi Accommodation began collaborating with Pynbooking when entering the market in 2019, and the complex management believes it was one of the most inspired business decisions. Nicora Marius Lucian, from Gaudi Accommodation, says:
“We received the recommendation to use the Pynbooking platform from a business partner, and after the first presentation, I was convinced it was the solution we needed. The choice was inspired, and Pynbooking fit like a glove on the specific objectives of Gaudi Accommodation."
After signing the contract, Gaudi received access to the Pynbooking platform and began using the services without having to invest in equipment and licenses. The initial setup process was simple and exclusively done by the beneficiary, with phone support from Pynbooking. Gaudi's representatives defined the property's elements, prices, and services and integrated them with the intelligent lock system, fiscal cash registers, and gate-opening system.
The PMS was integrated through Channel Manager with three major reservation platforms: Booking.com, Directbooking, and AirBNB, for automatic updating of availability and prices. The PMS also manages the customer database and automatically retrieves their data when they return to the location.
As part of the project, the Pynbooking team created a dedicated website for Gaudi Accommodation, including a Booking Engine for direct reservations and allowing online payments. Complementarily, Gaudi's Facebook page received a Book Now button to extend sales on social media. Also, the dedicated guest app (GuestApp) was customized by adding buttons to control access to the property and garage. Website development and hosting services are included in the monthly Pynbooking subscription, representing an additional benefit for the client.
Results
With Pynbooking, Gaudi Accommodation offers customers 100% contactless services, from reservation and access to the property/apartments to check-out and payment. Accommodation forms and GDPR agreements are signed digitally, with paper completely eliminated from interaction with guests. Currently, the complex operates without a physical reception and has no employees for this activity.
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Access codes for the apartments and the Gaudi Accommodation premises are automatically sent by email or SMS and are valid only for the duration of the clients' stay. Payments are made online, and invoices are issued through Pynbooking and sent to customers by email. The cleaning staff has special housekeeping accounts and is automatically notified of the apartments that need intervention.
“We have become a completely automated property that operates independently of human operators. Pynbooking is now an integral part of the hotel, helping us throughout the entire reservation process, planning cleaning, and generating invoices. I cannot even imagine how we could function without Pynbooking." Nicora Marius Lucian, Gaudi Accommodation
The automation brought by Pynbooking allows Gaudi Accommodation's management to have the necessary freedom to focus on essential activities for the complex. Operational tasks generated by relationships with guests are resolved in a very short time. Staff costs are reduced, and the property is accessible to guests non-stop.
- 95% of the reservations at Gaudi Accommodation are completely automated and do not involve direct interaction with a human operator. The entire process is digitized: reservation, property access, apartment access, accommodation card completion, GDPR agreement, payment, check-out, etc. The operation is simple and intuitive for any age group or education.
“Can you rely solely on self-service and automation? Obviously yes. In two years of activity and several thousand customers, we had only one case where we needed to intervene physically, and this was because the respective client was left without a phone. We have customers over 70 who manage themselves at check-in and check-out, and they are the best example of how simple and intuitive the Pynbooking platform is.” Nicora Marius Lucian, Gaudi Accommodation
- Gaudi Accommodation has reduced staff costs as it operates without human operators at the reception. The Pybooking platform takes the place of 2-3 receptionists, without affecting the quality level of services. On the contrary, many customers appreciate the level of digitization, and during the pandemic/quarantine period, this was a differentiator that ensured a high occupancy rate for the complex.
“Pynbooking is a service that pays itself off very easily. In Gaudi's case, 2-3 receptionists would have been needed to cover the entire schedule, but going exclusively on self-service, we save 2 and a half salaries." Nicora Marius Lucian
- 70-80% of Gaudi Accommodation customers return, satisfied with the services offered and the degree of property digitization. They appreciate the lack of physical contact, the possibility of accommodation in 24/7 mode, easy access to the property, etc. 3 out of 5 reviews highlight the easy accommodation and access system. The automatic reviews generated by Pynbooking greatly help Gaudi Accommodation in its activity, both for positioning (the complex has a rating of 9.82 on Booking.com and 9.8 on the Pynbooking platform) and for obtaining useful feedback and the constant improvement of services.
“Thanks to the digital experience and the comfortable reservation-check-in-checkout process, 70-80% of customers return, obviously motivated by the comfort offered, space, etc. We have customers who have told us they feel at home, have their remote control for opening the access gates and garage, do not go through reception and do not need to interact with the staff, have direct access to the apartments, etc." Nicora Marius Lucian
- Over 50% of reservations are direct, through the website and social media, which reduces commissions paid to intermediaries. Complementary, Pynbooking services also assist with the development of corporate-type contracts, which involve longer-term rentals. The evidence of rental periods, the request for cleaning services, and the issuance of fiscal invoices are carried out on the Pynbooking platform.
“Pynbooking helps us be efficient and reduce costs. At the same time, we offer customers a completely digital experience and gain time to take care of the truly important aspects of our life and business." Nicora Marius Lucian, Gaudi Accommodation.