A price list taped to a wall
When it came to modernizing operations and driving efficiency, there was plenty of room for improvement. Instead of a PMS, the team at Hotel Quellenhof used Microsoft Excel and managed its few OTAs, like Booking.com, manually. Prices were fixed year-round – as Hendrik puts it, “our price list was literally a sheet of paper on the wall next to the telephone.”
They clearly needed a modern solution to help automate and streamline operations, capture lost revenue, and better cater to the needs of the modern traveler.
The 80-year-old grandfather test
Hendrik explored a few options, but with his background in web and software design, the Cloudbeds Platform and its user experience really stood out. Even with absolutely no experience in hospitality, he was able to implement and start using it quickly.
The rest of the team has also experienced the platform’s ease of use. Despite language barriers, onboarding was still relatively fast and easy. As Hendrik puts it,
My 80-year-old grandfather was able to comfortably work with it within a couple of days.
Hendrik has also modernized the guest experience by making use of the Cloudbeds API to integrate with his own guest app. “We built our own guest app so guests can scan a QR code and have an A to Z of listings, FAQs, and a Whatsapp link to management, ” explained Hendrik.
Finally, a welcome mat for the digital world
Facilitating the seamless connection to – and simplified management of – multiple OTAs, Cloudbeds has helped significantly boost Hotel Quellenhof’s visibility and bookings, while also eliminating overbookings.
For us as a property, a big thing is being able to connect to OTAs, and doing that in a really easy way helps us manage what's going on. We don't have any overbookings or issues. We're able to easily connect to new OTAs which helps us drive revenue.
Hendrik also believes that Cloudbeds’ latest version of the booking engine has helped drive more direct bookings by improving guests’ booking experiences. “Our guests are funneled in the right direction and they have a pleasant way of completing their booking. That’s a crucial part of getting more direct bookings. The focus on imagery as well as the shopping cart, is something I really really like about it,” says Hendrik.
From a fixed price list to a 120% revenue leap
To better understand how the property is performing and identify areas for improvement, Hendrik makes use of Cloudbeds’ powerful, hospitality-focused reporting capabilities. As he puts it, “I’m a big fan of it. It gives me insights on the numbers and where we’re standing.” When it comes to optimizing revenue with automated room pricing, Hendrik makes use of Cloudbeds’ seamless integration with RoomPriceGenie – one of the many revenue management tools available in the Cloudbeds Marketplace.
Additionally, Cloudbeds allows Hendrik to run the property remotely from his laptop, tablet, or phone.
Without Cloudbeds I wouldn't be able to run the property. I'm not on site and I don't want to be. So I need something that I can access from anywhere in the world. So that's a big plus point.
Overall, Hendrik highly recommends hoteliers use Cloudbeds, “It’s a tool that enables me to live a different life to most hoteliers. The easy to use interface, the easy connection to OTAs, the easy reporting, and managing all reservations. For me it’s a lot of freedom that I get from using Cloudbeds. It’s a tool that makes running a hotel fun.”
