When Blue Beds first opened, the business was burning a lot of cash, beds were empty and employee morale was low. The founders made a decision to live in the hostel for 6 months where they could interact with their guests 24/7. They took this time to get feedback from their guests and truly understand why their guests booked and why they would book again. From this feedback, they were able to craft a better message to prospective travelers and tout the benefits of their hostel – from fresh clean white linens to impeccable guest service and an unbeatable location in one of the poshest areas of the city.
When Blue Beds was evaluating different solutions, they knew they wanted an all-in-one, cloud-based solution that would help them automate their operations. Since they were a new business, they were also price conscious and need an affordable option. During the demo, they were immediately wowed by the “spectacular calendar.” In addition to the functionality of Cloudbeds, Akshay notes that they were also impressed by the sales and implementation teams who were readily accessible for any question. This high-level of personalized service was very important to them.
When Blue Beds entered the market, their prices were more than 3x higher than other hostels in Jaipur. In addition to communicating the value proposition of their hostel to justify higher prices, they needed to adjust rates on the fly. Because the Cloudbeds’ channel distribution system through myallocator is very simple, they can easily adjust the markup to set off commissions on specific channels. That simplicity allowed Blue Beds to change the channel based pricing while the base rates adjustment depending on seasonality.
Because the software is user-friendly and convenient, the Blue Beds team notes that they actually save on employee costs. From the calendar view, their front desk staff can access all the reservation details and this makes it easy to split reservations. They rely on Cloudbeds’ cash drawer and reporting to run their accounting. In addition, they use the automated email system to communicate with guests and provide an exceptional experience. These time-saving tools allow the Blue Beds team to provide exceptional guest service, including insider tips to the city.
—Akshay Shivpuri The email automation feature has reduced a lot of redundant work and helped Blue Beds generate reviews, which has been integral to their business growth. The seamless integration of the PMS, channel manager, and payments have allowed the team to reduce unnecessary paperwork, data entry, and manual tasks. With a solid foundation established, the founders are now looking ahead to the future by continuing to innovate to provide the best guest experience and driving direct bookings through their own website.
