When everything around you is uncertain, the most important thing is that operations keep running calmly.
During a major ownership transition impacting multiple former Selina properties in South America, Cloudbeds became the operational foundation that allowed hotels to exit a proprietary property management system (PMS), transition systems quickly, and continue operating without disruption.
The deflagging challenge: Keep hotels open while everything changes
Juan Zerbo, who was overseeing 8 properties throughout Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Chile, and part of the leadership team during the transition, recalls a period defined by pressure and uncertainty.
“There were moments when we didn’t have answers yet,” he explains. “So our responsibility was to protect hotel teams from the chaos and allow them to keep operating calmly.”
With hotels still open and staff relying on stable systems, leadership focused on one priority: maintaining day-to-day operations while navigating ownership and brand changes in parallel.
“As long as the hotels were standing, guests were arriving, and systems were working, service had to remain the focus,” Juan says.
A multi-property system change under tight timelines
At the operational level, Ignacio Olmedo oversaw five properties across Argentina and Chile, and was responsible for staffing, training, maintenance, compliance, and guest experience.
As part of the deflagging process, the group transitioned away from Winks, Selina’s proprietary PMS, and migrated onto the Cloudbeds PMS and Channel Manager for the newly formed portfolio.
“This was a complex moment,” Ignacio explains. “The transition happened very quickly, and operations couldn’t stop.”
The team had critical deflagging requirements:
- Minimal disruption for front desk teams
- A fast exit from the outgoing system
- Continuity of active reservations
- Live OTA connectivity
These requirements aren’t unique.
See what needs to be in place before brand systems are switched off.
From planning to live operations in days
The Cloudbeds rollout followed a structured, property-by-property approach designed to minimize risk and downtime.
Each implementation included:
- Defined go-live dates per property
- Configuration of room types, rate plans, and products
- Import of existing reservations from the previous PMS
- Validation of payments, folios, and front desk workflows
- OTA reconnection and availability checks
- Targeted training for reception and operations teams
The timeline depended on the size of each property. Larger locations were live in two and a half to three days. Smaller properties went live in a day and a half to two days, already operating with reservations transferred.
3 days
max for Cloudbeds to be live/property
This speed allowed properties to exit the outgoing system quickly, avoid extended overlap, and regain operational control almost immediately.
Maintaining revenue and guest experience
During deflagging, maintaining distribution and payment visibility is critical. Cloudbeds provided stable OTA connectivity and clear operational visibility during the transition.
“Cloudbeds gave us better daily control,” Ignacio explains. “Reporting, payments, and front desk operations were more intuitive, which is fundamental during moments of change.”
With Cloudbeds PMS and Channel Manager in place, hotels continued to manage availability, rates, and reservations without interrupting the guest experience.
Getting teams operational fast
Technology transitions succeed only if teams can adopt them quickly. Leadership focused on transparency and stability, while Cloudbeds supported rapid onboarding.
“As with any change, the first days were challenging,” Ignacio notes. “But the Cloudbeds team understood the urgency and supported us closely.”
Training prioritized essential daily workflows first, with teams supported by Cloudbeds University, which provided on-demand articles and videos for self-guided learning.
“Once you understand how the system works, it becomes much easier,” Ignacio adds. “Most teams were comfortable with the essentials within four to six weeks.”
4-6 weeks
for the core hotel team to feel comfortable
Why Cloudbeds works in deflagging scenarios
Compared to the outgoing proprietary system, Cloudbeds proved easier to adopt under pressure.
“It was more intuitive and visual,” Ignacio says. “It gave us stronger operational control during a difficult moment.”
For Juan, responsiveness and partnership mattered just as much as technology.
“For a global company, Cloudbeds maintains very close relationships with hotels,” he explains. “They respond quickly, provide training, and stay present when it matters.”
Turning deflagging into forward momentum
Deflagging is never easy. But with the right technology partner and a disciplined operational approach, it does not have to result in disruption.
“Everything passes,” Juan reflects. “And when you look back, these moments become powerful learning experiences.”
By enabling rapid system exit, reservation continuity, OTA stability, and fast team onboarding, Cloudbeds helped these properties navigate a critical transition while keeping hotels open, teams focused, and guests served.
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