Since appointing Apaleo, Koncept Hotels has benefitted from limitless flexibility to create its preferred property management tech stack. Apaleo’s API-first MACH architecture empowers property managers to seamlessly integrate a diverse range of best-in-breed third-party applications, ensuring continuous customisation and modernisation.
MUNICH – Apaleo, the open property management platform for hospitality, has been appointed by Koncept Hotels to hardwire automation into its guest journey and operations.
Established in 2017, the holistically sustainable hotel group is at the forefront of the hotel industry’s transformation, offering a digitised, self-service hotel concept with a focus on sustainable business practices. It operates six properties in Germany and Switzerland, welcoming over 100,000 guests annually.
Koncept Hotels’ staffless operating model was rooted in a desire to overcome the industry’s labour shortage and combat the sector’s contribution to climate change. To help achieve its mission, the company needed a modern platform to replace its existing property management software, automate operational processes and support its movement into multi-property management.
Sabine Schrempp, Revenue & Capacity Manager at Koncept Hotels, said: “Transitioning to Apaleo has been a game-changer, giving us the freedom and flexibility to really determine what works for us. It’s been a learning curve, identifying pain points and refining automations, and the impact it’s had on our workflows is undeniable.
“Apaleo has enabled us to make significant strides in automating our processes. With our previous PMS, staff and night auditors had to manage each booking manually. Now, reservations are automated, smooth and easy to manage. A huge success for us has been in payment processing, which is a crucial element for our digital operations. Payments and invoicing are now 100% automated, meaning we no longer have to think about them. That’s been a huge win for us.”
Transitioning from its previous all-in-one PMS to Apaleo was easy thanks to Apaleo’s dedicated Customer Success team. A dedicated Customer Success Manager handled the onboarding process and the hotel group benefits from 24/7 support whenever needed.
Apaleo’s API-first approach has also empowered the hotel group to foster an environment of experimentation and collaboration among staff to continually refine its operations.
“There are no limitations – only endless possibilities,” continued Sabine. “We now operate a ‘test and iterate’ approach to innovation. The team shares ideas and trends in a WhatsApp group, and the very next day we’re able to test it with no-code and low-code automation, thanks to Apaleo’s integration with Make.com. It means we’re never doing the same thing we did yesterday or repeating mistakes. It’s like a vast playground for big kids, where we can experiment, try, and play freely.”
This has a huge impact on the guest experience, which has become frictionless, immediate and personalised, so that guests don’t miss on-site staff. With more free time, employees have additional time to dedicate to creating a unique guest experience.
“Automating our workflows means our employees have more time to focus on guests, becoming hosts rather than administrators” added Sabine. “We now operate a more efficient, dynamic and digitally advanced operation.”
Florian Montag, VP of Business Development at Apaleo, said: “Digital guest journeys that unlock seamless and superior service at staffless hotels represent the biggest shift in the hospitality industry right now. Koncept Hotels are at the forefront of this trend but it wouldn’t be possible without the composable hospitality facilitated by an API-first platform. With this approach, the Koncept team will be able to continually improve the way they deliver for guests, knowing their tech stack need never become out of date.
“A dedicated Customer Success Manager personally guided the Koncept team through the onboarding process, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition from their legacy software without disruption. Switching systems while running a business can be both overwhelming and complex for hoteliers, which is why the personal support never stops. Our Customer Success Manager is still in touch with the team about the daily needs of Koncept today.
“Operators of all kinds, across both the hotel and serviced apartment sector, are stepping away from traditional property management software because it’s only a matter of time before it is rendered out of date. We’re excited to support Koncept Hotels as it continues to scale and overcome the twin challenges of labour shortages and sustainability goals, while providing a transformational digital experience for guests.”
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