How to design an easy guest experience & enhance internal cooperation

YellowSquare, an Italian hostel chain, has in its DNA to be more than a place to stay. The brand focuses on creating a hub of experiences where travellers and locals can meet. 

With a strong focus on catering to millennials and Gen Z, YellowSquare offers not only accommodation but also great bars, restaurants, entertainment and activities, always committed to creating unforgettable memories for its guests. 

To keep fulfilling their purpose and deliver an exceptional experience throughout the entire guest journey, YellowSquare partnered with Bookboost.  

Challenge: Create an effortless experience for guests and communicate during pre-arrival

As the Italian chain started to grow, the challenge of effectively managing and interacting with its customers became evident. They had many communication channels and were looking for a way to provide better customer service, interact effectively with guests and create an effortless experience for them.

On the other hand, they also wanted to engage with their guests before their arrival, to be able to communicate all the other activities and benefits that were part of the brand.

That’s when they discovered Bookboost.

Besides the functionalities, one of the main factors that attracted YellowSquare to Bookboost was the integration with their property management system (PMS), Clock PMS. This integration enabled them to onboard Bookboost and easily export all the data from the PMS into the CRM. 

In addition, both YellowSquare and Bookboost shared the same values and a passion for innovation, which was an important factor when choosing a partner. “When evaluating a partnership I always look to find people alike in what we do and how we think, so we can develop together”, said Marco Coppola, Chief Innovation Officer at YellowSquare. 

Solution: Streamlined communication across departments and personalised marketing campaigns

YellowSquare decided to implement the Bookboost to elevate their guest experience and foster a more personalised communication with guests, and this is how they did it:  

First, they used the Unified Inbox to centralise communications 

They were able to gather all their communication channels into one general overview to save time and effort and ensure no message remained unseen. 

Whether it was Facebook, WhatsApp, or their website, they could now easily review all messages and answer to their guests from one single place, before or during their stay. 

Second, they used collaboration features for communication across departments

They created different inboxes according to their departments. In this way, they could assign the messages to the right person with a single click. This helped the team to streamline processes and improve the communication between their different areas. 

Now all departments can provide the same information and reduce the time they take to answer a question, which translates into a better experience for guests, who don’t have to wait or receive clear answers from the beginning. 

“What radically changed with Bookboost was the communication with guests. You can have the same guest making the same questions via different channels, and having a platform that gathers all the requests is very useful”, said Delianna, Deputy Sales Manager.

Third, they implemented personalised marketing campaigns and closely tracked results

Before, the team at YellowSquare used several platforms to send out communications to guests, which translated into more time needed to create every campaign. After using the Bookboost CRM for their marketing campaigns, not only the time needed was less but the options for personalisation were greater, allowing them to keep the vibe of the brand and transmit it visually to guests.

Regina, part of the Creative team, mentioned: “Before we had different platforms for sending a campaign and we had to gather all emails and contacts. I feel more comfortable using Bookboost because we can have everything in one place: statistics, who clicked, campaigns, and we could even customise it in the way we use it”. 

In addition, they also use the report section to keep a close track of the performance of their campaigns and adapt accordingly. 

Result: Organised data and consistent communication throughout the guest journey

Enhanced communication across departments

The implementation of Bookboost has had an impact not only on the guest experience provided by YellowSquare but also on the team itself. 

By assigning messages consistently to each department they make sure guests are always talking to the right person and receiving the right answer. “Having all conversations in one platform reduces the workload and makes our job easier. The coordination between departments is easier and we can have better communication with guests”, said Delianna. 

Enhanced interactions with guests

The team also uses quick replies in the Unified Inbox to answer guests in a matter of seconds instead of writing the full answer every time. Moreover, they use the chatbot to take over after office hours. 

YellowSquare is all about connecting with guests, and by being able to provide a quick and thoughtful experience to each person at any time of the day, they ensure guests don’t feel left behind. 

Enhanced data management

In addition, by having all the data in one place, they can easily follow every guest and see their complete profile, including past conversations, reservations, and more. This helps them address any issues that may arise and continuously improve their operations. 

“With Bookboost is easy to navigate between conversations. The team loves to have one tool that integrates everything in one place”, added Marco. The data collected from the marketing campaigns has also provided valuable insights for planning and optimising their workflows.

The Italian chain is a unique brand with a unique vision that has found in Bookboost the right partner to transmit their essence to their guests from the booking moment until beyond check-out. “Definitely, I’d recommend Bookboost. They know what they are doing. The value for money is great. If you are a hotel or a hostel looking for a platform to communicate with customers adequately, or manage your data and organise your workflows, Bookboost is a great choice”, concluded Marco.

Main takeaways from YellowSquare

- Look for ways to make your brand memorable

Yellow Square tries to create memorable experiences, not just sell a bed. Think about what sets your brand apart, what unique experiences you can offer and how you can leave a lasting impression on your guests.

- Create an easy guest experience

The easier and more convenient you can make it for your guests, the better. Emphasize the importance of making the guest experience as seamless as possible. This might involve streamlining booking processes, providing clear and helpful information, and being responsive to guest inquiries.

- Always look for ways to enhance team collaboration

Talk about how it is important to get better results as a team. Consider how technology can help your team work together more effectively, share information, and provide consistent responses to guests.