After a decade with Little Hotelier, Richard from Redcar Staycations decided it was time for a change. Looking for a more affordable system, better support when he needed it, and to make life a little easier, he switched to freetobook.
Since then, he’s seen more direct bookings coming through Google, found new ways to simplify guest communication and made managing his four guest houses easier.
Redcar Staycations is a collection of four terraced guest houses on the south front of Redcar in North Yorkshire. One is a larger property made up of three connected guest houses, alongside three standalone properties along the same stretch of the seafront.
It’s a busy business to keep on top of, so having a booking system that does what it’s supposed to, and people to help when it doesn’t, matters.
Richard had been with Little Hotelier for around 10 years. The system generally worked well, but when something went wrong, getting help could be a different story.
“The system itself worked perfectly well when it was working, but it was glitchy at times. It was quite difficult to resolve the problem. It was time-consuming and time is important to anybody in business.”
Cost was another important factor. With business already tough and competition in the local area growing, Richard felt like he was paying too much for a system that wasn’t always giving him what he needed.
“Another reason we left Little Hotelier is that the cost was very, very high.”
After a decade with the same provider, changing systems might sound like a lot of hassle. But Richard found the move to freetobook straightforward, with the video help resources getting him through most of the setup.
And whenever he had a question, he could simply pick up the phone.
“The beauty of freetobook is you ring the number, and someone answers the phone within seconds.”
Richard mentions that he contacted the team several times during the transition and while getting to grips with the system. He found it easy to get answers quickly, without the lengthy waits he’d experienced previously.
“And if it isn’t straight away, literally within 30 seconds, it’s brilliant service. That’s definitely freetobook’s strongest point.”
When Richard left his previous PMS, the diary was practically empty. Since switching to freetobook, he’s seen a significant improvement in bookings and recently checked his diary to find occupancy at 86%.
Alongside the changes in the local market, Richard believes that improving the property’s online presence and making use of more booking opportunities have helped bring in additional guests.
One of the biggest differences has been seeing bookings come directly from Google. Before switching, most of their bookings came through Booking.com. Now, with freetobook’s Google Zero (also known as Google Free Booking Links) and Google Hotel Ads, Richard is now reaching guests who can book directly with Redcar Staycations instead.
“We never used to get bookings really from anywhere other than Booking.com. But now I’m seeing bookings coming in directly from Google. It’s really nice to see.”
After just a few months, around 15% of his bookings now come directly from Google, according to Richard. And while that might sound like a small slice of the diary, he knows what it means for his business.
“It’s probably only 15% of our bookings. But it’s 15% we wouldn’t have.”
Those direct bookings also mean he doesn’t have to pay the commission he’d otherwise pay on an OTA booking, helping him keep more of the money from each stay.
There was another discovery during the switch too. Heather, freetobook’s Account Manager, looked at his Google Business Profile and found that it had been sitting there, untouched, for years.
“I didn’t even know we had a Google Business page, but Heather found it, and it hadn’t been updated since, like, the 70s!”
The photos were very out of date, and the descriptions needed a refresh. With everything updated, guests searching for the properties could get a much better idea of what Redcar Staycations had to offer.
“We’ve updated everything: photos, descriptions. I think all these different little avenues of advertising have dragged all those extra bookings in. It’s definitely unbelievable.”
Richard usually looks after maintenance and the general running of the properties, rather than dealing with bookings every day. But since making the switch, he’s found himself getting more involved and discovering features that make the job easier.
One he’s particularly pleased with is freetobook’s new drag-and-drop feature. If a guest needs to change their dates or move to another room, Richard can simply move the booking within the diary. No need to work through a series of steps; just click, drag and drop.
“It’s very handy if people change plans. You can easily just go and move it up or down days, change rooms, move it. It’s great.”
For a business managing several guest houses, being able to make adjustments quickly is useful. Richard likes that the feature makes an already straightforward task even easier.
“I mean, it’s quite easy to change the booking anyway on the diary, but you know, with just the click of a mouse, it’s great.”
It’s one of the several things he’s discovered as he’s become more familiar with the system. Richard admits there’s always something new to learn, but he’s found it approachable without being particularly confident with tech.
“I’m not really a computer person, so I don’t think anyone would struggle with the freetobook system.”
It’s not just the booking diary that’s making life easier. Richard has also been using Messaging to keep in touch with guests throughout their stay.
He’s set up scheduled messages: one before arrival with check-in information, another after guests have arrived to see how they’re getting on, and one at the end of their stay. The messages go out automatically, so there’s no need to remember to send each one. More importantly, they give guests an easy way to flag a problem while they’re still there.
“The freetobook Messaging feature is brilliant because you get constant feedback from the guests during the stay.”
Richard explains that, in the past, guests might not mention something as simple as a room being too hot or too cold, or not having enough coffee, until they were checking out. By then, it was too late to do anything to resolve it. Now, he has a chance to put things right before the guest leaves.
“With this Messaging service, because you’re sending a message to them as soon as they’ve checked in, you get instant feedback, and we can do what we need to do.”
Heather also suggested Richard give GuestAppy a try during setup. It’s one of those recommendations he’s particularly glad he took.
GuestAppy automatically sends guests their check-in instructions before arrival, taking another routine task off Richard’s hands. It works alongside his scheduled messages, helping guests get the information they need and giving the team a chance to check that everything is okay once they’ve arrived.
“GuestAppy lets you carry on with your day because it automatically sends out the check-in procedure for arrival. So, you don’t have to think about that; it just happens automatically.”
For Richard, that’s the real beauty of it; the routine stuff happens in the background, while he gets on with everything else that comes with running the business.
Richard estimates that more than 90% of his guests are now more than happy with their stay, and he’s even more pleased that guests want to return.
When asked whether he’d recommend GuestAppy to other accommodation owners, he was emphatic:
“I would definitely recommend GuestAppy; it’s a cost worth paying.”
Ask Richard what he likes most about freetobook, and it’s not just one feature. It’s how everything works together, from bringing in direct bookings through Google to making changes in the diary and keeping guests informed.
More of the monotonous jobs happen automatically, and he doesn’t have to spend as much time fiddling with the system or trying to sort out problems.
“We do find that the system now is kind of looking after itself, and everything happens as it should. It’s a lot more automated. I think that’s the best thing about the whole system.”
He’s still discovering new features, but he’s found it easy enough to learn as he goes. And when he does need help, he knows he can speak to someone who understands his question and can help resolve it.
“The team at freetobook is the biggest asset. Everybody that I speak to is so knowledgeable. When there are any issues, I’ve never had to wait. I can’t think of a time I’ve had a question that wasn’t resolved.”
That combination of a system that’s easier to manage and a team that’s there when you need them has made the switch worthwhile for Redcar Staycations.
Absolutely. Richard’s costs are now around 30% of what he was paying Little Hotelier; he’s seeing direct bookings from Google that he wasn’t getting before, and he has more of the day-to-day running of his guest houses taken care of automatically.
“We haven’t found a single downside since switching to freetobook.”
There’s still one property to move across from the old system, but Richard plans to get that sorted too.
After 10 years with the same PMS, he’s found that changing systems doesn’t have to be a headache, especially when you’ve got people on hand to help you through it.
And for Richard, being able to spend less time worrying about the system and more time getting on with running Redcar Staycations has made the difference.
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