Short-term rentals: How KeyNest have supported GuestReady through their global growth

Partner
GuestReady
Industry
Short & Mid-Term Rentals
Product used
KeyNest Points
Location
50+ cities across the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, Dubai & Saudi Arabia
Challenge
In-person check-ins became unsustainable at scale, and lockboxes created issues with key status tracking and accountability
Result
API integration automates key collection at scale, giving operations a live overview of every key's status and eliminating missing keys

"Thanks to the shared API, we don't have to manually book and set up key collections. It's all done automatically at scale, so our operations team can now shift their focus elsewhere."

Nazreen Jamaludin

UK Operations Team Lead

KEY SUMMARY

  • The Partner: GuestReady, an award-winning global short and mid-term rental company operating in 50+ cities across the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia.
  • The Challenge: In-person check-ins became unsustainable as the company scaled, and lockboxes introduced problems with key status tracking and accountability.
  • How did GuestReady use KeyNest?: They adopted KeyNest Points with a full API integration, automating key collection and giving operations a live overview of every key's location and status.
  • Key Results:
    • Fully Automated Key Coordination - Collections are booked and set up automatically at scale, freeing the operations team to focus elsewhere.
    • Fewer Guest Calls and Messages - Magic Links keep guests informed on key status directly, reducing inbound queries.
    • A Dependable Expansion Partner - New Points are organised within days whenever GuestReady launches in a new city.

Launched in 2016, GuestReady Group is an award-winning global leading short and mid-term rental company that provides quality management services to property owners and amazing stays to guests. It currently operates in 50+ cities across the United Kingdom, France, Portugal and Spain, as well as in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Its mission is to help owners save time and turn their investments into a profitable source of income by using technology to bring the tradition of hospitality to the short and medium let market. 



It is present across several booking platforms, including its own direct booking website, and has its own state-of-the-art PMS, RentalReady - which includes game-changing features such as listing management, guest and host communication, housekeeping planning, pricing optimisation and channel management. With a TrustPilot score of 4.8/5, it’s the preferred choice of 4,000+ properties all over the world.


Dependable Check-In Solutions

"Originally, when the business started, we used to do the check-ins, in person. It worked well, but because the company grew rapidly, and expanded quickly, it became unsustainable to continue to stick to an operationally-heavy solution like this. We have also tried lockboxes but found out that there’s an issue with key status tracking, and key accountability."

Nazreen Jamaludin

UK Operations Team Lead

Nazreen goes on to say how GuestReady needed a solution that would help maintain a high-quality experience for all guests. However, the solution would also need to be able to support any expansion plans, which quickly led Nazreen to KeyNest.


API integration working with Operations


The rapid growth that GuestReady faced meant that they used KeyNest in the early stages of the company. Since then, guests and agents have been able to conveniently collect keys to the property at a nearby KeyNest Point - usually a 24/7 convenience store or cafe. With everything managed online, it provides a clear overview of the operations behind the key exchange. 


GuestReady’s use of the API integration system has seamlessly assisted in their key coordination process. The system has centralised the way in which guests and contractors are able to check-in and pick up keys with the automated code creations and instructions. 

With KeyNest, GuestReady’s operations team has a full live overview of all the keys status’ and information about time and location stamps during the key exchange. This helps to eliminate the issue of missing keys.

"Thanks to the shared API, we don’t have to manually book and set up key collections. It’s all done automatically at scale, so our operations team can now shift their focus elsewhere. We fully trust KeyNest to handle the keys."

Nazreen Jamaludin

UK Operations Team Lead

Keeping the Guests in the Loop



GuestReady made full use of the new KeyNest features, like Magic Links. Magic Links are automatically sent to the guests who're going to pick up the keys, and displays the live status of the keys in an email. In the email they are also able to see whether they’re available for pick up, and a countdown to the time when the key will be available.

It also serves as a source of all the information they need for the pick up. This helps to explain the process to guests and keeps them informed on their keys’ status, and reduces the number of calls or messages GuestReady would normally receive.

The Importance of 24/7 Customer Service

In hospitality, since it’s a people’s business, unexpected things happen and it’s important to react fast, solve problems quickly, and deliver the best quality of experience for both owners and guests. GuestReady, being a brand focused on creating perfect experiences, were specific about delivering smooth check-ins and key drop-offs for every person involved. 


KeyNest’s customer service is available 24/7 and in multiple languages, creating a dependable “safety net” for any key-related issue. It complements GuestReady's operating hours: as they service check-ins and key drop-offs in the early morning and late-night. 

“I know I can rely on KeyNest whenever there’s an issue: sometimes it’s really just about helping a guest communicate with the shopkeeper in a local language, other times it’s about assisting in locating a KeyNest Point. When I give KeyNest a call asking for someone’s details on a case, they get back to me, usually within minutes with a full overview of the situation. KeyNest team is extremely helpful - and always so nice to speak with."

Nazreen Jamaludin

UK Operations Team Lead

A Reliable Expansion Partner

GuestReady is actively expanding its operations and opening services in new countries and new cities. Already present in over 50 cities in Europe and the Middle East, including world tourism capitals such as London, Paris, Lisbon, and Dubai.  GuestReady has recently launched its presence in Spain. 

“Whenever I am tasked with setting up operations in new locations, I give Jalal (KeyNest Operations Manager) a call. We check if KeyNest already has any Points available nearby, and if not, Jalal organises new Points to open - within a couple of days I get a message with information about the locations opened just for us. KeyNest became a fully dependable expansion partner for our operations."

Nazreen Jamaludin

UK Operations Team Lead

The KeyNest network has been ideal for GuestReady’s expansion plans. Without KeyNest, it would mean setting up a full on-site team in any given location, which can significantly increase costs. By relying on Points, GuestReady no longer have to use lockboxes, which typically result in mistakes and less-than-perfect guest experiences.

GuestReady also operates in France, learn more about how they use KeyNest here

 
keynest points, short or mid term rentalsGuest User