How Waypoint Hotel Streamlined Front Desk Operations, Achieved 39% Mobile Check-Ins and Drove $17K in Upsells With Canary

GUEST EXPERIENCE

Waypoint Hotel, nestled in Bend, Oregon, is a 75-room property renowned for delivering a unique "Bend experience" to outdoor-loving guests. General Manager Jenifer Whang has transformed the hotel's ambiance and services, focusing on outdoor adventure enthusiasts and thoughtful amenities, such as specialized furniture for golf bags and ski clubs.

Why it matters: To create a memorable guest experience, Waypoint Hotel relies on efficient operations and exceptional guest service. Central to achieving this vision is their partnership with Canary Technologies.

Jenifer's vision for Waypoint Hotel is clear: to immerse guests in the essence of Bend. She believes that a seamless and enjoyable stay hinges on efficient operations and a great guest experience. To realize this vision and address the challenges Waypoint Hotel faced, Jenifer and her team turned to Canary Technologies as a partner.

Top 3 Core Objectives: Jenifer's goals for Waypoint Hotel were clear:

Reduce Manual Workload: In light of industry labor shortages, Jenifer sought technology to streamline administrative tasks at the front desk, ensuring a smoother check-in process for both guests and staff.
Speed Up Check-Ins: Manual check-ins were often time-consuming, taking up to five minutes per reservation. Jenifer aimed to facilitate mobile check-ins to expedite the process.
Create Digital Guest Experiences: Recognizing the preference for digital-first experiences among modern travelers, Waypoint Hotel turned to Canary for a tech-forward solution.

Innovators Mentioned

Waypoint Hotel

Canary Technologies

Jenifer Whang

General Manager

Waypoint Hotel

"It’s easy for them to add those requests through Canary. I think that’s what success is - being able to figure out what our customers’ needs and wants are and facilitating communication with us."

Jenifer Whang

General Manager

👍 General Manager Jenifer Whang said that Canary makes it easy for guests to purchase additional services, such as pet fees, late check-outs and wine packages using their mobile phones:

"It’s easy for them to add those requests through Canary. I think that’s what success is - being able to figure out what our customers’ needs and wants are and facilitating communication with us."

⚖️ The selection process: During their research process, Jenifer Whang evaluated Canary Technologies's product differentiators, customer support, and holistic value as a strategic partner and ultimately decided that Canary Technologies was the best fit solution:

General Manager Jenifer Whang said, about their decision: "Canary seemed like a company that would keep adding more technology. Since I became a customer, Canary has already come out with a new product, Digital Tipping. I like companies like Canary, where they're constantly thinking: what else can we do? What else can we add to this platform?"

📈 The results: Waypoint Hotel saw significant improvements through Canary’s Guest Management System:

Improved efficiency: With 39% of guests using Mobile Check-In, the front desk staff processed reservations throughout the day during downtime, saving time during peak periods. Front-desk staff also significantly reduced the time spent checking guests with Mobile Check-In compared to manual check-ins.
Seamless upsells: Canary’s Dynamic Upsells feature generated $17,000 in additional revenue in less than a year, allowing guests to easily purchase services using their mobile phones.
Happier guests: Guests appreciated the convenience of a digital guest journey, resulting in an impressive 4.59 average guest satisfaction rating year-to-date.