Case Study

How Ouklip Place Bed and Breakfast saves time, improves operational structures, and boosts direct business with Little Hotelier

Zidane Doshi

Little Hotelier · 9月 30, 2024

"Ouklip Place Bed and Breakfast’s story began in December 2019, when owner Gloria Matshusa used her retirement package to pay off the bond of her property in Roodepoort, South Africa and convert it into a guesthouse. She started with only three rooms. Since then, she has hired two staff members and expanded her business to nine distinct rooms. Apart from the modern amenities, lush garden and refreshing pool, guests especially appreciate and often return for Gloria’s warm and friendly service as Ouklip Place B&B is a 100% owner-managed establishment."

Why it matters: Gloria had to be present to manage bookings from OTAs, Airbnb and direct channels but despite her best efforts, she struggled with double bookings, overbooking and lost reservations.

Looking for a fast and seamless booking system.

Top 3 Core Objectives: Transform manual operations via a seamless system and accessible via mobile.

All in one platform: Manage bookings from multiple channels in a single platform and reducing the need for manual updates that could lead to errors.
Updates inventory in real-time: Adjust rates regularly to meet market demands.
Sends confirmation messages automatically: Provide a smooth booking process with quick confirmation.

"In the past, my business often felt messy. I honestly don’t know how I survived without Little Hotelier. Implementing it has made my life so much simpler. It helps me organise my operation and gives me peace of mind. If you’re struggling with that, too, and want to see the same positive effect at your property, you need to try Little Hotelier."

Gloria Matshusa

Owner

👍 Owner Gloria Matshusa said that Little Hotelier simplifies Ouklip Place's operations and brought peace of mind:

"In the past, my business often felt messy. I honestly don’t know how I survived without Little Hotelier. Implementing it has made my life so much simpler. It helps me organise my operation and gives me peace of mind. If you’re struggling with that, too, and want to see the same positive effect at your property, you need to try Little Hotelier."

⚖️ The selection process: During their research process, Gloria Matshusa evaluated Little Hotelier's product differentiators, customer support, and holistic value as a strategic partner and ultimately decided that Little Hotelier was the best fit solution:

Owner Gloria Matshusa said, about their decision: "The onboarding specialist I worked with was great. After just a couple of meetings, my guesthouse was live on Little Hotelier. I never thought it would go so quickly."

📈 The results: Ouklip Place automated operations, eliminated overbookings, and boosted direct bookings while reducing OTA commissions. The business now runs smoothly, presents a professional image, and consistently provides a seamless guest experience.

“Everything runs via the system now. It processes bookings and online payments, updates inventory in real time and sends out confirmation messages automatically. I no longer have problems with overbookings and my business runs smoothly even while I’m out. That’s a huge relief.” She said.
"We’re almost always fully booked, and our direct business often outnumbers OTA-reservations. Sometimes we go entire weeks with only direct bookings. Our commission payments have gone down drastically. What we save more than covers the cost of Little Hotelier." She said.
"The business makes a more professional impression now. Our online presence looks great and makes new guests feel confident and safe when booking with us. Then they often return because everything is well-managed during their stay, too.” She said.