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Soy Local Hotels increases direct bookings by 98% with SiteMinder

  Posted in Case Studies  Last updated 22/08/2024

Soy Local Hotels was first established in 2017 in Medellin, Colombia, and it has since expanded its reach to Mexico and Costa Rica. The team’s main goal is to offer great experiences to their customers so they can enjoy the city like locals  – by recommending the best landmarks, sharing useful tips and inviting them to events. They want guests to feel like they’re in home away from home, creating a special connection between them and the destination that keeps them coming back. The group hosts both national and international travellers seeking authentic, relaxing, getaways.

We spoke with Juan Sebastián Jiménez Sánchez, Chief of International Openings and Bookings, about the brand’s journey with SiteMinder’s platform.

Soy Local Hotels

Challenges before tech upgrades

When they started back in 2017, Juan was the Booking Department Manager.

“We relied on two OTAs and managed all of our channels manually”, he explained.

While seeking solutions that could help control distribution, he tried many options without a lot of success. One of the main issues was none of these platforms had an integrated channel manager which could guarantee seamless connection with the group’s property management system (PMS).

“We were always struggling to get a stable connection and it became very frustrating. When we came across SiteMinder, it was like finding light at the end of the tunnel.”

Taking direct bookings was also a problem, since the team was not able to connect the property’s site to their channel manager, which led to guest dissatisfaction. When they chose to implement SiteMinder’s channel manager, there was immediate improvement.

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Achieving goals with superior solutions

Soy Local has a portfolio of 16 hotels, so agility in operation and optimisation is essential. It has been a game changer to be able to cover every need via single platform with SiteMinder. Thanks to SiteMinder, the group now saves precious time which can be invested into nurturing business relationships and offering the best possible experience to customers.

SiteMinder has provided the team with more time, increased revenue, and peace of mind. They know relying on high-performing technology is essential to achieving guest satisfaction.

“We’ve seen a 98% spike in direct bookings in Mexico City thanks to SiteMinder, and we’ve also grown by 105% at Puerto Vallarta with Demand Plus.”

soy local hotels

Cutting costs to boost the bottom line

Juan and Soy Local managed to reduce costs by around 60%, with a particular reduction coming from eliminating the additional effort of managing bookings manually. This has allowed them to focus on boosting their sales and securing more stays.

“It’s not only that we’ve seen a decrease in the time we were spending —it has genuinely transformed our business. What would usually take 8 hours for our staff is now a completely different experience thanks to SiteMinder’s platform.”

Soy Local Hotels has truly found a strategic partner in SiteMinder that has transformed its operations and improved customer experience.

Thank you Juan, for your valued feedback, and we wish Soy Local all the best in the future!