.png&w=3840&q=85)
About himgroep
himgroep manages a diverse portfolio of hotels and bars, including four boutique properties in Gelderland, a picturesque province in the Netherlands. They wanted a robust and flexible PMS to streamline their operations - a decision welcomed by their Back Office Manager, Charline Kuster, who oversees all four hotels on her own.
Switching to Mews made a huge difference. With a dedicated onboarding manager guiding her through the transition, Charline felt fully supported. She also praises Mews chatbot as one of the best in the industry, with AI-driven support saving valuable time. Now, with a more efficient system in place, she can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
As a team of one, I love how much repetitive work Mews takes off my plate. I no longer waste time sifting through Excel sheets or chasing payments - it's all automated.
Separate corporate and leisure booking engines
Challenge
Business guests often require extensive email exchanges to confirm bookings, leading to inefficiencies and delays. himgroep wanted to simplify the process while increasing direct bookings.
Solution
Mews Booking Engine streamlined the reservation process by offering two separate booking engines; one for leisure guests and another for corporate guests. Business travelers receive a unique code, allowing them to book seamlessly at their agreed-upon corporate rate. The booking engine also provides clear distinctions between refundable and non-refundable rates, ensuring transparency in pre-payment requirements. And two days before arrival, guests receive an automated email for online check-in, significantly reducing administrative back-and-forth.
Result
- 45% increase in automated direct bookings
- Reduced email exchanges and improved efficiency for business reservations
- Enhanced transparency in booking policies
Mews Booking Engine has increased our direct bookings and made the reservation process so easy. Guests can book and check in with minimal effort, saving time for everyone.
Happier guests with Mews Kiosk and integrated payments
Challenge
Traditional check-ins often lead to long wait times and inefficiencies. himgroep sought to reduce front desk admin and enhance the guest experience by offering a self-service check-in.
Solution
Since introducing Mews Kiosk in Hotel Villa Ruimzicht, guests can check in and out on their own and pay for their stays quickly and conveniently. Through the kiosk, they can upgrade their room, add breakfast, or request a late check-out in just a few taps. Mews Payments further streamlines the guest experience - card details only need to be entered once, making additional charges and refunds effortless. This empowered front office staff to transition from tedious admin work to a more hospitality-focused, concierge-style role.
Result
- Reduced front desk workload and wait times
- Increased upsell opportunities through automated upgrades and add-ons
- Improved guest satisfaction through a smoother check-in experience
Tailoring a modern guest journey for different guest types
Challenge
himgroep wanted to provide personalized experiences for different types of guests - leisure, business and luxury - while reducing manual workload for staff.
Solution
By leveraging direct booking data, himgroep has been able to tailor the guest experience from the moment of booking to arrival. Leisure guests booking through the website can pay either 50% or 100% upfront, while business travelers can bypass prepayments altogether. At Hotel Villa Ruimzicht, a luxury property without a reception desk, guests are welcomed with a drink and guided through a self-check-in experience powered by Mews Kiosk. This personalized approach ensures that every guest - whether seeking speed or a bespoke welcome - receives an experience perfectly suited to their stay.
Result
- Improved guest satisfaction through tailored interactions
Driving additional revenue with Runnr.ai
Challenge
himgroep wanted to enhance guest communication and generate additional revenue from upsells.
Solution
Integrating Runnr.ai, a virtual concierge, allowed himgroep to automate guest interactions via WhatsApp. Immediately after booking, guests receive a confirmation email followed by a WhatsApp message from Runnr.ai. The chatbot answers guest questions about check-in times and breakfast options and shares tips about local attractions, reducing workload for the hotel staff. Additionally, Runnr.ai sends automated messages to guests who had not included breakfast in their booking, prompting them to add it.
Result
- 70 additional breakfasts sold through automated WhatsApp prompts in 2024
- Faster guest responses and improved customer service
- Seamless digital key delivery within two minutes of check-in
"Runnr.ai has transformed our guest communication, making it more interactive and effective. The extra boost in revenue is certainly appreciated."
Integration spotlight
Guestkey by Hotek
Guestkey is a mobile key solution that gives guest access to specific doors in himgroep's hotels, without having to download a new app to their phone. The integration with Mews ensures that any change within Mews Operations is immediately reflected in the guest's access rights, so if they change their room, their mobile key will only work for the new room.
Cendyn
Cendyn Digital Marketing Platform manages and monitors advertising on meta-search platforms via a single dashboard. himgroep can easily manage and control their ad campaigns with live rates and availability pulled from Mews.