“hotelkit has enabled us to communicate at any time, regardless of which of our different locations we’re in. This has allowed us to ensure a consistently high-quality service in our apartments.”
Josh Fairweather
Guest Experience Manager
SmartRental
SmartRentals Madrid offers guests a unique lodging experience: fully equipped vacation apartments in central locations, including Chueca, Gran Vía, and Puerta del Sol. Accommodating up to eight guests, these apartments serve both business travelers and tourists. Under the motto “Better than a hotel,” the company combines the comfort and independence of apartment living with the service mindset of a hotel.
Challenge
A digital framework for daily operations
SmartRentals’ innovative concept brings with it unique operational challenges. The apartments vary in size and are spread across multiple neighborhoods in Madrid. For management, this meant finding a solution that could facilitate unified and smooth communication across the entire team. Up to that point, it had been difficult to relay information simultaneously to all employees and coordinate tasks efficiently. Particularly in technical operations, there was no centralized system for documenting and tracking repair work.
Daily operations also lacked transparency – it was hard to see which tasks had been completed and where immediate assistance might be needed. The physical separation of team members made continuous coordination difficult without interrupting workflows.
Solution
A central knowledge platform accessible to all
In January 2018, SmartRentals first reached out to hotelkit. Within just one week, everything was ready for onboarding, and the test phase with the full team began in early February. Right from the start, the team made active use of the platform for communication, task delegation, and repair management. The successful trial led to SmartRentals becoming an official hotelkit customer shortly afterward.
Thanks to hotelkit, all team members – regardless of their location – were able to stay on the same page. Repair requests are now clearly documented and sent directly to technicians, who access them on their tablets and begin work immediately. In addition, shift handovers and task checklists enable a clear division of responsibilities and greater accountability in day-to-day operations. Processes have been standardized, and key tasks can be tracked across teams.
hotelkit’s Customer Success Team supported the rollout by helping the hotel management implement additional workflows and templates. Crucially, team involvement from the outset ensured high engagement – employees were actively involved in the training sessions and quickly adopted the system.
Result
Stronger teamwork and consistent quality
Even during the trial phase, hotelkit saw strong engagement from the team – which only increased over time. Shift handovers quickly became an integral part of daily operations, significantly improving cross-team coordination.
Integrated checklists have also proven to be invaluable, helping staff stay organized across all departments – from front desk morning shifts to daily housekeeping routines – and ensuring consistently high service standards in every apartment. Repair management has become much more efficient: technicians receive their tasks digitally and can act immediately without delays. Additional features like internal news updates, the ideas forum, and guest request tracking further enhance communication and collaboration across the team.
With hotelkit, SmartRentals Madrid has established a solution that seamlessly connects communication, coordination, and quality assurance – and continues to optimize its daily processes.
