What used to be a juggling act is now effortless, thanks to STAAH’s automation and global connectivity tools.
Tucked away in the heart of Forster, New South Wales, Australia, Forstay Motel is the kind of place that makes you instantly feel at ease. It’s simple, comfortable, and perfectly located for anyone wanting to soak up the laid-back beach vibes of this beautiful coastal town.
You won’t find a pool or restaurant on-site – but that’s part of the charm. Everything you need is just a five-minute walk away. At Forstay, it’s all about keeping things easy and enjoyable: clean, air-conditioned rooms, a kettle for your morning cuppa, a microwave and toaster for quick bites, and even a BBQ stove for those classic Aussie evenings. It’s the perfect spot to relax, recharge, and explore Forster at your own pace.
The challenge: managing multiple channels without losing control
Running a busy motel in a popular destination means juggling bookings from different online channels, and that’s exactly where the Forstay team faced challenges. Overbookings are not fun, especially during busy periods as the Forstay team highlights.
The team knew they needed a smarter, more efficient way to manage reservations and ensure availability was always accurate across all their channels.
The STAAH solution: automation and ease of use
When Forstay Motel took over operations, they inherited STAAH MAX, and it quickly became clear why the previous owners chose it.
They decided to stick with STAAH because of its simplicity and reliability, without compromising on continuous improvements that allow connected customers to rise up to the new challenges faced by the travel and hospitality industry.
With STAAH MAX and the STAAH Channel Manager, Forstay now manages all online bookings from one central dashboard – no more switching between online travel agents (OTAs) or worrying about double bookings. STAAH’s SwiftBook helps drive direct reservations through their website, and its smart features, including dynamic pricing & inventory management, promotions and reporting, combined with its user friendliness (both for administrators and customers who book using this engine), have been critical in keeping independent properties such as Forstay ahead of the game.
The results: better occupancy and more time to focus on guests
Though the team has only been using STAAH for about 14 months, they’re already seeing the difference. Detailed analysis is in progress, but the improvement in occupancy is notable with STAAH.
Whilst the commercial gains are a cherry on the cake; the bonus has been the reduced administrative burden of updating rates and maintaining parity. Built-in revenue optimisation features have also meant improved profitability of converted booking.
This is just the start of the new Forstay team’s journey with STAAH. They know there is more to come, and the recent impressive upgrade of STAAH MAX, where it released more features, is a testament to that.
Looking ahead
Forstay Motel may be small, but with STAAH’s technology behind them, their reach is growing far beyond Forster’s shores. With automation, visibility, and ease of use all in one platform, they’re confident about continuing their upward journey – welcoming more happy guests, stress-free.
