Selected Property Management

How did you start working as a Property Manager?

It was 2014, and I didn’t even know this profession existed, so I began almost unintentionally.

It was the natural evolution of my journey in the hospitality sector, which started as a concierge in luxury hotels and continued as a property manager. Things were going well, and my strategies worked, but for me, renting wasn’t just burdensome—it was a matter of principle.

So, I gave it all up and started alone with a few consulting projects and one client who entrusted me with a beautiful guesthouse in Piazza Navona. Today, he is a loyal client, and our agency manages 15 properties in Rome, all under property management: the owner enjoys their life while we handle everything.

The properties are mostly leisure-focused, with 90% of guests coming from abroad.

I started as a Revenue Manager, so I know the less you give to OTAs, the better. We are present on Booking.com, Expedia, and Agoda for the Asian market, but about 30% of our bookings come directly thanks to our Revenue strategies.

At first, I thought, “Here comes a software that wants to steal my job!” But then I realized Smartpricing wasn’t my rival but a partner supporting me. As a Revenue Manager, I could use it even better: the algorithm aligns with my strategy, and on top of that, I leverage its full power to constantly monitor the market.

Why did a Revenue Manager like you decide to try Smartpricing?

When my PMS, Octorate, informed me about its integration with Smartpricing, I immediately checked out your website. At first, I thought, “Here comes a software that wants to steal my job!”

Then I studied your solution and competitors and understood that Smartpricing wasn’t my rival but a partner supporting me.

As someone experienced in Revenue Management, I could leverage it even better, and since it was integrated with my PMS, I was confident about its ease of use.

My main need was to optimize my time. In the agency, I’m the only one handling marketing and pricing, and to do pricing well, you need to stay on top of it, stay focused, and dedicate plenty of time.

How did you manage rates before Smartpricing?

Revenue Management only works if you do it almost 24/7. Before Smartpricing, I worked on rates every morning, during lunch, and even before dinner.

When I had to focus on something else and only checked rates every 36 hours, I felt guilty because I knew I was losing out.

I love numbers, statistics, and Revenue Management. It’s satisfying to see that even in low season, I can sell for more than twice as much as others. But I also want to scale my agency and grow in the training field.

That’s why I concluded I needed support to allow me to focus on everything else.

How has Smartpricing affected your work?

Now I no longer have dark circles under my eyes! Joking aside, we work a lot with the American and Asian markets, and the time zones made it physically impossible for me to monitor prices properly all the time. Like everyone else, I’m human and need sleep.

With Smartpricing, I know the algorithm is aligned with my strategy, and I leverage its full power to constantly monitor the market, essentially “24/7.”

We saw immediate results: after setting it up in December, I let it work, and by January, it had already brought us back to pre-pandemic revenue, doubling occupancy and achieving more than double the revenue compared to the previous January.

Other essential benefits are the time saved and the peace of mind. That same January, I went on vacation for three weeks—something I hadn’t done in a long time, especially not so calmly. Even when I traveled, I used to dedicate at least two hours a day to revising rates. This was the first time I didn’t have to think about it; I only needed to check how bookings were coming in.

Now I save about three hours a day that I can dedicate to training, consulting, and growing my agency.

Would you go back?

No. As property managers, we earn based on revenue—we don’t have fixed fees, and everything depends on our efforts. In this case, my effort lies in handling rates.

It’s a job I love, but it’s also a significant responsibility. Knowing that with Smartpricing, I can make the most of every minute of every day gives me immense peace of mind.