StayFi Tools Activated
StayFi + Hostfully Impact
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2,000+ verified guest emails collected in one year
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47% direct booking rate (up 5% YoY)
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$203.3K in direct booking revenue (+27% YoY)
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$30.5K saved in OTA commissions
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Occupancy increased 102%
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Centralized guest portal streamlining communication & upsells
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Improved guest satisfaction with fewer repetitive inquiries
From Accidental Hosts to Professional Managers
NexAero didn’t start out as a property management company. Founder Michael & Tammy Louderback originally bought a handful of properties to rent, but once they were live, we quickly saw the larger opportunity in short-term rental management.
“We started by managing our own properties, but before long people found our website and asked us to manage theirs too. That’s when we transitioned into full property management.”
To Start, NexAero leaned heavily on OTAs like Airbnb & VRBO, with up to 80% of bookings coming from a single channel. But as Michael describes it:
“That’s just not healthy. Like a financial portfolio, you need diversification. We realized the best way to create stability for us and our owners was by building a direct booking strategy.”
The Challenge: Too Many Systems, Too Little Data
As NexAero grew, two problems became impossible to ignore:
- Guest data gaps → A 22-person property might only yield 1 name + email from Airbnb.
- Fragmented communication → Guests constantly asked for check-in info, restaurant guides, TV troubleshooting, and more.
- Operational drag → Six different logins for guest resources meant wasted staff time and confused guests.
“We were diverging, not converging. Guests were overwhelmed, and we were wasting time.”
The Solution: A Guest Experience Ecosystem
By integrating StayFi and Hostfully, NexAero built what they now call their “Concierge Guest Portal” — powered by StayFi HomePage + Hostfully Guidebooks. The overarching idea was to create an ecosystem that simplified NexAero Operations, supported Scale Growth, & ultimately elevated Guest Experience.
StayFi WiFi Marketing
- Branded splash page on every property WiFi.
- Captures emails/phone numbers from every guest, not just the booker.
- Expanded NexAero’s guest database from ~300 contacts to 2,000+ and growing fast.
StayFi HomePage
A centralized portal guests access at WiFi login, via QR codes, and through Hostfully messages — linking to:
- House manuals & Hostfully guidebooks
- Local attractions, hikes, and restaurants
- Upsells like early check-in, late checkout, and tours (via HostCo & Viator)
- AI concierge planner through Hostfully Guidebooks
- Home automation controls through Hostfully Devices
- Insurance options through Hostfully Truvi Integration (or any 3rd party damage insurance)
“Instead of sending endless links, now we just say: go to your Guest Portal for your one-stop resource. Guests love it, and it saves us hours of work & confusion.”
Hostfully Guidebooks
With Hostfully deeply integrated into StayFi HomePage, NexAero turned static instructions into a dynamic, guest-friendly hub & experience.
- Video tutorials → “How to reset the WiFi on your TV” became one of the most-used guest resources.
- Local guides → Pre-built recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and hikes via AllTrails and Viator integrations.
- Seamless messaging → All guest communications now link back to the guidebook/HomePage, keeping messaging consistent and professional.
“We’ve built our entire messaging strategy around the Hostfully + StayFi ecosystem. Guests get one link that covers everything — check-in, upsells, local tips, even troubleshooting. It’s efficient for us and stress-free for them.”
The Guest Feedback is significantly more positive!
The Results: Measurable Growth in Just 1 Year
While Mike noted his direct booking rate here is at 25%, we later discovered that with StayFi + Hostfully, NexAero has hit a 47% book direct rate.
The following are the full results of NexAero’s business performance transformation from 2024 to 2025:
- 📧 2,000+ guest emails collected
- 📈 Occupancy up 102%
- 🏡 47% direct booking rate
- 💰 $203.3K in direct booking revenue (+27% YoY)
- 💸 $30.5K saved in OTA commissions
“We look like a big operator, but with the personal feel of a small one. That combination has been a game-changer.”
Campaigns Driving Direct Growth
Using StayFi’s built-in templates, NexAero is running targeted campaigns like:
- End-of-summer availability blasts to past guests.
- Shoulder season discounts for direct bookings.
Rebooking offers to all guests captured at WiFi login (not just the booker).
Tammy commented that, “We’re now sending weekly campaigns — mixing blogs, specials, and booking prompts. We still have a lot to learn, but we don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.”
Advice for Fellow Operators
Michael’s advice to other STR operators:
- Commit to the process → “Direct bookings don’t happen overnight. Build systems block by block.”
- Centralize guest resources → “One guest portal = less guest confusion, less operator stress.”
- Just start marketing → “Send emails, test, improve. Progress matters more than perfection.”
- Stay guest-focused at scale → “This system lets us grow without losing the personal touch.”
Looking Ahead
With StayFi + Hostfully at the core of its tech stack, NexAero plans to:
- Push direct bookings past 50%+ of total revenue.
- Expand upsell automation via The Host Co + Viator.
- Use StayFi HomePage analytics to optimize portal design.
- Keep refining rebooking campaigns to reduce OTA reliance.
- Combine & drive these Standard Work Tools to support our ability to grow at Scale.
Final Word
“StayFi and Hostfully have completely changed our business. We look like a professional, scaled operator while keeping the guest experience personal and high-quality. Honestly, I don’t know if we’d be here without the support we’ve had from their teams.”
— Michael Louderback, NexAero
Ready to build your own guest experience ecosystem?
Book a demo with StayFi and Hostfully to see how.
