Case Study

Brand Expansion through Guest Experience and Communication

"We have diverse guests with varying communication preferences. Enso helps us streamline when and how we communicate, making our messaging more effective. It reduces the need for us to be on call 24/7, as it allows guests to find answers on their own before reaching out."

Challenges

Connect and Optimize the Tech Stack

Adapt to Guests' Preferences for Self-Service and Texting

Compete with Major Market Players that Have Big Teams

Goals

Build Systems to Support Growth

Grow from 8 to 20+ Listings by End of Year

Expand in 5 More Locations

The Problem

Lifestyle Communities is expanding its brand to short-term guests in multi-family residential communities. The challenge is to efficiently manage growth while providing a seamless and personalized guest experience, associated with the LC brand.

This expansion requires various software solutions to streamline operations, pricing, communication, and guest services. There is a need to ensure that these systems work effectively together.

Additionally, they seek to adapt to changing guest expectations, such as a preference for text-based communication and self-service options. The goal is to maintain a balance between personal interactions and automation, communicating with guests on their terms.

LC and it’s small team is competing with larger operators and needs to maximize efficiency.

The Solution

Leveraging 20 years of resident experience and new technology, LC combines the best of both worlds. They use Hostaway for efficient property management and Enso Connect to automate personalized guest communication and enhance their stay experience. LC extends its brand offering of elevated experience to short-term rental guests. The example can be personalized notes in the properties or access to communal amenities, such as the bar, coffee lounge or fitness centre.

Enso’s unified inbox centralizes guest messages across various platforms, enabling the LC team to be available almost 24/7. Enso seamlessly integrates with other software in LC’s tech stack, ensuring optimal use of technology.

The Boarding Pass serves as a convenient one-stop source for guests, providing easy access to stay information while enhancing team efficiency.

2.42

ROI on Enso Connect

162

Growth in 9 Months

2,158

Generated with Upsells in 6 Months

“The Boarding Pass is all encompassing: being a single source of truth for our guests about their stay at their fingertips and making us more efficient on the back end.”

Megan Kelley
VP Real Estate, Lifestyle Communities

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Lifestyle Communities (LC)

Best-in-class, vertically-integrated multifamily developer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio

Founded in 1996, we have developed over 15,000 residential units (suburban + urban) at a cost of over $3 billion.

We control all aspects of the multifamily real estate process including site selection, architecture and design, development, construction, leasing, property management and asset management.

LC’s service-oriented amenity offerings, which include The Goat Restaurant and Bar, Morning Ritual (our high-end coffee shop operation), co-working spaces, and wellness programming, have proven to be a driving force in attracting our target demographic and creating a community that encourages resident activity and participation.

ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL STARTUP

Expanding a 20-Year-Old Residential Brand into Short-Term Rentals

LC Guesthouse was launched in May 2023, with 8 specific suites, aiming to get to 20+ suites in Columbus, Ohio. The venture plans to grow into other markets in urban and suburban locations.

This is an exciting opportunity to strengthen the LC’s brand. The company’s brand essence revolves around simplifying residents’ lives, fostering sense of belonging and create strong relationships. And launching the LC Guesthouse, introduces an additional remarkable amenity, that sets the company apart from the competition.

While the short-term rental market is crowded, Lifestyle Communities stand out from the clutter with their unique offerings. They set high standards for both their long-term residents and deliver an exceptional guest experience in short-term rentals.

Location
Columbus, OH

Listings
21+

Employees
10

Property Type
Multifamily homes with service-oriented amenities

Integrations
Hostaway, Yale Smart Locks, Enso Connect

Key Features
Boarding Pass, Unified Inbox, Digital Guidebooks, Upsells, Contactless Check-in, Contactless Checkout

Elevate Your Guest Experience with Enso Connect

Book a demo

At LC Guesthouse we offer more than just apartments. We have amenities like The Goat bar and grill, Code Fitness state-of-the-art gyms, Morning Ritual coffee shop, and now LC Guesthouse, which complements our brand.

With LC Guesthouse, you can enjoy services like room service from our coffee shop and engage in various activities, creating a truly unique experience that sets us apart from traditional short-term rentals.

The Goat Restaurant

and Bar

Morning Ritual High-End

Coffee Shop

Co-Working

Spaces

Wellness

Programming

Exploring the LC Guesthouse Journey in the Luxury STR Sector

The Vision and Future Plans for LC Guesthouse

Our growth is unstoppable, with plans to enter new markets beyond our current 21 suites in Columbus. Our unique business model as a multifamily developer and builder of lifestyle communities sets us apart. We’re present in various locations, including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Ohio, with more expansion on the horizon.

Our goal is not to become just another short-term rental provider. We aim to enhance our brand and offerings, prioritizing an exceptional resident experience. Imagine living in one of our communities and having the opportunity to explore other LC communities at a lower cost. We empower our residents to experience different cities like a local.

The Path to Growth

LC Guesthouse planned to triple their short-term rental inventory by end of 2023 and expand to new locations, except for their HQ in Columbus, OH. They accomplished this goal with 21 live short-term rental properties and 5 new locations. We’ve asked Megan Kelley – VP Collective House Real Estate at Lifestyle Communities about their path to growth.

Business Plan snd Expansion Strategy

LC Guesthouse’s business plan is focused on leveraging the residential brand and transition the experience to the new venture. The plan also included using technology to be competitive on the market. They started in one location to refine operations, policies, and identify efficient solutions. The software played a significant role in improving room occupancy, pricing effectiveness and guest interactions. Initially launching in Columbus due to proximity, they always had an eye on markets with greater potential, like Germantown in Nashville. They recognized the importance of stability before expanding from eight homes in Columbus to 20+ by year-end. This learning process has positioned them to be more successful in other markets, surpassing their initial achievements.

Tech Stack

Megan has provided insights into the technology used by LC Guesthouse to reach their ambitious goals.

At the core of their tech infrastructure lies Hostaway, their property management system. They rely on AirDNA to pinpoint optimal pricing strategies for various markets and employ PriceLabs to track seasonal fluctuations.

Enso Connect is the essential guest experience and communication tool. Enso’s customer success team is instrumental in connecting all these software components to work cohesively together and operate smoothly.

“We’ve noticed that most guests prefer text messages over phone calls, and some don’t want to communicate at all. They just want a single resource where they can access information independently without needing assistance.“

Why Choose Enso Connect and Its Impact on the Business

We’ve always aimed to improve, even though LC Guesthouse is new, Lifestyle Communities is a 20-years-old real estate business.

Initially, we approached Enso Connect for a hardware solution, smart locks. But we discovered its broader potential, especially the Boarding Pass guest app, seamless access and guest communications. One of the standout features was the cell-to-door connection, enhancing our resident experience. This innovation has allowed us to be more efficient, adapt to changing guest communication preferences. We are able to provide a convenient, self-service approach, reducing the need for direct interaction.

Definitely, the boarding pass was a game-changer for us, and it left no doubt in our minds. It encompassed everything we needed – guest communication, easy access to information, quick problem-solving, a better understanding of the community, faster booking, and improved efficiency on our end.

Adjusting to the Evolving Preferences of Guests and Residents

The times have certainly brought significant changes. When I started 15 years ago, everything was on paper, and we met residents face to face to hand them keys. While we’ve evolved beyond paper leases, there’s still room for improvement in enhancing the resident experience. Launching LC Guesthouse and using Enso has allowed us to make significant strides in resident experience, aligning it more closely with the guest experience. Our goal is to adapt and communicate with residents in the way they prefer, rather than sticking to outdated methods.