Robert Gordon University Optimises Short-Stays, Communication, Payments, & More with StarRez

Achieving Greater Efficiency with a Centralised System  

Before moving to StarRez in 2019, RGU was using several different systems. They had to rely on a 3^rd party to create reports, managing short stay accommodation was all paper based, and accounting/payment functionality was limited. Their processes were not as efficient as they would have liked and they recognised that consolidating everything within a single system would be hugely beneficial to both administrative users and customers.  

“We are a small team and were using several systems plus paper based for our short stay guests. We wanted to improve the resident experience.”

-Sandra Gordon, Accommodation Services Manager, Robert Gordon University

RGU decided to move to StarRez as it offered the solutions they needed to improve the efficiency of their operations and enhance the user experience for their students. They also wanted more control over the configuration of both PortalX and their accommodation management system.

Why RGU has “Never Looked Back”

After implementing StarRez, RGU was quickly able to centralise all systems in one place and oversee their entire operation more efficiently. With only five members on the accommodation team, being able to configure the system to work for them was an immediate benefit. In addition to the consolidation of platforms for staff, RGU has seen a significant improvement in their resident experience and satisfaction levels with everything in one place. Now, residents simply access one portal - PortalX - for induction, inspections, room change requests, payments, and more.

“Our experience so far, 4 years on since we have been using StarRez, we have never looked back. It’s allowed us to centralise our processes, and whilst we are still learning, the support team are really knowledgeable and always there to help us”

-Sandra Gordon, Accommodation Services Manager, Robert Gordon University

Standout, Time-Saving Features  

By installing the payments widget and reservation tools, their residents can select payment installment plans that work for them, offering enhanced customer service. It was important to them that their residents could continue to select the installment plans which suited them best, and for this reason the payment schedule widget was a ‘must-have’. The prorate tool is another element which has proved to be invaluable, automating all charging functions including reversals and refunds on cancelled bookings.

They have been able to reduce the administrative burden in managing short stay and guest bookings by automating payment confirmations and handling pre-paid bookings. StarRez mobile app offers operations on the go, including checking resident details and room inspections. The team also loves the fast check in/out function.

“There are lots available to the residents in the portal for term lets and short-stay users. They can look at payments made and statements, also any outstanding balances. We decide what they see, as it’s fully customizable. You can also share PDF documents so residents can download for their reference”

-Sandra Gordon, Accommodation Services Manager, Robert Gordon University

The StarRez email scheduler has improved overall communications at RGU by allowing the team to be more proactive and pre-set their emails with defined parameters for busier periods. This saves the team over 8 hours per week in manual work.

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One of the biggest benefits is the ability to customise their own dashboards. They were able to build a significant number of shared dashboards and reports which proved invaluable in helping them gather data and trends. Now they can make data-driven decisions that directly benefit staff and residents and improve daily operations.

Forward-Looking Priorities for RGU

By transitioning to StarRez, the team at Robert Gordon University was able to mordenise their system, improve operational efficiency, and enhance both staff and resident experiences.

Now they are looking to further leverage StarRez and are interested in parcel management, which will automate and simplify package notifications, resident communication, and document collection. The team is looking at utilising SMS alerts as an additional method of communication and considering moving their incident reporting from a separate system to the StarRez platform for a more collaborative and efficient approach.

Learn more about how you can improve your staff and resident experience with the StarRez platform.