Student FactoryStudent Factory Replaces the Night Shift with Automated Guest Key Management
“Keycafe is a simple and effective solution. It gives customers autonomy and avoids the need for staff to be on site at all times.”
Marc Guyon
Site Manager
About Student Factory
Student Factory offers students and travelers quality accommodation at affordable prices. With 20 locations across France and always located around school campuses, the group's residences are distinguished by a neo-industrial style inspired by New York lofts.
Gideon is a Product Marketing Manager at Keycafe, where he helps businesses understand the benefits of a smart key management system.
Challenge
Student Factory operates 20 locations across France that cater to students and short-term visitors needing flexible accommodation options. While offering modern, fully serviced apartments, the residences do not operate a reception desk 24/7. This limitation posed a significant logistical issue for key handovers, especially for guests arriving after office hours.
With guests arriving at unpredictable times—often late at night—the existing system of in-person key handoff was no longer sustainable. Staff had to either remain on site past regular hours or coordinate complex, manual key exchanges. The lack of a streamlined process created friction in the guest experience and operational inefficiencies for the team.
Pain Points
- No 24/7 Reception Desk — The inability to staff a front desk around the clock created a gap in service for guests arriving after hours.
- Operational Disruption — Staff were frequently interrupted or forced to extend their shifts to accommodate late arrivals, leading to scheduling challenges and inefficiencies.
- Unpredictable Arrival Times — Guests often did not adhere to their stated arrival times, making it difficult to coordinate timely key handovers manually.
Solution
To address these challenges, Student Factory implemented the Keycafe key management system across their locations. Keycafe stood out amongst other key management solutions for its simplicity, reliability, and ability to offer autonomous key access for guests, without the need for staff to be physically present.
The workflow is now highly streamlined: after confirming a guest’s reservation, a unique pickup code is generated through the Keycafe app. This code is sent to the guest, who uses it to retrieve their key from the SmartBox key locker in the lobby upon arrival, regardless of the time. For departures, guests either return the key using the same code, leave it in their room, or hand it directly to staff.
This automation has allowed the Student Factory team to remain flexible and mobile, with the confidence that key exchanges are handled securely and efficiently.
Student Factory’s Implementation
- Pre-arrival Key Setup — Staff prepare key cards in advance based on the reservation dates and assign unique codes for pickup using Keycafe’s app.
- Guest Autonomy — Guests receive their access code via email or SMS and retrieve keys independently from the Keycafe SmartBox upon arrival.
- Flexible Return Options — Guests can return keys by placing them back in the Keycafe locker, leaving them in the room, or handing them to staff if available.
“The biggest advantage is being able to be away from the office, since we're always running around, and the customer is completely independent in retrieving their key and accessing their apartment.”
Result
Since implementing Keycafe, Student Factory has eliminated the need for after-hours staff solely dedicated to handing out keys, resulting in substantial operational savings. Guests enjoy the convenience of arriving on their own schedule without waiting or coordinating with staff, improving the overall experience.
The system has proven reliable and simple for both guests and staff. Guests find the key pickup process intuitive and have no issues checking in independently. Inquiries and concerns now center on the quality of accommodations and amenities, not logistics - a clear sign that key management is no longer a pain point.
The Outcome
- Reduced Staffing Costs — Eliminated the need to hire night shift staff for key handovers, significantly lowering labor expenses.
- Enhanced Guest Experience — Guests can access their accommodations at any time, ensuring a simple check-in experience regardless of arrival time.
- Improved Operational Efficiency — Staff can focus on property management and guest services during business hours without disruptions related to key logistics.
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