Whether it’s a week in Paris or a month in Lisbon, The Flex makes short stays feel like home. But as it grew across four cities (and counting), check-ins, guest messages, ID checks and upsells got more complex. The team needed one way to manage it all, without hiring more staff.
That’s where Charge Automation came in. Today, it powers The Flex‘s automated check-in in every market, from remote document signing to smooth payments.
It works quietly in the background, but it is essential to a high-touch guest experience at scale. It is also a key driver of The Flex’s short term apartment rentals model.
Scaling Guest Onboarding — Without Scaling Overhead
As The Flex grew into Paris, Lisbon and Algiers, with Milan, Casablanca and Cairo coming soon, guest management quickly became a major pain point.
“We couldn’t manually guide every guest through ID checks, document signing, or upsells,” says Michael Buggy, Co-Founder of The Flex. “Charge Automation made it possible to scale our check-in process without scaling our headcount.”
Charge Automation now handles the whole guest flow, from pre-arrival to post-stay, including:
- Digital check-in (ID verification, custom questions)
- Automated document signing
- Upsells and add-ons (e.g., early check-in, parking, cleaning)
- Guest messaging and reminders
Trust and Compliance at Scale
For an international operator, local compliance is no small task. Think of check-in forms in Paris or guest ID rules in Algiers. Charge Automation has helped The Flex meet these different legal standards without making its process too complex.
“ChargeAutomation doesn’t just tick boxes, it builds confidence,” says Raouf Yousfi, CEO of The Flex and Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree. “Guests feel taken care of, owners see our professionalism, and our team has one less thing to worry about.”
Monetising the Guest Journey
With Charge Automation’s upsell tools, The Flex has also opened new revenue streams:
- Guests opting for early check-in or late check-out
- Add-ons like mid-stay cleaning or extra linen sets are now offered pre-arrival
- Payment flows are smooth, secure, and automatic
“It’s the kind of monetisation that actually adds value,” says Buggy. “Guests appreciate the
flexibility, and we maximise every stay.”
Results That Speak
Since integrating Charge Automation, The Flex has seen:
- Increased guest completion rates for pre-arrival forms
- Massive time savings in check-in support tasks
- Increased add-on revenue from upsells
- Fewer manual errors and follow-ups
For a team growing by 10–20 apartments per month, this automation is mission-critical.
Advice to Growing Operators
Yousfi offers this advice to other property managers who are scaling up:
“As you grow, the guest experience either improves or suffers. There’s no neutral. Charge Automation gives you structure without sacrificing personality. That’s rare in this industry.”
