Case Study
How KRAIN scaled concierge and saw ~3x increase in experience bookings
KRAIN Real Estate manages a high-touch vacation rental portfolio across Costa Rica. By pairing Guesty's automated guest communication with Localbird's 24/7 concierge support and self-serve experiences, KRAIN replaced a manual, error-prone concierge workflow with a branded experience layer guests actually use.
About KRAIN Real Estate
KRAIN Real Estate is a Costa Rica-based real estate and vacation rental management company operating in top-demand coastal markets. Their guests, mostly North American families, groups, and repeat travelers, expect fast answers, dependable logistics, and "high-end help" that feels effortless. Concierge is not an add-on; it's part of the product. Founded over a decade ago, KRAIN has grown from a handful of homes to 150+ properties (100+ short-term rentals). Serving an international luxury clientele, they pride themselves on full-service hospitality, but scaling in-house concierge support became difficult as guest expectations and operational demands increased. Krain needed a way to expand and monetize guest experiences without adding overhead or compromising quality.
Property Type
Luxury and Premium Stays
Target Market
International Leisure Travelers
Unique Features
Beachfront villas and jungle retreats
Before Localbird: A concierge existed but it wasn't dependable
Before Localbird, KRAIN's concierge process relied on manual coordination and fragmented ownership. Requests moved through messages, spreadsheets, and follow-ups, creating avoidable risk: missed confirmations, stressed staff, and guests left waiting. As high season approached, Krain knew a "good enough" workflow was no longer acceptable.
The requirement: A new concierge, reliable, branded and ready before peak season
KRAIN wanted a hospitality layer that would protect their standards, reduce operational load, and give guests a modern way to book experiences without forcing staff into constant coordination. After learning what Localbird's digital concierge platform could do, the KRAIN team felt it was a perfect fit for their needs.
Branded guest experience
Guests interact with a concierge flow presented under KRAIN's brand, so it feels in-house, not like being handed off to a third party. Guests can discover and book experiences instantly on their own time, reducing wait times.
Seamless tech integration
Localbird's platform integrated with Guesty (Krain's PMS) to automatically know when and where guests are staying. This enabled timely, personalized outreach to each guest without manual emails or spreadsheets.
24/7 concierge coverage
Communication and coordination (including late night changes) are handled reliably by Localbird. Localbird supports the guest concierge journey from pre-arrival through post-checkout.
Trackable revenue
Every booking is tracked end-to-end, so commissions are tied to real transactions, not manual reconciliation. KRAIN saw Localbird as a way to capture revenue without pulling focus from core operations.
“We were willing to rip the band-aid off and try this... we were getting closer and closer to high season.”
Localbird: The Concierge That Guests Actually Use
Localbird's onboarding with KRAIN kicked off in late 2025, just in time for the peak tourist season. The implementation was swift and tailored.
Live in time for peak season
KRAIN connected Localbird to their PMS, and with minimal setup, leveraged Guesty to automate concierge outreach. As a result, bookings started coming in quickly without missing the high-demand December season.
A portal that feels in-house
Localbird provided KRAIN with a branded concierge page featuring a curated menu of tours, services, rentals, and local offerings tailored to their region, creating a seamless, high-quality guest experience.
Streamlined, fully managed
Localbird fully took over KRAIN's concierge operations end-to-end, handling guest requests, vendor coordination, and payments seamlessly. KRAIN only steps in for rare edge cases.
Fast, tailored, and guest-ready.
Localbird's onboarding with KRAIN began in late 2025, just as demand was ramping toward Costa Rica's busiest season. The rollout was designed to be fast but structured, so KRAIN could go live without disrupting existing operations. From the guest perspective, the experience became simple: KRAIN guests received access to a branded concierge hub to browse and book high-intent services. Even when a request didn't fit neatly into a menu -- custom logistics or special needs -- Localbird's concierge team handled it end-to-end.
Consolidation, clarity, and cleaner payouts.
Once Localbird was live, KRAIN reduced internal handoffs. Instead of multiple roles tracking requests across spreadsheets, Localbird became the execution layer. KRAIN's team maintained oversight, stepping in only for high-value exceptions. On the back end, the biggest operational unlock was payments. Localbird handled guest payments and paid vendors directly, while KRAIN received commission payouts with clear reporting. This reinforced a partnership model focused on continuous optimization, not just a one-time setup.
Powered by Localbird and Supported by Guesty
Localbird is able to deliver KRAIN's branded concierge experience to every guest at the right moment, without relying on staff to remember, follow up, or manually route requests by connecting to their PMS (Guesty in KRAIN's case). Once connected, automations help ensure consistent concierge visibility across the guest journey, before arrival and during the stay, giving guests a clear path to discover and book experiences. This removed friction from KRAIN's previous setup, where concierge requests were fragmented across roles and often dropped during busy periods. KRAIN doesn't need to invent a new workflow per properties. With Localbird, PMS automation feels like genuine service, not spam delivering the right message, in KRAIN's voice, at the right moment.
“Localbird took a huge load off our plate, off our accounting team's plate. And we know that it's being done correctly.”
Revenue & Operational Impact
| Metric | Before Localbird | After Localbird |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Revenue | ~$3,000 Estimated | $10,000+ (3x increase) |
| Guest Uptake Rate | ~10-15% | ~40% Engagement |
| Services Booked | ~25/mo | ~200 Bookings/mo |
| Staff Overhead | 3 Team Members | 0 Automated |
| Workflow | Fragmented Tools | Unified Platform |
| Reliability | Weekly Errors | Near 100% Fulfillment |
Results: Revenue Tripled & Effort Halved
KRAIN's concierge revenue and guest-service operations changed immediately after launching Localbird. What was previously a manual, inconsistent add-on became a repeatable growth channel, driving meaningful monthly profit while reducing the operational burden on the team. By December 2025, KRAIN's monthly commission payout reached $10.4K, and by January 2026 they had earned $20K+ in total commissions. The key difference wasn't just volume, it was the system: guests could browse and book instantly, Localbird handled vendor coordination end-to-end, and KRAIN captured tracked revenue without adding staff or introducing more complexity.
Adoption followed. In December, roughly 40% of guests booked at least one additional service or experience through the concierge. Across mid-November through late January, guests placed 436 bookings, turning guest intent into measurable revenue while allowing KRAIN's internal team to stay focused on core operations.
What made the partnership successful?
KRAIN's guests have always valued exceptional experiences, Localbird made delivering them effortless. By fully adopting the platform and integrating it deeply into their operations, KRAIN unlocked its full potential. The partnership succeeded because KRAIN trusted the expertise and technology, and Localbird consistently delivered beyond expectations.
What was once a challenging service became one of KRAIN's strongest differentiators through close collaboration.
What's next?
Building on this success, KRAIN plans to continue leveraging Localbird as it scales. As new properties and guests come online, Localbird will ensure concierge support remains seamless and consistent at any volume. KRAIN is now using this enhanced guest experience as a key differentiator to attract more homeowners and travelers, creating a strong cycle of growth. Together, Krain and Localbird are setting a new standard for hospitality, showing that when technology and partnership align, everyone benefits: the team, the guests, and the bottom line.
“The results speak for themselves -- our revenue is through the roof compared to in-house.”
KRAIN's Performance Highlights
Revenue Tripled
KRAIN's commission from guest services is ~3x higher than before. Even after splitting fees with Localbird, they're earning significantly more.
No More Missed Bookings
100% of guest requests are followed through. Previous errors and last-minute scrambles have been eliminated.
Team Time Redeemed
KRAIN went from 2-3 staff juggling concierge to zero. Employees now focus fully on core operations instead of coordinating rides.
Happy Guests & Reviews
Guests love the new service, highlighting the easy concierge experience in 5-star reviews. Brand reputation has surged.
