When outdated systems started holding them back, The Accommodation Bureau made the switch to Alto – unlocking time, clarity, and room to grow.
When Sam Whitehead, Operations Manager at The Accommodation Bureau, switched to Alto in early 2020, the family-run lettings agency managed around 500 properties. Fast forward to today, and they’ve grown to over 700 properties – an increase of 40% made possible by Alto’s powerful technology.
Scaling doesn’t have to be a struggle
Founded in 1989 and family-managed since 2004, The Accommodation Bureau built their reputation exclusively in lettings. But by 2019, their outdated CRM was holding them back. Frequent system downtime, lack of remote working capabilities, and days spent manually processing landlord payments meant the agency was at risk of becoming overwhelmed.
“Our IT guy was constantly being called out,” Sam recalls. “Remote working was virtually impossible, and landlord payments were taking days every month. It wasn’t sustainable.”
Sam spent up to six months in 2019 researching CRMs, receiving demos from the entire market, before finally settling on Alto. “Any migration from a CRM is painful, but it was worth it.”
A game-changing switch
Changing CRM software can be intimidating, but Alto quickly proved it was worth the transition. Onboarding was swift and smooth, and the new cloud-based system provided almost instant improvements.
“The training team at Alto even brought our go-live date forward, to help us get up to speed; we can’t say enough about the service and experience received from the different teams at Alto.”
“Within weeks, we knew it was lightyears ahead of our previous CRM,” Sam says. “It immediately transformed the way we worked – remote access, reliability, and ease of use were game changers.”
Hours saved, growth accelerated
The benefits came fast and clearly:
- Landlord payments: Reduced from days of work to just a couple of hours each month.
- Growth without stress: Managed a 40% increase in properties effortlessly, thanks to Alto’s streamlined processes.
“The time we save on landlord payments alone is transformative,” Sam emphasises. “We handle far more properties now without the stress – we’re more productive and our clients are happier.”
“Five years later and we haven’t looked back,” Sam added. “The team lives in Alto, especially the property management dashboard everyday, allowing us to tackle compliance, rent payments, and everything else.”
Data-driven decisions: smarter reporting, greater insights
With Alto’s powerful new reporting, Sam moved from reactive management to proactive, data-driven strategies. He quickly identified opportunities for increased revenue, addressed operational issues like cancelled viewings, and monitored team productivity clearly and efficiently.
“Alto’s reporting turned guesswork into confident, strategic decision-making,” Sam explains. “We understand our business better now than ever.”
“Getting to be an early user of the reporting feature, something genuinely useful, was great. I would often speak with Collette and Mark [on the Product team], who truly cared and even implemented my feedback for it.”
“The old feature gave us data – great. But, the new feature gives us insights, it analyses the data. For a small business like us, looking to gain some leverage in the market, this is vital to make the right decisions.”
“For example, I noticed an uptick of cancelled viewings – not something I would necessarily check often – and was able to take action. I can also look at the user-level, to see who is performing better and who may need some help. I’m really pleased.”
Integrations that feel like extra teammates
Alto’s integrations, particularly Bridge AI, brought significant operational efficiencies.
“Bridge Ai acts like an additional team member, especially during busy periods. It handles initial enquiries seamlessly, giving our team more time to focus on service and growth,” Sam notes.
AutomationAutomated handling of lettings enquiries from Zoopla, directly engaging prospects via WhatsApp and scheduling viewings.
Everything fasterOne-click reference reports replaced hours of manual admin tasks.
Boosting team satisfaction and productivity
Alto also boosted morale and productivity. The intuitive property management dashboard became central to daily operations, improving staff satisfaction through increased flexibility and reduced admin burden.
“Our team would absolutely hate to go back to the old CRM. Alto has made their daily tasks easier and more efficient, significantly improving morale,” Sam adds. “It’s allowed us to become better at our jobs. We work on things that are important, automate admin, and make better decisions because of good data.”
Now fully supported by Alto, The Accommodation Bureau confidently looks towards further growth. Alto’s regular updates and responsiveness to customer feedback ensure the system continues to evolve alongside their business needs.
“As a small business, looking to grow, to provide the best possible service in the area, it is a feat for us to adopt AI so early and so successfully. I’m anticipating what other integrations will be released this year, to see if any of these will be worth adopting.”
“I wish we’d switched sooner”
Sam’s advice to other letting agencies is straightforward:
“Don’t hesitate. Alto saves time, delivers clarity, and gives you confidence to grow your business. Switching was genuinely one of our best-ever decisions. In the last year or so, they seem to be really trying on being customer-led too. I’m excited to see how they innovate and continue to compete over the next year.”
About The Accommodation Bureau:
- Established: 1989
- Alto customer since: 2020
- Location: Cornwall, UK
