Seekom gives Kauri Court owners time to provide ‘Kiwi hospitality as it should be’
Owners: Neil and Amber Aitkenhead
Palmerston North has no shortage of places to stay. With dozens of accommodation providers competing for guests across the city, standing out takes more than a comfortable bed.
For Neil and Amber Aitkenhead, who invested in Kauri Court Motel & Apartments in 2024, the answer is straightforward: people matter, so be genuinely good to people and make sure the business’ systems run smoothly enough behind the scenes to let you do exactly that.
“Hospitality as it used to be, accommodation as it should be, that's Kauri Court’s tagline,” Neil says.
“We’re family run and operated and great hospitality is what we're all about."
Providing great service needs time and presence to deliver, so Neil and Amber are hands-on owner-managers; greeting guests, keeping standards high, and making sure people feel genuinely looked after rather than just checked in.
Neil says they pride themselves on taking extra time to ‘check in’ with people before they arrive, making sure they have what they need to ensure their stay is a positive experience.
None of that would be possible, though, if the operational side of running the motel was eating up the day.
The Seekom advantage
When Neil and Amber took ownership, Kauri Court Motel & Apartments was spread across three separate systems. They made an early call to switch to Seekom property management software – a decision made easy, thanks to the knowledge some members of Amber's family who own holiday parks around New Zealand and have long relied on Seekom to run them.
"Amber's family has a few holiday parks around New Zealand and they all use Seekom, so she knew how good it was," Neil says.
Now, bookings made through the motel's own website feed directly into Seekom, which updates room availability in real time across every listing channel Kauri Court uses – including overseas travel agents (OTAs). Double bookings can be a problem for operators on systems, Neil says, but with Seekom they simply don’t happen. SeekomPay takes care of payments. The admin that once required juggling multiple platforms now runs seamlessly.
"When I talk to other accommodation providers about the alternative systems they use, I'm both mystified and surprised at all the steps they have to go through. Seekom just makes it easy for us."
With the friction of accommodation management removed, Neil and Amber can give their attention to guests and the welcome that has earned Kauri Court Motel & Apartments such great guest reviews.
The motel offers something relatively rare in Palmerston North: genuine variety under one roof. Its 16 rooms span 12 executive studios and four multi-room modern apartments with inter-connecting options, making it well suited to visitors in town for events or special occasions, large family groups, sports teams, and business travellers alike.
The motel sits five minutes’ walk from the Esplanade and Manawatū River and 15 minutes’ walk from the CBD, including George Street and Broadway, two of Palmerston North's most popular dining and café strips – places Neil and Amber are happy to make personalised recommendations on.
In a city with as many accommodation choices as Palmerston North, Kauri Court's combination of personal service and room variety gives it a strong foundation. The right systems quietly reinforce that – handling the bookings, the payments, and the channel management so Neil and Amber can stay focused on what they enjoy most.
"We're people people. It fills our bucket to see returning guests to Manawatū, Seekom is key to our success".
Note: Something you may not know is that we also build websites. Many of our customers have Seekom-built, self managed websites with full control, backed by our expert setup and support. If you’re interested in finding out more, please get in touch.
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Your Google Business Profile Is Free Marketing: Here’s the 15-Minute Audit Most Operators Skip.
If you set up your Google Business Profile when you first opened and haven’t touched it since, you’re not alone. Most accommodation operators do exactly that. Here’s why that’s costing you bookings, and what you can fix in 15 minutes.
Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a digital business card. It’s one of the first things a potential guest sees when they search for accommodation in your area. It feeds directly into Google Maps, Google Search, and increasingly, AI-powered search tools like Google’s AI Overviews. If it’s incomplete, outdated, or thin on detail, you’re handing traffic straight to the online travel agencies (OTAs).
The good news? A proper audit takes about 15 minutes, it’s free, and the improvements you make can start showing results within days. Here’s where to look.
1. Claim and Verify Your Listing (If You Haven’t Already)
Before anything else, is your listing actually claimed and verified by you?
It sounds obvious, but plenty of properties are running on auto-generated Google listings that no one has verified. That means you can’t edit the content, respond to reviews, or add photos. Google has likely created a basic listing for you based on public data. It exists. You just don’t control it.
Go to business.google.com and search for your property. If it shows as “unclaimed”, claim it. The verification process usually involves a phone call, email, or short video recording, and it’s the most important step in this whole list.
2. Check Your Business Name, Category, and Description
These three things matter more than most operators realise.
Business name: Use your actual trading name, nothing more. Don’t stuff keywords in here (e.g. “Sunny Bay Motel Best Motel in Tauranga”). Google will penalise you for it.
Primary category: This one has a big impact on which searches you appear in. “Motel” and “Holiday Park” are both valid primary categories in Google. Make sure yours matches what you actually are. You can also add secondary categories, for example if you have a restaurant, playground, or self-contained cabins.
Business description: You get 750 characters. Use them. Write naturally about what makes your property stand out, including location, family-friendliness, pet policy, and what’s nearby. This is what guests read when they’re comparing options, so make it count. If your description is blank or one sentence long, fix it today.
3. Confirm Your Contact Details and Location Are Correct
Simple, but surprisingly often wrong, especially if you’ve changed your phone number, email address, or website URL at any point. Check:
- Phone number (and that it’s your direct line, not a third-party booking service)
- Website URL (does it actually load, or does it show an error?)
- Physical address and map pin (drag the pin to the exact entrance if it’s sitting in the wrong spot)
If you’ve got a direct booking engine on your site, make sure your website URL links there, or at minimum links to a page where guests can book without hitting an OTA first.
4. Review Your Opening Hours, Including Special Hours
Incorrect hours are one of the most common Google Business Profile problems. If your front desk runs reduced hours over Christmas or Easter and you haven't updated your profile, Google may show your property as closed when a guest checks online. They don't call to confirm. They just book somewhere else.
Update your regular hours, public holiday hours, and any seasonal closures or restricted periods. Google allows you to set “special hours” for specific dates well in advance. It takes five minutes and can prevent a lot of lost bookings over Easter, Christmas, and other public holidays.
5. Add (and Regularly Update) Photos
This is where most operators underinvest, and it’s one of the highest-impact things you can do. Google recommends at least three photos per room type for accommodation properties. In reality, the more quality photos you have, the better.
At a minimum, make sure you have:
- A cover photo showing your property at its best (exterior, ideally on a nice day)
- Interior shots of your rooms, clean, well-lit, and true to life
- Photos of amenities: pool, BBQ area, playground, communal kitchen, spa, etc.
- A shot of the surrounding area or view if it’s a selling point
Update your photos at least once a year, or whenever you’ve made improvements to the property.
6. Fill In Your Attributes
Attributes are the little tick-boxes that appear in your listing, things like “pet-friendly”, “free Wi-Fi”, “on-site parking”, “accessible rooms”, “EV charging”, and so on. Most operators fill in a handful when they first set up the listing and never revisit them.
Go back and check that everything is accurate and up to date. If you have Qualmark accreditation or other environmental credentials, add them to the sustainability section too.
7. Answer the Questions in Your Q&A Section
The Questions & Answers section lets anyone ask a question about your property, and anyone can answer it, not just you. That means guests, competitors, or random strangers may have already written answers on your behalf. Some of those answers might be wrong.
Check what’s been asked and whether the answers are accurate. Then proactively add the questions guests always ask anyway:
- “Do you have a swimming pool?”
- “Is there parking for boats/trailers/campervans?”
- “Are pets allowed?”
- “What time is check-in and check-out?”
Answering these yourself means you control the information, and it saves your team from fielding the same questions over the phone ten times a week.
8. Check Your Reviews and Respond to All of Them
Your star rating and review count directly influence how high your listing appears in search results. Guests also read your reviews before booking, and they pay particular attention to how you respond to negative ones.
Have you responded to every review, positive and negative? If not, start now. Even a brief, warm response to a positive review shows you’re engaged.
For negative reviews, respond calmly and constructively. Acknowledge the issue, explain what you’ve done, and invite them to reach out directly. Never get defensive in public. And if you’re not actively asking guests to leave reviews, start. A simple follow-up message at checkout can meaningfully increase your review volume over time.
9. Post Updates Regularly
Google Posts let you share news, offers, and updates directly on your listing. Most accommodation operators either don’t know this feature exists or set it up once and forgot about it. You don’t need to post every day, but a couple of posts a month keeps your listing looking active. Ideas include:
- Seasonal promotions or packages
- Local events coming up nearby
- New amenities or upgrades you’ve made
- Reminders about school holiday availability
- Direct booking offers (“Book direct and get free late checkout”)
Posts don’t stay visible for long, so make it a regular habit rather than a one-off. Add it to your fortnightly task list.
10. Check Your Performance
Once you’ve worked through the above, take a few minutes to look at your Google Business Profile Performance (previously called Insights). You’ll find this by going to your Business Profile and clicking Performance. It shows you how many people viewed your listing, what search terms they used, how many clicked through to your website, and how many requested directions or called you. It gives you a baseline to track improvement against and a clear signal for where to focus your energy next.
Do this now
If you do nothing else today, start here:
- Confirm your listing is claimed and your contact details are correct.
- Add or replace at least five photos with fresh, high-quality images.
- Respond to any reviews that are sitting without a reply.
That alone will put you ahead of the majority of properties in your area. The rest can follow over the next few weeks.
Your Google Business Profile is either working for you or against you every single day. Fifteen minutes of attention now can mean more direct bookings, better visibility in AI search, and a stronger first impression for every guest who searches for a place to stay near you.
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Your Winter Security Checklist: Small Steps That Make a Big Difference
Winter is a good time to take stock. The team gets a breather, and there's finally a moment to look after the things that often get pushed to the back of the queue. Security is usually one of those things.
It doesn't have to be complicated. A few simple habits go a long way towards keeping your property and your guests safe online. So here's a quick checklist. Run through it with your team and you'll be in good shape going into the busy season.
This is the one most properties skip, and it's probably the most important. Had a staff member leave in the last six months? A seasonal worker who came and went? Log into your Seekom account and check who still has access. Old accounts that are no longer in use are an open door, and one that's easy to close.
While you're there, make sure every team member has their own individual login. Shared logins might feel convenient, but they make it impossible to know who did what, and they're much harder to secure.
If you haven't already enabled Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your Seekom account, winter is the perfect time to sort it out. 2FA means that even if someone gets hold of a team member's password, they still can't get in without a second verification step. It's one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to protect your account, and it takes about five minutes to set up.
Our support team is happy to walk you through it. Just give us a call or drop us a message during business hours.
We know, we know. It's easier to just tell the new person the password. But shared passwords are one of the most common ways accounts get compromised.
The good news is there's no reason to share passwords in Seekom. Every account can have unlimited individual users, so everyone gets their own login with their own access level. Set it up once and you'll never need to share a password again.
Removing old user accounts is step one. But if a former team member knew your passwords, changing the locks matters too. Go through your key systems - your PMS, email accounts, OTA extranets, social media, and update any passwords that might have been shared with someone who’s no longer with you.
While you're at it, make sure passwords aren't being reused across different platforms. If one account gets compromised and the password is the same everywhere, the damage spreads fast. A password manager can take the headache out of keeping track of them all.
Your email account is the key to the kingdom. If someone gets into it, they can reset passwords for pretty much everything else. Yet email is often the last thing people think to protect.
A few quick wins:
- Enable two-factor authentication on your business email account, not just your PMS
- Check who has access to shared inboxes like info@ or reservations@ and remove anyone who no longer needs it
- Be careful about what you include in automated guest emails. Avoid putting full booking reference numbers or personal details in subject lines where they can be easily read
- If you get an email that looks like it's from a supplier or OTA asking you to update payment details or click a link, call them directly to verify before doing anything
Phishing is when someone sends you an email pretending to be a trusted source, trying to get you to hand over your login details or click a dodgy link. It happens more than you'd think in the accommodation industry.
The recent Booking.com breach is a good example of how this plays out. Once scammers had real guest data, including booking details and contact information, they used it to send convincing messages that looked like they came from a legitimate source. Guests were contacted via WhatsApp and email and asked to verify their payment details.
A few things to remind your team:
- Seekom will never ask for your password by email or phone
- If an email asks you to click a link and log in, go directly to the website instead of clicking
- When in doubt, call the company directly using a number you already know
- If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut and check with us
Take a look at your booking form and ask yourself: do we actually need all of this? A lot of properties collect more than they need. Dates of birth, passport numbers, dietary requirements for a property that doesn't serve meals. The less guest data you hold, the less there is to lose if something goes wrong.
Strip your forms back to what you genuinely use. It's better for your guests, better for your liability, and it makes your life simpler too.
If you're taking online payments, it's worth checking that 3D Secure (3DS) authentication is active on your SeekomPay setup. It adds a bank-level verification step for cardholders, which reduces fraud and protects your revenue from chargebacks.
Not sure if you have it switched on? Drop our support team a message and they'll check for you.
Start with whatever feels most overdue for your property. Even ticking off one or two things from this list will put you in a stronger position than you were yesterday. And if you need a hand with any of it, our support team is here. Give us a call or flick us a message and we’ll help you get sorted.
Note: Something you may not know is that we also build websites. Many of our customers have Seekom-built, self managed websites with full control, backed by our expert setup and support. If you’re interested in finding out more, please get in touch.
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AI and Your Accommodation Business: Tell Us Which Features You Want in Our AI Survey
After sharing our plans for 2026 in our latest newsletter, we realised that some of the ideas around AI might still feel a bit unclear.
Many people hear the term ‘AI’ everywhere, but it’s not always obvious how it connects to the day‑to‑day work of running an accommodation property. So, we’ve put together a clear, more practical look at what we’re exploring and why it could be useful for you.
Most of us already use AI without thinking about it. When your phone unlocks with Face ID, when Google Maps finds a faster route around traffic, when Gmail offers a suggested reply, or when your bank spots unusual activity - that’s AI helping in the background.
The same goes for searching online, asking your phone to show photos of your dog, getting recommendations on Netflix or Spotify, or using quick translation tools while travelling. These things don’t feel technical. They’re simply small conveniences that make life easier. That’s the kind of experience we want to bring into Seekom.
As we look at how AI can support our accommodation providers, we’d love your input. Sharing your views in our quick three‑minute survey helps us understand which tools would genuinely make your day easier.
Where AI can help in real, practical ways
Running an accommodation business means lots of small tasks that add up: checking bookings, adjusting rates, answering questions, pulling reports. AI can help remove some of that friction by simplifying the work that currently takes the most clicks or the most time, such as:
- Quick reporting
- Clearer visibility of upcoming demand
- Rate suggestions based on trends
- Handling common guest questions
- Reducing repetitive admin
It’s not about replacing people. It’s simply about making your systems work more smoothly so you can focus on guests and revenue.
What we’re looking into at Seekom
If any of these ideas sound useful, we’d love to know. Your feedback in the AI Feature Interest Survey helps us decide which features to prioritise first.
We’re exploring a range of AI features and would love your input on which ones matter most.
- A built-in assistant in Seekom
A new feature that lets you communicate a simple instruction for the system to carry out. Examples:What new bookings or changes happened since 6pm last night?"
“Update this weekend’s rates by 5%”
"Hold the Standard Queen for Sarah Doe, arriving Friday"
"Add breakfast for two for booking 91827, both nights, and late checkout on Sunday"
"Pipe burst in Unit 12. Make Unit 12 unbookable for the next 10 days"A tool like this has the potential to save a significant amount of time and reduce the number of screens you need to work through each day.
- Reporting you can ask for in your own words
This upgrade would let you build your own reports inside your Seekom account, instead of relying only on the fixed built‑in ones. You could simply ask for what you need, such as:“How many bookings do I have for Easter?”
“What was occupancy by room type for the last 90 days?”
“Show me revenue for each unit for the past month.”
“What was occupancy last July?”The system would then pull the figures together for you.
- Helpful pricing suggestions
We’re exploring a tool that can analyse demand, market data, local events and even trends from similar properties to recommend pricing adjustments. This has the potential to give you clearer guidance when you are deciding what to charge, without needing to compare everything manually. You stay in control of your rates, but you get timely suggestions based on what’s happening around you. Examples might include:“Increase studio rates by 10% for Easter weekend.”
“Lower tonight’s price slightly to help fill remaining availability.”
“Raise family unit rates next Saturday due to high demand in the area.”
“Reduce weekday rates by 5% this month to improve occupancy.” - Better guest support on your booking screen
A chatbot that can answer common guest queries automatically, such as check‑in times, parking, pet policies or what’s nearby. This would help guests get quick answers and reduces the number of routine enquiries your team needs to respond to, even late at night when you're not online. Examples:A guest asks at 11pm
“Do you have parking?” and gets an immediate reply: “Yes, there’s parking right in front of each unit.”Someone wants to know
“Are pets allowed?” and the chatbot answers straight away with your pet policy.A traveller planning ahead asks
“Do you have any rooms available next Friday?” and the chatbot checks availability and shows what’s open.A family browsing your site asks
“Do you have cots available?” and receives instant confirmation.These quick answers help guests feel more confident booking and reduce the amount of back‑and‑forth your team needs to manage.
We’re also working on making the Seekom booking screen easier for AI-driven travel tools to read, which will help properties stay visible as search behaviour changes.
Why this could be especially helpful for Seekom users
AI can support teams of any size by reducing admin, improving response times and helping with decisions that previously relied on manual work. It’s designed to give you a boost, not replace anyone.
Now we need your feedback
Your input will directly shape which AI features we build first. So have your say, vote, prioritise, and let us know which features matter most to you.
Completing the survey takes under three minutes, and everyone who takes part can enter the draw to win a $100 Prezzy card.
Ready to help shape what we build next?
Complete the AI Feature Interest Survey
- Log in through your Seekom Support Portal
- Share what matters most to you
- Be in to win a $100 Prezzy card
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AI and the Future of Accommodation: The Shift That Will Redefine the Industry
Artificial intelligence isn’t approaching the accommodation industry, it has already arrived. And just like the introduction of online bookings two decades ago, AI represents a structural shift that will change how providers operate, how guests choose where to stay, and how leading businesses differentiate themselves.
What makes this moment unique is that most providers are already using AI every day without realising it. It feels futuristic until you notice it’s been quietly improving your life for years
You’re already using AI when you…
- Unlock your phone with Face ID - that’s AI recognising your face.
- Use Google Maps or Waze - AI predicts traffic flows and offers the fastest route.
- Accept suggested replies in Gmail - “Sure, sounds good!” is AI‑generated.
- Use fraud protection on your bank account - AI monitors spending patterns to keep you safe.
- Search online - Google now uses AI to rank, summarise and understand results.
- Let your phone sort photos (e.g., “show me pictures of dogs”).
- Rely on Netflix/Spotify recommendations - AI learns your tastes.
- Use translation tools - instant language translation is powered by AI.
None of this feels complicated. It simply feels helpful. That’s how AI will continue to develop within accommodation: simple, intuitive and quietly powerful.
AI: The New Discovery Layer for Travel
The biggest shift unfolding in the industry is the way travellers search for and choose accommodation. AI‑driven travel assistants, ranging from mobile search tools to conversational trip planners, are already shaping booking decisions by interpreting preferences, comparing options and suggesting tailored places to stay.
Over the next few years, these assistants are likely to become the first stop for many travellers. Properties that appear clearly in AI‑powered search environments will gain a visibility advantage long before a guest reaches a website. This makes it essential for your digital presence to be structured in a way that AI tools can understand, assess and present to travellers.
Where the Biggest Operational Gains Will Be
While the future of AI driven search is transformative, the most immediate value of AI sits behind the scenes, removing friction from the tasks that take up staff time.
Forward‑thinking providers are already exploring AI for:
- Faster, intuitive reporting
- Pricing that adapts to real‑time demand
- Predictive occupancy and revenue insights
- Automated handling of common guest questions
- Streamlined administrative workflows
- Fewer manual errors
Staff aren’t being replaced here. What’s disappearing is the repetitive work that slows everything down. Tasks that once meant jumping between screens or manually checking data can now be done in seconds with simple prompts. The result is more time for genuine guest interaction and far less time lost to admin.
Why Small Providers Stand to Gain the Most
Contrary to common belief, AI isn’t a tool built solely for large hotel chains. Smaller providers stand to benefit even more because AI helps them:
- Reduce administrative burden
- Do more with fewer people
- Compete against larger brands
- Make data‑driven decisions without specialist staff
- Improve guest response times and service quality
- Make better use of their systems, even if they’re not technically confident
AI becomes the great equaliser, giving independents the capability once reserved for big operators.
The Mindset Shift Leaders Need
Three shifts define the accommodation providers who will stay competitive:
- Viewing AI as core operational infrastructure, not a “nice to have
.” Just as online booking engines became fundamental, AI will underpin pricing, reporting, communication and demand forecasting.
- Designing for AI‑driven travel search. Your digital content must serve both human guests and the AI tools shaping their decisions.
- Moving staff focus from task execution to guest experience. AI handles repetition; humans elevate hospitality.
What the Next Three Years Will Look Like
Expect to see:
- Natural‑language reporting becoming standard, making it faster for teams to access the insights they need
- AI‑guided pricing used across most properties, leading to sharper and more responsive revenue decisions
- 24/7 AI guest assistants managing routine queries, improving response times without increasing staffing
- Booking engines optimised for AI search algorithms so properties surface more effectively in AI‑driven discovery tools
- Smaller providers operating with large‑hotel efficiency through automation and predictive insights
- Staff roles shifting from admin to experience delivery, strengthening guest satisfaction and on‑site service quality
AI’s Power to Restore True Hospitality
Hospitality is fundamentally human. But rising admin demands have pushed providers away from guests and deeper into screens. AI offers a path back by reducing the noise, clearing the clutter and bringing people closer to the work they do best.
AI isn’t the end of hospitality. It marks the start of a new era where providers gain the time, clarity and tools to deliver exceptional guest experiences without giving up operational efficiency.
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4/234 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
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Copyright 2025 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)