How Book Now Delivered Impact
13% Increase in First-Year Occupancy
Time Reclaimed for Student Support
Self-Serve Booking with Filters
Introduction
The University of Essex, known for its commitment to teaching, student success, and making a difference, adopted Kinetic’s Book Now feature in January 2024. Book Now enables students to select their rooms directly, bypassing the traditional allocation steps that require administrative intervention.
Read on to learn how this innovative solution has transformed their accommodation booking process, allowing students to easily secure their preferred rooms and reducing the administrative load on staff.
“The adoption of Book Now has been transformative for us. It has streamlined our accommodation booking process and significantly reduced the administrative burden on our staff. Since implementing Book Now in January 2024, we’ve seen a noticeable improvement in our operations.”
Dragos Pavel
Systems Manager, University of Essex
The Need for a New Solution
Before implementing Book Now, the University of Essex faced several challenges. Their commitment to offering students a wide range of room preferences (63 unique options to choose from) added a considerable workload to the allocation team. The manual room allocation process was time-consuming and complex, and this inefficiency led to delays and caused anxiety among students. The university urgently needed a solution to streamline its processes and enhance the overall student experience, particularly for returning students who already knew their room preferences.
“Last year, over 25% of our bookings came from Book Now, which means we were able to use that time to focus on student experience.”
Dragos Pavel
Systems Manager, University of Essex
The New Approach: Simplified Operations
With Book Now, the University of Essex has streamlined its accommodation booking process for students and staff alike. Students can now choose their preferred room with ease, which is particularly beneficial for returning students who know exactly what they want. The system supports group bookings, allowing friends to book rooms together, making them feel more empowered, thereby enhancing the overall student experience. The automation of applications, allocations and contracts has saved staff time and reduced the need for manual intervention. Additionally, students can secure their preferred accommodation instantly, reducing anxiety and improving their overall experience.
“With Book Now, our students can now choose their preferred rooms with ease. This has allowed us to deliver a better student experience without the constant need for manual intervention.”
Dragos Pavel
Systems Manager, University of Essex
Enhanced Focus on Student Experience
The implementation of Book Now has significantly elevated the student experience at the University of Essex. By enabling real-time visibility of available rooms and allowing students to book instantly, the platform has eliminated delays and reduced the volume of early-stage queries and complaints. The booking process is now more transparent, efficient, and student-led, empowering students to make informed choices and complete their bookings with confidence.
This shift has also delivered measurable results. Since introducing Book Now alongside other engagement strategies, the university has seen a 13% increase in occupancy rates for First-Year Undergraduates in the 2024–25 academic year. The ability to monitor bookings in real time has helped the university optimise room allocation and manage its commercial operations more effectively.
The university is also considering enhancements to the filtering experience. While current filters include room type, price, distance, and room gender, there’s growing interest in adding options like ‘building’ and ‘flat size’ to help students navigate the wide range of preferences more intuitively.
These developments reflect a broader shift in the student experience. By providing a proactive, personalised, self-serve approach. This shift is powered by technology that continues to evolve in response to both the students and the organisation’s needs.
Conclusion
The University of Essex has successfully leveraged Book Now to enhance its accommodation booking process, improve the student experience, and reduce administrative workload. The university highly recommends Book Now for its ability to empower students and streamline operations.
“With Book Now, our students can now choose their preferred rooms with ease. This has allowed us to deliver a better student experience without the constant need for manual intervention.”
Dragos Pavel
Systems Manager, University of Essex
If you’d like to learn more about how Book Now can transform your institution’s accommodation booking process, please contact the Sales Team. We’d be happy to assist you!
About The University
Organisation type
University
Challenges solved
- Enhanced student experience by enabling self-selection of rooms.
- Improved room utilisation and management due to real-time stock visibility.
- Streamlined processes saving staff time and reducing manual work.
Client since
2003
Size of operation
- 6,062 Student beds
Product suites
- Student Accommodation Management
- Conferencing Management
- Residential Management