Agencies and Operators – Understanding the Serviced Accommodations Ecosystem
The serviced accommodations industry supports multiple business sectors, including global relocation and business travel. Local furnished accommodations operators deliver their services to clients in their market area directly and through agencies who serve as marketing partners and administrators for clients with global accommodations needs. Bringing an understanding of the various business models that support client accommodations needs is in the remit of ASAP, the London-based Association of Serviced Apartment Providers.
James Foice, the Chief Executive of ASAP, shared the association’s purpose and the importance of advocacy and education as follows: “In 2025, UK and European serviced apartment associations, including ASAP, are focusing on professionalism, fair regulation, corporate partnerships, sustainability, digital innovation, market visibility, and sector resilience.”
On April 16th, Dwellworks Living’s Jake Bone, Director of Operations, EMEA and the current Agency Representative on the ASAP Board, moderated a special members-only “lunch and learn” webinar that brought together industry experts to discuss the role and value of agencies in the serviced accommodations sector and how clients, agents, and operators can move forward together to provide optimal solutions for customers.
Expert Panelists Represented Key Industry Perspectives
The purpose of the webinar was to ensure ongoing transparency and alignment between operators, agencies, and clients. To achieve those goals of clarity and communication, the webinar panel featured a well-represented group of industry leaders, each offering unique insights into the role of agencies in corporate housing:
– Jake Bone, Dwellworks Living, Moderator – Gemma Williams, Sirva – Matt Cookson,City Apartments – Claire Barrie, Synergy Global Housing
Together, they addressed the critical role of agencies in serviced accommodation, discussing opportunities for expanding client education, meeting customer needs, maximizing technology for efficiency, and identifying areas for greater collaboration and success between agencies, operators, and clients.
Key Discussion Themes
1. The Agency Value Proposition: A Perspective from Both Operators and Clients
Operators are on-the-ground experts. They know their local markets and they select and manage properties that meet the needs of a wide range of clients. Agencies for the most part are not operators of serviced apartments (though they can be in what is known as a hybrid model.) Agencies simplify and manage the regional and global accommodations needs of clients, connecting operators with relocation management companies, travel program managers, and corporate clients through specialized platforms that curate choice and draw on the inventory of local operators.
From a client perspective, as voiced by Gemma Williams at Sirva, this is the ideal arrangement. Clients want choice and local expertise, but they also want the commercial value of global contracts, compliance and controls, and partners who understand corporate policies and requirements.
The key values of each specialized business practice:
– Operators are local experts in property selection and guest services. They benefit from agencies’ extensive networks, which help increase occupancy and streamline bookings. – Agents expand opportunity for operators and bring clients the value of multiple housing options from qualified operators, as well as global duty of care, safety, and security compliance, and booking and service process management efficiencies.
2. Addressing Challenges in the Agency/Operator Model
Agencies offer significant benefits to operators and clients, but there can be challenges in the structure as well. The panelists discussed some of the less frequently explored challenges each party encounters, including:
– Balancing multi-sourcing with quality control to meet client expectations. – Pricing structures that are reasonable for client, agent, and operator. – Navigating industry regulations and ensuring compliance in different markets.
Matt Cookson, from City Apartments in London observed that he and his team know London but need agency partners to support their client needs outside the range of their core London expertise. He noted, “We need agents we can trust to deliver solutions while operating transparently with us.”
A challenge in the serviced apartment industry in general is the corporate client and relocation management company belief that ‘more requests mean more options and better pricing.’ In fact, this is not typically the case. The practice of multiple bids for the same opportunity creates more administrative work for suppliers and agents (adding to costs) without adding to the number of options or reducing their price.
As an industry, the panel agreed, there is a client education opportunity to clarify the business models and streamline the request process.
3. The Value of Clarity, Compliance, and Industry Standards
The panel also discussed commercial requirements in terms of clear definition and accountability for each party, in order to meet client requirements and contractual terms between operators and agencies.
Emerging trends such as sustainable operations were also discussed. Agencies are increasingly asked to indicate which housing options are provided by validated sustainable operators. Investing in sustainability can be costly, so standardizing processes for efficiency and consistent revenue is key.
4. Strengthening Collaboration Between Agencies, Operators, and Clients
Underlying the discussion was the interest in finding common ground and ways for agencies and operators to work better together.
– Improving communication and transparency to align expectations and minimize misunderstandings. – Establishing clear contracts and service level agreements (SLAs) to define roles and responsibilities. – Leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and streamline the booking process.
Claire Barrie at Synergy Corporate Housing noted, “Information about inventory must be credible.” Platforms like Dwellworks Living’s epic® demonstrate this value by providing fast, reliable housing solutions that highlight key selling points. Conversely, unmanaged marketplace-style systems often result in time-consuming, low-yield experiences for operators.
Key Takeaways for Understanding the Role of Agencies in Serviced Accommodations
– Agencies simplify furnished accommodations selection and booking processes, ensuring consistency, compliance, and cost performance. – Operators provide unique capabilities with their properties and their local expertise. – Transparency in communications between operators, agents, and clients benefits all stakeholders and reduces inefficiencies and risks. – Compliance, accreditation, and standards are essential to validating credibility. – Collaboration between agencies and operators is crucial for sustainable success.
Missed the Webinar? Here’s What You Need to Know
As a private event for ASAP members, the “Mind the Gap” webinar is not available for public downloading. If you’re looking to stay informed on serviced accommodations industry trends and future events, connect with us at Dwellworks Living.
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