Georgian students help take cottage country business to the next level
Feb. 27, 2019
On the verge of a growth spurt, Muskoka-based company Jayne’s Cottages is working with students in Georgian’s Big Data Analytics graduate certificate program on a research project that will transform how the company communicates and manages its data.
President and founder Jayne McCaw is collaborating with students to build an all-in-one, user-friendly, web-based tool that will manage all aspects of the business – from property management and customer relations, to scheduling and marketing.
“There’s currently no all-in-one solution available to property and vacation management professionals,” says Jayne. “Right now, we’re using nine different tools. The one we’re partnering with Georgian to develop will help make Jayne’s Cottages more efficient and responsive, and better equipped to handle growth.”
Jayne’s Cottages, owned and operated by JEMCORP Ltd., started as a property management company for luxury cottage rentals in Muskoka. It has evolved to provide a concierge service that arranges comprehensive, high-end vacation experiences for its clients – everything from day trips and boat rentals, to nannies and personal chefs.
The company works with property owners to simplify, maximize and safeguard the entire rental process. For vacationers, Jayne’s Cottages eases the vacation planning process by meticulously curating and fulfilling rental needs to meet budget, lifestyle requirements, and special requests.
In 2018 alone, Jayne’s Cottages employed more than 50 people and significantly helped to boost tourism and local business. Over 95 per cent of the cottages rented through Jayne’s Cottages had never been rented before. Forty per cent of clients were from outside Canada too.
Chris Dyck, Program Coordinator of the Big Data Analytics program and Applied Faculty Research Lead on the project, is providing mentorship and guidance to the students.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to work with an industry partner on a real-world challenge. They’ll be helping to provide a solution that could significantly impact how Jayne’s Cottages and the online travel industry does business in the future,” he says.
Georgian and JEMCORP Ltd. received a grant for $75,000 from Ontario Centres of Excellence to carry out this project.