A fast-growing Belgian start-up, held back by the limits of local recruitment
Founded in 2016, this Belgian start-up specialized in coliving has experienced rapid and solid growth. In less than ten years, it went from a handful of shared apartments to more than 600 rooms across several cities. The model is based on centralized management, a smooth tenant journey and a client experience well above the standards of traditional rentals. To achieve this, the company had built a significant in-house team in Belgium, handling incoming requests, tenant relations and coordination with maintenance providers.
Over time, however, local recruitment became a bottleneck. Jobs related to operational management (client relations, technical, administrative) suffered from high turnover, growing absenteeism and real difficulty in finding reliable profiles for positions that did not always match long academic backgrounds. Management therefore turned to an alternative solution, more sustainable, more economical and more stable : building a dedicated offshore team in Madagascar with ScaleMyCrew.
A first strategic recruitment to test the model
The starting point was hiring a bilingual property manager, able to handle all tenant requests remotely, both in French and in English. This profile was tasked with managing prospects (housing requests, application follow-up, file validation) as well as tenants in place (claims, technical requests, lease follow-up, notices).
The offshore collaborator, based in Madagascar, was integrated into the client’s tools : CRM, messaging, Slack, Trello and ticketing systems. Within weeks, he absorbed a significant part of the workload, with high-quality responses and rigorous request follow-up. The Belgian team immediately felt the positive effect on both workload and overall responsiveness.
A rapid ramp-up towards a complete team
Encouraged by this first success, the start-up expanded its Madagascar team. Two more bilingual property managers were recruited to reinforce handling of incoming and outgoing requests as well as technical tickets. Then an administrative assistant joined to manage document follow-ups, update files and coordinate with landlords or external partners.
Today, the offshore team includes four full-time people, all dedicated to tenant management and coordination with technical providers. They manage all housing-related tickets : heating, locks, electricity, cleaning, wifi and more. They centralize requests, assign them to the right provider, monitor deadlines and follow up when necessary. This daily coordination work, carried out from Madagascar, freed up valuable time for the Belgian teams while improving the service delivered to tenants.
A direct impact on satisfaction and profitability
Since the offshore team was set up, all overdue tickets have been cleared. The average resolution time has dropped below 48 hours, even for complex requests. Relations with technical providers became more professional : shared schedules, systematic follow-ups, structured field feedback. This strengthened their commitment, punctuality and responsiveness.
On the tenant side, satisfaction has clearly increased. Less frustration, better communication and greater transparency in follow-ups. This improvement also translated into better online reviews, higher Google ratings and greater client loyalty over months and years. The brand is now stronger, more credible and more professional.
The economic impact is also clear. The cost of management per room has been reduced by more than 50 %, thanks to the cost differential between a local position in Belgium and an offshore position in Madagascar. For the same or even higher service level, the company has significantly reduced expenses while strengthening organizational stability. The quality/price ratio has become a growth lever, enabling reinvestment in commercial development, tools and training.
Why this offshore model works for coliving and real estate in general
Property management requires rigor, listening skills, strong written and spoken communication and the ability to follow files over time. The profiles recruited in Madagascar by ScaleMyCrew meet these criteria perfectly. They are bilingual French/English, organized, reliable, service-oriented and more stable than many European market recruits.
The ScaleMyCrew model is based on a dedicated offshore team, tailor-selected, locally supervised in our offices in Antananarivo, but directly managed by the client. Collaborators are present every day, visible in the tools and involved in team rituals. They work with the same objectives, the same tools and the same standards as the in-house teams. The contractual framework is 100 % European, invoicing is in euros, and a European account manager ensures follow-up.
This stability, combined with recruitment quality, allows building a long-term human relationship, a foundation of trust and a team that improves its skills month after month. The Belgian start-up sees it daily : its collaborators in Madagascar are as reliable, as engaged and sometimes more stable than those recruited locally in recent years.
A proven, sustainable and scalable solution
Two years after launching the offshore team, management no longer considers this model a test or a temporary fix. It is a strategic component of operations. The Madagascar team is part of the official workforce, takes part in monthly meetings, suggests process improvements and supports portfolio growth.
The model also proved scalable : initially focused on tenants, the team now also handles supplier follow-ups, reporting updates and administrative reminders. The organization is more flexible, more responsive and ready to absorb the company’s next growth phase.
Ready to structure your real estate team in Madagascar ?
This case shows how a start-up in real estate or coliving can build a reliable, bilingual, rigorous and fully integrated offshore team in Madagascar. The dedicated team model, designed to last, secures growth, cuts costs by half or two-thirds and improves the client experience throughout the tenant journey.
Do you manage hundreds of rooms or apartments and want to strengthen your teams without exploding your costs ? Contact us to build your own offshore team in Madagascar.