The Faces of Kigo: Meet Miquel Waller

We created the Faces of Kigo series to showcase our talented employees, tell their stories, and share why they love being a part of the Kigo team.

Meet Miquel Waller, Kigo Web Developer based in Barcelona. A born innovator, Miguel loves to use his technical expertise to create high-quality products for vacation rental management professionals. His goal is to make life simpler for Kigo clients, and every new idea he brings to life is designed with that goal in mind.

Learn more about Miquel.

What is your role at Kigo?

As a developer at Kigo, my job consists of building software products for customers that fit both their needs and our company’s vision. I try to use my technical expertise in any way possible, either assessing the technical viability of an idea when building new features or proposing new ways we can innovate. My main responsibilities are making sure new products are built in an efficient and timely manner, ensuring they meet a high standard of quality. We always have our customers in mind when building new products, as our goal is to make their lives easier through software automation. If something we’re building isn’t going to help our customers, we probably won’t build it.

I love my job because I enjoy building things, solving problems and working alongside a team toward a shared goal. My passion for the internet and web technology is the underlying factor, but being in a position where I can provide value to our customers so directly is what drives me to keep improving.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I was born and raised in Barcelona, son of a Spanish mother and an English father. I picked up a British accent from a young age, which always throws people off when I first meet them as they assume I’m not Spanish (my pale skin doesn’t help either!) I’m a curious person and enjoy many aspects of the technological world, especially computers, the internet and the opportunity that has come with them. In my free time, I really enjoy listening to music, meeting friends and getting lost in random YouTube video marathons.

What makes Kigo stand out from the competition?

I think Kigo is in a very interesting position that makes it stand out from other companies. There is a clear vision within the company and an incredibly talented, passionate group of people who share an underlying culture that brings out the best in everyone. People across different departments are consistently coming up with new ways to serve our customers or improve processes in any way possible, which results in a dynamic and passionate company (something any customer should be looking for).

What is your favorite Kigo product or feature?

At the moment, my favorite feature is the Kigo Channel Manager. I think it’s a perfect example of how automation can save vacation rental managers countless hours of work per week by distributing data across different vacation rental portals and centralizing all the necessary actions in one system.

How is Kigo changing the vacation rental industry?

Kigo is changing the vacation rental industry by not conforming to current standards. Our vision is unique and evolving to meet the needs of both the present and future. Kigo pays attention to the vacation rental industry, and the vacation industry pays attention to Kigo.

How does your hobby or passion translate into your role at Kigo?

I’ve always been very passionate about computers and the internet, so from an early age I had an understanding of what a good or bad software experience looks like. I think that’s one of the major reasons I can relate to and understand a customer who uses our software. That's also one of main ways I can help our customers, by stepping into their shoes and analyzing our products from a user perspective.

How do you approach finding places to stay when you travel?

When I travel, I search across the web for all available offers to get a feeling  for the prices, locations and types of accommodation available. I look over reviews if they are available, but if I don’t see anything convincing I usually rely on my own interpretations.

What do you look for in a vacation rental? What do you avoid?

I research nearby public transportation (since I don’t drive), surrounding neighborhoods (using Google maps) and the actual interior and amenities of the accommodation. I avoid staying anywhere that requires me to have a car to move around.

How can property owners make their vacation rentals more appealing to travelers like yourself?

In my opinion, being thorough and transparent goes a long way. Adding a complete gallery of photos for the accommodation without using any camera tricks, writing accurate descriptions of the place and surroundings, noting any relevant information, and taking the time to describe all amenities of the accommodation is important.

As we continue to explore the Faces of Kigo, you will meet more members of our global team working every day to create the best products in travel. Stay tuned!