Hi Revenue Readers!
I met Anika (not her real name) last week at a gathering. She is a revenue manager at a well-known global hotel brand. I got really excited to meet her as I found her to be one of those rare, truly talented revenue professionals that are sharp, to the point, and completely in tune with what actually drives revenue.
But I really felt bad for her (while I could fully relate to her myself) when she told me that instead of focusing on revenue strategy, she’s stuck fighting with technology and rigid processes every single day.
Since her hotel is part of a global chain, the tech stack is mandated at the corporate level and has no flexibility, no choice to switch (obviously!), even if it doesn’t work for her market. The system is new yet clunky and needs manual workarounds and re-pushes for even the simplest tasks.
And here’s the real frustration, it’s not just the tech. The processes built around these systems are more about admin than actual revenue strategy. She told me that she spends hours following approvals, submitting reports, and reconciling data, when she could be optimizing rates and finding new revenue opportunities.
This isn’t an isolated problem. I see this across the industry. Even today when we are in 2025, hotels, especially large brands, lock themselves into rigid systems and outdated processes that slow down decision-making rather than empower revenue teams.
Meanwhile, boutique and independent hotels either overpay for features they don’t need or struggle to find tech that’s actually built for their needs.
But what if hotel tech was adaptive….in real? I would prefer if systems enabled:
- Pick What You Need – No forced bundles, just the tools that fit your hotel.
- Simple for Revenue Pros – Visual dashboards, drag-and-drop pricing, and automation that assists (not replaces) decision-making.
- Affordable for Every Hotel – Pay for what you use, not for a system full of features you’ll never need.
- Seamless Connectivity – PMS, RMS, booking engines—everything should talk to each other effortlessly.
- Smart, Not Overwhelming – Tech should simplify, not complicate hotel operations.
Don’t you think this industry needs a real shake-up?!
Are we really making the most of revenue management, or are we just stuck managing systems?
Hotel technology should fit the hotel, not the other way around.
Are we there yet? Or is the industry still playing catch-up?
Q: What should a revenue manager focus on? Strategy, demand analysis, pricing decisions and cross-team collaboration, rather than spending most time on manual updates and reports.
Q: How can revenue managers spend less time on systems? Automate routine tasks, standardise reports, simplify tech stacks and set clear processes so time goes to analysis and action.
Q: Why is strategic revenue management important? It connects pricing, distribution and marketing to business goals, which drives sustained growth rather than short-term fixes.
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