IDeaS is the world’s leading provider of revenue management software and services.
About IDeaS
IDeaS, a SAS company, is the world’s leading provider of revenue management software and services. With over 30 years of expertise, IDeaS delivers revenue science to more than 14,000 clients in 140 countries.
Combining industry knowledge with innovative, data-analytics technology, IDeaS creates sophisticated yet simple ways to empower revenue leaders with precise, automated decisions they can trust. Results delivered. Revenue transformed. Discover greater profitability at ideas.com.
Articles Written by IDeaS
3 Key Questions for Evaluating RMS Options Before Budget Season
Hotel budgeting season is right around the corner, and many hoteliers are getting ready to roll up their sleeves and start making tough financial decisions as they look to align investment priorities with next year’s budget projections. This is often a challenging and time-consuming process, but it’s also an opportunity to think through a strategic vision and evaluate the tools and resources needed to achieve these goals. Investing in an RMS is a High Priority
6 Ways Revenue Management Systems Help Hoteliers Do More with Less
Most independent hoteliers are used to juggling more with less dedicated resources, but effective revenue management—and the tools that enable it—should not be written off as exclusively a "big brand" or "large hotel" concern. What Is a Revenue Management System? Among the technologies typically used by hoteliers, revenue management systems (RMS) are uniquely positioned to have an outsized impact on the ways hotels operate. At their best, they enable informed decision-making that ensures optimal business
4 Steps for Improving Meetings & Events Revenue Performance
Revenue leaders across the globe devote a considerable amount of their efforts to driving room revenue performance. It’s an understandable decision, given that rooms are the obvious staple of any hotel operation and there are only so many hours in a day. 4 Steps for Improving Meetings & Events Revenue Performance With meetings and events (M&E) being responsible for nearly 20 to 30 percent of revenue for the average hospitality organization, those who neglect to
Steps for Success: Evaluating and Pricing Group Business
Group business is an undeniably important piece of the revenue puzzle for hotels. However, not all group revenue is equally valuable or desirable. To achieve an ideal mix of group and transient business, hotels must undergo a detailed evaluation process—one that can be greatly aided with an advanced revenue management system. Ten Crucial Steps to Evaluating and Pricing Group Business In this article, you’ll find key steps and considerations for evaluating group business opportunities. 1.
Hotel Revenue Management System Adoption: Tips for a Smooth Transition
A revenue management system (RMS) is a fantastic tool for attracting demand from high-value guests, driving efficient operations, improving revenue performance, and increasing profitability. Of course, the best tools in the world won't do your property much good if your staff isn't bought in on their proper usage and equipped with what's needed to get the most out of them. Tips for Successful RMS Implementation and Adoption Introducing a change to an established routine will
Boosting Occupancy: 7 Options for Hoteliers
"Heads in beds." While occupancy is not the only thing influencing the revenue success of a hotel, it's hard to say you're maximizing revenue if your occupancy levels are low. 7 Ways to Effectively Boost the Occupancy Today, guests typically have a wealth of options for determining precisely in which beds their heads will be resting. Hotel room supply is abundant in many locales. While app-based rental units are facing some headwinds, they remain a
How to Build an Effective Commercial Hotel Organization in 2024
A hotel’s commercial team—revenue management, sales, and marketing—is critically important to the financial health of a property. When working harmoniously, these functions combine to ensure a property is filled with high-value guests while minimizing acquisition costs as much as possible. However, “harmonious” is an unlikely descriptor for many hotel commercial teams. 3 Ways to Build an Effective Commercial Hotel Organization in 2024 Revenue management and sales professionals often find themselves at odds over whether to
4 Tips for a Smart Overbooking Approach
While data certainly supports the practice under the right circumstances, overbooking is a subject that can easily put hotel staff on edge without careful implementation. No one is thrilled by the prospect of needing to relocate or “walk” a guest to another property because a statistically likely cancellation never materialized. 4 Useful Tips for a Smart Overbooking Approach Plenty can be done to improve a potentially challenging scenario for staff and guests alike. Instead of
Interview with President and Co-founder Dr. Ravi Mehrotra of IDeaS
In this interview, we speak with Dr. Ravi Mehrotra, the president and co-founder of IDeaS. As the son of an electrical engineer and avid chess player, he became interested in technology and how it can be applied to modeling real-world scenarios to help improve decision-making ability. With his friend Sanjay Nagalia, he co-founded IDeas, one of today's leading revenue management companies. Can you tell us a bit about
Facing Automation Fears: A Perspective for Hoteliers
For some, advancements in automation bring a profound sense of dread. Worrying about the big-picture societal challenges that may come with the widespread adoption of new, advanced generative AI tools is understandable. But instead of fretting about whatever dystopian worst-case scenario automation may bring, it's time to take a step back for perspective and think of how automation may apply to revenue management. Living in the Age of Automation We are already deeply entrenched in
Strategies to Optimize Your Holiday Park’s Revenue Next Summer
Was your summer a revenue bonanza, or more of a busy bust? The summer busy season is undoubtedly a critical stretch for holiday park owners. For many, it's the time to bolster your budgets and make up for the slower months. While plenty of work must be done to ensure your next summer's guests have an excellent experience, it's also important to consider your approach to revenue management before this flurry of activity begins. Where
Rethinking Off-Season: Revenue Strategies Hoteliers Need to Follow
Unless you’re operating a ski resort or fortunate enough to have a property located in a year-round warm-weather travel destination, the autumn and winter months can be particularly slow for hoteliers. These low-season booking conditions can lead to some hoteliers adopting an ‘a busy hotel is a successful hotel’ strategy, accepting lower-rated business and relying on the in-house spend on food & beverage, spa, and ancillary services to boost revenue. While it might seem like
How Hotels Can Tackle Inflation and Boost Profitability
After a strong end to 2022 - with European hotel performance reaching 2019 levels - January 2023 saw energy costs peak in many countries. Coupled with a fall in demand, the increased expenses of hotel operations led to a fall in. Although there is evidence of recovery into Spring/Summer, hoteliers must be alert to ensure that 2023 is profitable. The Impact of Inflation The hospitality industry relies on demand - first for generating bookings and
Hotel Strategies on the Fly Using Revenue Management Technology
Accurate hotel forecasts take a lot of work to create. One day the industry celebrates sky-high returns (1) while other markets struggle to prevent occupancy from slipping beyond their control (2). Travel has always been a global industry, but more than ever, hoteliers find their properties impacted by international trends, which are increasingly challenging to predict. Amid these factors, the current pace of change in hospitality calls for faster, more frequent shifts in operating strategy.
Which Matters Most for Winning Guests – Price or Loyalty?
Regardless of who you are, competition in the hospitality industry is increasingly fierce, and winning new customers is a major challenge even for experienced hoteliers. So, what makes the most significant difference in getting guests to stay at your hotel versus the one down the street? Is it price? Is it the chance to benefit from a personalized loyalty program? The answer—perhaps somewhat unsurprisingly—is neither, or rather, both. It Isn't About Focusing Heavily on Either
Break Siloes and Foster Synergies to Optimize Hotel Profits
Hotels looking to optimize profits must break the silo mentality. They must align their teams and synchronize their knowledge. In this article, you'll learn how to break siloes and foster synergies to optimize hotel profits. Steps to Creating a Connected Commercial Organization The movement toward commercial revenue is a good start. Many hotels have brought sales, marketing, revenue management, and distribution under a single commercial revenue leader. But it's not a single person's job. It
Considering a New Hospitality RMS? Watch Out for These 4 Myths
So, you’re thinking about upgrading to a more effective revenue management system (RMS) for your hospitality organization, but you have some doubts. Maybe you’re thinking: It’s too costly to install a different RM Learning a new system will take too much of my staff’s bandwidth My new system will take too long to learn how to price effectively It’s easier to stick with an RMS, I know. It’s “good enough.” However well-founded those concerns are,
Revenue Management System: The Ultimate Accelerator for Your Hospitality Business
Whether you're balancing a full plate of work priorities, searching for ways to maximize your revenue, or looking to gain better control over the fluctuating demands of the hospitality industry, a revenue management system (RMS) offers a comprehensive solution. Revenue Management is a Rapidly Growing & Changing Field More than anything, an RMS helps you manage times of uncertainty. And with labor shortages and inflation complicating the hospitality industry further, it is more crucial than
10 Tips in Building a Business Case for an RMS
When you're trying to get your team on board to purchase a revenue management system (RMS), there are a few key things you'll need to keep in mind. Of course, you already know the benefits of utilizing an RMS. Your company will earn more revenue, become more efficient, free up time, and make better-informed decisions. You're already on board. Now it's time to get the rest of your team on board, too. How do you
Role of a Revenue Manager is Shifting Thanks to Automation
Like much of our world today, the hospitality industry is constantly changing and evolving beyond what revenue managers and leaders of the past could have imagined. During unprecedented change, automation and new technology have become essential to successfully navigating the post-COVID hospitality landscape. Revenue Managers Becoming Strategists But with any change, comes reservation and distrust. As the industry continues to automate, some hoteliers worry that automated systems may not be able to respond to change
Staffing Considerations for a Revenue Team
There is a recognized need for proactive revenue strategy and technology investment for many hotels. However, once the new technologies are integrated, there remains an open question: who’s going to keep this operation running smoothly and profitably as opening day approaches and beyond? Factors to Help You Identify the Best Staff Below you find some factors that will help you identify the best personnel and staffing approach to get your revenue operation started on the
Tips for Maximizing Revenue Potential Before Opening a New Hotel
Opening a new hotel or resort property is thrilling and daunting. Wherever you are on your new hotel journey, it's never too soon to assess your revenue optimisation needs. Your new hotel's revenue management approach will play an impactful role at every stage of development, from staffing decisions to tech budgets to sales, marketing, and distribution tactics. Pre-Opening Considerations Given the rapid change in modern market conditions, hotels and resorts should develop a comprehensive commercial
Revenue Science Essentials: The 3 Pillars of Dynamic Pricing
When applying revenue science to your hotel or resort’s dynamic pricing tactics, there are three areas ripe for optimization: demand, capacity, and price sensitivity. Taking the time to review the basics and reassess how each of these factors into your revenue strategy is critical to positioning your hospitality business for maximum revenue performance and growth. For the Right Price… One of the hospitality industry’s most important goals is also one of its most significant challenges:
The Limits of Rules-Based Revenue Management Technology
There are automated revenue management decision-making systems, and then there are revenue management support tools that rely on a rules-based approach to setting and changing prices. While perhaps an efficient method for some proficient users, rules-based technology requires consistent manual intervention and will undoubtedly struggle as market conditions shift and staffing changeover occurs. Keep reading to understand the limitations of a rules-based system and the undeniable benefits of full RMS automation. Greater Automation Equals Greater
Resort Revenue Revolution: When Technology Meets Paradise
Resort operators should take a moment to reconsider the potential for significant revenue growth. It is worth noting that leading revenue management system (RMS) providers are now directing their attention toward meeting the unique requirements of resorts. Resorts can unlock various possibilities by embracing automated dynamic pricing, flexible inventory optimization, and other innovative tools. Bye Bye Spreadsheets Gone are the days when revenue managers had to devote excessive time to cumbersome spreadsheets. With the advent
Protecting Your Hotel’s Cash Flow & Improving Asset Valuation
Hotel revenue management plays a central role in protecting, forecasting, and strengthening a hotel's cash flow and overall financial position by enhancing the cash position of the asset. Additional revenue generated by a revenue management system directly flows into the amount of cash available. This higher rate of cash flow—combined with detailed forecasts that enable expense management—has a number of benefits critical to operating through this era of business disruption. Cash Is King From giving
A Few Thoughts on Your Hotel’s Distribution & Channel Strategy
When engaging with online travel agencies (OTAs) in these volatile times, hoteliers must adequately understand the value and costs of all distribution channels. Any relationship weighted in favour of an OTA to the detriment of a hotel’s bottom line needs to be reviewed, and steps should be taken to maximise direct bookings. Hoteliers Should Explore OTA Alternatives For many hoteliers, OTAs are an accepted distribution strategy due to their marketing power and high traffic. However,
Don’t Open Your New Hotel Without a Revenue Management System
Hotel owners, developers, asset managers, and other stakeholders charged with successfully launching a new hotel property—in a marketplace that may already be quite competitive—know they’ll need more than attractive features and amenities that entice and cultivate a loyal customer base. As the industry adapts to a post-pandemic world, the team behind a new property also must assess key behind-the-front-desk requirements - paramount being its approach to revenue management. For those about to launch a new
How to Measure The ROI of Your Revenue Management System?
The revenue management system (RMS) plays a vital role in the modern hotel technology stack, driving greater profitability and efficiency. Still, the demonstrating return on investment (ROI) in a hotel’s revenue management technology investment goes deeper than year-over-year RevPAR uplift measurements. Understand the True Impact of Revenue Technology The additional revenue from properly utilizing revenue management software and strategies directly impact a hotel’s bottom line, making it a valuable tool for increasing a hotel’s valuation
Optimising Extended-Stay Hotel Revenue
Pricing of extended-stay hotels and serviced apartments, also known as ‘aparthotels,’ has traditionally been a challenge for revenue managers as rates can vary drastically depending on the length of stay a guest seeks. However, it is vital hotel groups enhance their approach to pricing for this sector given the revenue opportunities it presents, especially as long-stay traveller demand ramps back up in 2021. Unique Business Model = Unique Business Challenges Extended-stay hotel rooms differ from
Overcoming New Tech Pains: RMS Change-Management Tips
Whether ditching a subpar revenue management system (RMS) provider for something better or implementing automated revenue tech for the first time—change is hard. But not changing could be disastrous for hotel businesses hoping to remain competitive and run efficiently and profitably in the new industry landscape of 2021 and beyond. Keep reading for tips on navigating the tech change for your hotel and overcoming the pain and obstacles of implementing a new RMS. Navigating Change
Tips for Hotel Revenue Forecasting in a Constant State of Uncertainty
The global hospitality industry has had its fair share of large-scale disruptions since COVID-19 first struck, and the hotel sector faces an uncharted recovery period ahead. Hoteliers can gain ground by using agile, accurate, and holistic revenue forecasting. Modern Tools for Modern Challenges Are you using outdated technology at your hotel? Advanced, cloud-based solutions will help fulfil your security, connectivity, accessibility, and monetary needs. Using accurate, real-time projections to look at actual occupancy and space
How Revenue Leaders Can Generate New Business
Hospitality revenue management teams have long been expected to manage demand. But for the hospitality industry's new climate in 2021 and beyond, revenue leaders will need to do more than manage demand—and now it’s up to hoteliers to find creative ways to align their marketing and revenue teams to generate new business. Break Down (or at Least Align) the Silos Hospitality teams can no longer act in silos. Hotel revenue management and sales & marketing
Tips for Reconsidering Your OTA & Direct Booking Strategy in 2021
When engaging with online travel agencies (OTAs) in this era of uncertainty, hoteliers must properly understand the value and costs associated with all distribution channels. Any relationship weighted in favour of an OTA to the detriment of a hotel’s bottom line needs to be reviewed, and steps should be taken to maximise your direct bookings. Capture More Direct Bookings For many hoteliers, OTAs are an accepted distribution strategy due to their marketing power and high
Pushing Profit Beyond the Guest Room in 2021
Hoteliers are under unforeseen pressure to make magic happen in the new year and get their profitability back on track. Three words: “Total Profit Optimisation.” You’ve likely heard them spoken before in hushed whispers. It’s the ever-elusive and seemingly unattainable holy grail of hotel revenue leadership. Maximising Your Business Revenues by Total Profit Optimisation Total profit optimisation considers costs associated with acquiring and servicing every hotel reservation and the profit of each revenue stream associated
The Hard Truth About Revenue Management Right Now (+5 Do’s and Don’ts)
Let’s be blunt. COVID-19 is a global disaster, and this pandemic has brought the hotel industry to its knees—full stop. But the time has come to rise from the ashes and show the world what you are made of. You are innovative, agile, and your hotel fulfills the most amazing experiences for guests around the globe. In this article, you can find tips to be smart and strategic with your hotel’s revenue. Don’t Forget About
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