Hoteliers, tourism industry leaders and technology innovators came together this week for the Revenue Strategy Forum Dublin, which took place at Camden Court Hotel on May 18, 2022.
The half-day event delivered plenty of trends, predictions, and topics for discussion, with input from tech providers Google, Avvio, Asksuite, Mews, Oaky, Duetto and Roomex; travel buyer insight from Kerry Group; and hotel revenue perspectives from Staycity, The Innovate Room and The Talbot Collection.
Chris Crowley, Chief Revenue Officer at Duetto, opened the event and took the audience through a presentation on the state of the market, using the concept of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) to outline the challenges and opportunities, and the benefits of operating a connected commercial strategy.
“VUCA was a concept born from the US military during the Cold War. Faced with a constantly changing and evolving set of circumstances., military strategists asked: ‘How can we take that and make it applicable to ourselves?’ Today we are also doing interesting and unique things, and VUCA is very applicable once again,” Crowley explained.
Crowley led the audience through the need for controlled automation and the combination of man and machine to help hoteliers deliver a connected commercial strategy built for profitability.
“If we embrace change and create agile and flexible hospitality models, we can meet the rapidly changing needs of the customer. Don’t lose this opportunity to be close to the customer,” he urged the hoteliers in the room. “The companies who put the customer journey first and foremost and work back from that will be the ones to succeed,” he added.
The Future of the Hotel Market
Commercial leads from Staycity, The Innovate Room and The Talbot Collection talked with David Goodman, Duetto’s Direct of Sales for EMEA, in a panel discussion on current trends and adapting commercial strategy.
Paula Mullaney, Chief Commercial Officer, Staycity, a collection of aparthotels operating in key city destinations in Europe, said that personalisation and automation are key: “Collaboration between teams is vital. Revenue Managers need to work with digital marketing and sales. The more we know our guests, the better because this drives direct bookings and more repeat guests,” she said. Staycity operates 30 properties across 14 European destinations, with further locations opening this year in Dublin, Paris and London.
For Flavia Serrano, Group Commercial Manager, The Talbot Collection, data is king.
“The beginning is the data. Get that right. Go back to the basics,” she advised the audience.
The Talbot Collection operates a portfolio of four-star Irish-owned hotels in Wexford, Cork, Dublin, Carlow and Tipperary.
For Amanda O’Donovan, Consultant, The Innovate Room, having the right tools in place and the skills to operate and make the most of them, were key to revenue success. The Innovate Room is a boutique agency of sales, marketing and revenue management consultants for hotels and visitor attractions.
“Take a step back and ask who is responsible for selling strategy do they have the tools and skills to do their job? What data are they using and how are they communicating that? You do need someone to own and manage those systems? If so, upskill and mentor that person to use those systems to the benefit of the organisation. Then they can use that data and drive revenue. Marketing, sales and commercial. This is a connected strategy,” O’Donovan commented.
For more on this story visit: https://www.duettocloud.com/library/rsf-dublin-personalizing-commercial-strategy
