Hotel & Motel Management - October 1, 2007 - (Page 36)

36 News H&MM October 1, 2007 | HotelMotel.com Revenue Continued from page 1 summed it up best: “The market can be brutal. If you look at the exchange of information today, if the hotel company launches a brand, and the brand is not positioned well, and doesn’t have a very speciﬁc focus in the marketplace, it will not survive. It basically becomes an aggregated asset. That asset will go away.” Following is an excerpt from a roundtable held at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. Participants included: Tim Wiersma, v.p. of revenue management, Host Hotels and Resorts Tim Coleman, v.p. of revenue management, MGM Mirage Kristi White, manager, client revenue strategy, TravelClick Courtney Granger, director of revenue account managementAmericas, Preferred Hotel Group Barb Bowden, corporate di- Q What should the industry do to simplify rate structures with the proliferation of brands to allow for more effective yield and revenue management? Tom Buoy, senior v.p. of distribution and revenue management, Morgans Hotel Group, and Elizabeth Cambra, corporate director of revenue optimization, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, discuss rate structures. Cambra: “I don’t think simplify- Sweet Dreams …for you and your guests. While your customers snooze in the luxury of fine linens, you’ll sleep well knowing those costly linens will last longer— and your laundry operation will be more efficient—thanks to Continental Pro-Series™ Washer-Extractors. • reduce dry time by 40 percent • eliminate bottlenecks at the dryer • reduce fabric damage • improve laundry room productivity • reduce utility consumption Contact Continental today to receive a FREE LAUNDRY ANALYSIS and discover the key to a better night’s sleep— Continental Pro-Series Washers! ing is possible with the quantity of channels and distributions we have. The other piece of that is the number of [rate] categories you offer. I can now produce 16 different categories in one building with 16 different experiences. Simpliﬁcation will never happen. The key is utilizing the guest’s requests and offering them back … the top options that meet their needs. That’s where [customer-relationship management] comes in. You’ve got to have that data to give them what they want the ﬁrst time.” Buoy: “Segmentation is not going to be easy to resolve. You’ll see it become more pervasive as the ability to be able to put your customers into the clusters based on their buying behaviors and other demographics becomes a reality.” Q “So, it’s not possible to simplify?” White: “I don’t think it necessarily 3 5 CIRCLE NO. 112 (800)256-1073 www.continentalgirbau.com needs to be simpliﬁed. Hotels need to keep in mind they’re deﬁning it properly and it’s well understood by the consumer. If the consumer doesn’t understand it, it doesn’t matter if you have one great offer or 200 great offerings.” Coleman: “If it’s a rational rate structure, not a simple rate structure, the consumer will buy. To make it rational, it probably ought to be rational. Being a marketer, I would say you can explain it. If you explain it well and the consumer says, ‘Oh, I get what they’re trying to do,’ then sometimes you can do some things.” ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HSMAI rector of revenue management, Peabody Hotels Thomas Buoy: senior v.p. of distribution and revenue management, Morgans Hotel Group Elizabeth Cambra, corporate director of revenue optimization, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. http://HotelMotel.com http://www.continentalgirbau.com http://www.continentalgirbau.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - October 1, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - October 1, 2007 Contents Independents Rely on Guest Feedback Models Showcase Aloft, Element Brands Trainers Emphasize Communication, Cooperation Perspective At Your Risk Satisfaction Trends Sales Clinic Energy Star Update HotelWorld Update Trends & Stats Dressing Walls in 'Green' Music Programming Provides a Sound Solution Remote Check-In/Out for Leisure Travelers Q&A: Western U.S. Pipeline Softgoods - Beds and Bedding Transactions A Cause Célèbre Awards People on the Move Events Cleaning and Maintenance Solutions Marketplace Ad/Editorial Index Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - October 1, 2007

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