Successful transition from traditional sales to digital transformation: Revenue management in the holiday hotel industry

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Michelin-starred chef Holger Bodendorf from Landhaus Stricker relied on the support of HotelPartner Revenue Management. With a focus on people, the Sylt hotel achieved a successful turnaround. 

Five years ago, the well-known Relais & Châteaux hotel on the North Sea began to develop its online sales strategy with the help of the revenue management solutions provider’s expertise. The goal was primarily to achieve sustainable growth while simultaneously strengthening competitiveness.

Together with the HotelPartner experts Karolin Grabbe and Robin Czullay, a tailor-made revenue management strategy was developed that is geared towards long-term value creation and optimised price structures.

“I got to know HotelPartner through a hotelier friend and found the subject of revenue management all in all very exciting. At the time, however, I didn’t know if it was something for us, as we were working in a very structured way with fixed rates. As a small company, however, we increasingly rely on external support in other areas as well – and we have had very good experiences with outsourcing. You just have to find the right partners,” says Holger Bodendorf from Hotel Landhaus Stricker. 

Karolin Grabbe and Robin Czullay add that the close cooperation with the Landhaus Stricker team allows them to react flexibly and precisely to seasonal and market-related fluctuations without jeopardising the establishment’s high quality standards.

“Even in the luxury segment, many hoteliers still work rigidly with price lists. Unfortunately, many opportunities are being missed in this way – especially in the areas of revenue management, distribution and digital marketing. We leveraged the potential for Landhaus Stricker and were able to significantly improve its positioning. As a result, we generated more bookings via Booking, Expedia and others. Our aim is also to create a price structure that reflects the value of the offering and does justice to guests and employees alike,” explains Robin Czullay.

Holger Bodendorf adds: “For me personally, revenue management is a matter for the boss. I didn’t even try to pass on the complex issue of revenue management to my team. I like to talk shop with my contacts at HotelPartner, who I see more as members of my team anyway. I regularly give them my input from the field and we work together to optimise our strategies. It is very important to me that I remain involved even after handing over revenue management to HotelPartner. What I am really pleased about, however, is the fact that online bookings have risen significantly. There are maybe four enquiries a day from guests who call us. As a result, the reception department is no longer a sales office but can focus solely on guest relations, ensuring a more pleasant stay for the guests in the hotel. This in turn promotes restaurant sales and sales of amenities, or in our case, even sales of art exhibits.”

The core of the philosophy of the 5-star hotel with two restaurants has always been the well-being of guests and staff. Holger Bodendorf always emphasises that the individual personality and the well-being of people are the focus of his work.

In the course of the collaboration, Landhaus Stricker was able to raise prices, adopt a different way of dealing with OTAs, improve the rate structure and increase online bookings to up to 65%. A positive side effect of the collaboration with the Swiss revenue management service provider was that the Sylt hotel increased its per capita turnover by 25 to 30 per cent, as employees now have more time available to spend with guests.

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About HotelPartner Revenue Management:

Founded in Switzerland in 2006, HotelPartner is a Europe-wide revenue management service provider for the hotel industry with headquarters in Schindellegi. The company is one of the first providers in the hotel industry to offer fully customised revenue management. HotelPartner Revenue Management relies on an innovative combination of a qualified team, proven expertise and the use of self-developed and future-oriented technology (TET synergy). The company supports accommodation providers in increasing turnover and reducing costs – always driven by the core values of optimisation, success and security. The focus is on consistent orientation towards the individual needs of hoteliers and a future-orientated sales strategy for long-term success.

Today, HotelPartner Revenue Management employs a total of around 70 experts from the hotel industry, revenue & yield management, content management, distribution, technology and development. With offices in Lausanne, Bern, Vienna, Salzburg, Hamburg and London, it currently serves around 500 partner hotels. www.hotelpartner.comPhoto: Landhaus Stricker & Holger Bodendorf. Source: Country house Stricker. Ready for printing. Reproduction of the media information free of charge