Does your RMS no longer suit your organization? Do you need new features that are not offered by your current RMS? Usually, the reason for changing RMS is because the expected benefits are not there.
So here are the 6 points to which you must pay attention during your change.

Define key features for non-regression

If you chose this previous solution, it is because you liked it and especially some of its features. List them to make sure that the suppliers we interviewed offer these features or even respond differently.

Ask RMS providers for the list of their latest developments

It is very difficult to judge a priori the ability of an editor to innovate and evolve. The size of the company can be a false friend. Sometimes it can even be an agility obstacle. Do not hesitate to ask your editor for a list of the latest developments and a roadmap over 6 months.

Check connectivity and integration but don’t make it the be-all and end-all of your choice

You choose an RMS, not a pipe. System integrations often depend on the ability of the PMS to be connected. Therefore, if your previous RMS was connected, it is feasible. Back it up with a clause in the contract and have the license start as soon as the connection is live. Notify your PMS editor, and push him to interface free of charge with the RMS of your choice without him imposing a solution on you. N&C’s development teams put 1 to 2 “standard” integrations into production each month. You don’t know what new opportunities your company will have to grow, so make sure the solution is, like revbell, multi-property and multi-PMS in a single environment.

Question the degree of artificial intelligence … but prefer business-grounded intelligence

Everyone has this word on their lips. However, beware of misleading language, few RMS are endowed with artificial intelligence. Revenue Management is a pragmatic practice, and no RMS will have the completeness of the information. Ask your contact about the demand modelling method and the recommendation algorithm. If the answer sounds like “we mix thousands of data, and we find the ideal price”, it is probably smoke and mirrors. On the other hand, beware of simplistic tools mixing “a bit of weather, a bit of competition”, this information is never exhaustive, or unreliable and its importance is only valid on D-day or D-1, i.e. when 90% of the optimization is done. The best way to test the robustness of the forecast and the optimization proposed by the RMS is to ask your interlocutor about the probable bias or weaknesses of the algorithm.

Ask RMS providers about the flexibility of setting choices

What does the editor foresee if you change your PMS during the license? What does the editor foresee to integrate past data from an old PMS? Are the choices of mappings and settings definitive? Few solutions offer advanced self-mapping features. And this, even though poor parameterization is often the reason for the ineffectiveness of decisions made or suggested by the RMS. Assume that your initial parameters are likely to need to be reviewed. The chosen solution must offer you this agility.

The RMS is the tool of the Revenue Manager team, trust them!

Is your RM team convinced? Then go for it, because in the end, it will be the daily users. There is no need to involve a Mexican army of company players in this choice. On the other hand, if your MR needs support to gauge the technical reliability of the editors interviewed (back and front-end technology used, quality of the servers), don’t hesitate to bring in experts. If you do not have the skills to evaluate the quality of the optimization and the RMS will be used by operational teams (GM or reception manager), get support from a neutral Revenue Management consultant who is not involved with a particular publisher.

In conclusion, changing the RMS is often seen as a very engaging choice, but the RMS is not, like the PMS, a central tool in the data architecture of your hotel or group. It is above all a daily tool for Revenue Managers or Yield teams. A complete tool offering them reporting, alerts and recommendations to save time, money and quality of life at work.

Are you thinking about changing your RMS? Our latest article on connectivity might interest you.