How Hotel Maashof transformed its revenue management

Hotel Maashof, a leading 4-star property with 85 rooms as well as several meeting rooms, faced challenges familiar to many hoteliers: operational time constraints, limited knowledge of revenue management and a market position under pressure. In conversation with Saskia Bettinger (Rooms & Reservations Manager), Maurice Martens (Marketing & Sales Manager) and owner Rob Beurskens, we discover how they tackled these challenges with the implementation of RevControl's revenue management system and how their strategies were transformed.

Before RevControl, the focus at Hotel Maashof was mainly on the short-term, with limited knowledge and time for in-depth analysis. Beurskens stresses that they were "mainly concerned with the next 14 days and the long term often came later." The lack of continuous monitoring and in-depth knowledge hampered their revenue management strategy.

2022 marked a turning point for Maashof. After first switching to a new Property Management System (MEWS), they began with RevControl. Together with Sales Manager Robin Sleegers, the system was installed and a well-thought-out revenue management strategy was put in place. The guidance and training during and after the installation process was invaluable. So invaluable in fact, that they opted for further consultancy sessions with Robin in 2023. "This gave us more insight into the market and its trends, and helped us better interpret the data provided by RevControl in order to best align our systems (RMS - PMS - CM)," states Martens.

Turning point

The turning point for Hotel Maashof has been proven in a variety of ways. First of all, a lot of time has been saved. When first starting with RevControl, rates for the next 14 days were tracked manually, the rest automated. After seeing the initial results, confidence in the system grew and all revenue management became fully automated. RevControl now automatically adjusts prices based on the chosen settings, allowing the team to focus on operational tasks while RevControl monitors price positioning.

Secondly, the team gained deep insight into segmentation and rate codes, resulting in a significant improvement in returns across channels. Beurskens: "The differentiation between breakfast inclusive and exclusive became a strategic advantage."

Finally, RevControl gave Hotel Maashof insight not only into their own market but also into regional market forces. The system continuously makes adjustments as bookings come in. As a result, they know that they have the right rate for their market. This competitive advantage is crucial, especially in an area like Venlo.

Reliable partner

Right from the start, Hotel Maashof has regarded RevControl as a partner who puts the hotel's success first. Martens: "For us, Robin is team RevControl. Last year we had several sessions aiming to increase the turnover of our hotel. This cooperation went very well, as we can see from the good results." Bettinger adds: "The support from RevControl is also excellent, with a quick response time."

The results really are impressive: although occupancy remained stable, profitability per room as well as the average room rate, has increased significantly in just one year. Adjustments at a strategic level in F&B resulted in a sharp increase in profitability. And the team can now make better decisions thanks to RevControl's in-depth insights.

In addition, Bettinger emphasises the time saved each day: "We don't have anyone full-time on revenue management, so we used to share this task and it quickly got left behind when we were busy. Now with RevControl, we know the system monitors all factors on a daily basis, even if we don't have time ourselves." Martens thinks it is important to also mention that it is an investment that quickly pays for itself. On the one hand, you see that revenue increases, but there is also a hidden cost saving. The people who used to keep track of everything several times a week now have extra time to focus on other things that can generate extra revenue in turn.

Hotel Maashof is looking forward to a long and successful cooperation with RevControl. The team reckons that there is always more profit to be made, thanks in part to greater insight, strategic choices and new features. For example, they are currently in talks to start adding the Rate Buckets feature, which allows rate plans to be automatically opened or closed based on occupancy.

The transformation at Hotel Maashof has been remarkable. The time spent on revenue management, the depth of knowledge, the increase in revenue and the reduction in costs, everything has changed. It marks a shift from operational constraints to strategic growth. They have a reliable partner paving the way for efficiency, more insights and increased profitability. Hotel Maashof's case shows how smart implementation of technology not only delivers results but also opens up new opportunities for the future.