We had the opportunity to interview Tom Prevel, assistant to the general management at USSIM Vacances. Discover his feedback on his daily experience with the revbell RMS.
Can you please introduce yourself?
I am Tom Prevel, assistant to the general management of USSIM Vacances group. My responsibilities encompass various tasks, including coordinating different departments, verifying and implementing the management of new projects within the establishments I also intervene in the software and information systems part of the support function, as well as in presenting new partnerships to the general management.
How did you come to work with N&C?
The USSIM Vacances group is undergoing a new dynamic, and we aim to place increased emphasis on Revenue Management. It was during this period that we were contacted by N&C on LinkedIn, expressing their interest in the story of USSIM Vacances before discussing the importance of revenue management. We then met at various trade exhibitions before making a decision regarding a Revenue Management System for our RM management. The professionalism and efficiency of revbell were more than convincing, and that’s how we started working together!
What challenges led you to invest in a solution like revbell?
Today, Revenue Management represents the best way to increase our revenue and optimize the occupancy rate. It was important for us to fully implement it, given that our establishments are club hotels and experience a very pronounced seasonality. Implementing RM management and a tracking policy was essential, especially during peak and low-potential periods that we seek to maximize.
How did the onboarding phase go?
The learning phase was particularly interesting for us. We started the training on April 20, and it proved to be very comprehensive. For three months, we worked regularly with N&C to explore all aspects of revbell. And we managed to be fully operational by the end of June! Even though significant development projects are underway.
We would like to thank N&C once again, as their support is always available to answer any questions. We have often explored and conducted tests ourselves, sometimes with mixed results. And it is very appreciable to see that a available team is always there to help us.
Today, how does revbell integrate into your daily routine?
Today, revbell management is done at the headquarters in Paris, where we oversee our five establishments. We plan to introduce it to our teams very soon to train them on the tool.
What particularly interests us is the commercial monitoring with revbell alerts. For example, when we receive an alert indicating a room rate that is too low or too high, it allows us to intervene and rectify if necessary. We also frequently use booking curves, which are highly specific to our sector.
Upon opening reservations, we typically achieve occupancy rates of 50%, 60%, 70%, and even, in some of our establishments, 80%. We carefully examine the occupancy rate curves to ensure there are no errors in our pricing and that we remain competitive. So, these are the two aspects that we monitor regularly.
Our Revenue Management department is overseen at our head office by Mr. Brieuc Raynaud-Gastineau, Deputy Managing Director, along with M. Grégoire Payrol, Assistant Revenue Manager, who is also multi-site management assistant.
Which aspect of revbell do you particularly appreciate?
The visual aspect is very clear, with vibrant colors and a modern feel. Compared to old software using shades of white on grey, which were visually unappealing, the visual experience of revbell, from the dashboard’s opening, is significantly improved. We can immediately access all relevant details, such as revenue gains, recommended price changes, with indications on the reasons behind these changes, and the events considered.
Has revbell helped you?
Yes, the positive impact of revbell is clearly observable and evident. It is important to note that we are still in a phase of “building”. Nevertheless, we have already established a stable and sustainable pricing policy. Eventually, the idea is for revbell to automate itself thanks to our data history, and for us to simply check for alerts.
Would you recommend revbell to other companies in the same sector?
Of course, I would highly recommend it. All hotels and hotel groups usually have a Revenue Management tool, but what truly sets revbell apart is the availability of the support team, the power of the interface, and the level of detail in metrics that allows us to track every aspect thoroughly. Our recommendation is very positive!
Keywords: Tom Prevel, Ussim Vacances, Revenue Management, Revenue Management System, RMS, hotel