RevOptiMinds

Using an RMS for short-term rentals with RevOptiMinds

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about RevOptiMinds?

My name is Anaïs Rapezynski, founder of RevOptiMinds, a revenue management consulting firm. My professional journey began in the hotel industry, where I earned a master’s degree specialized in revenue management and gained several years of operational experience. I then joined the Accor group, where I worked for three years before being recruited by a consulting firm in Paris to participate in the opening of two hotels.

Following this experience, I decided to start my own company with the mission to support independent hotels as well as franchisees. Overall, I focus on three main areas: audits, the development of annual strategies, and daily support with ongoing monitoring. I also wanted to innovate by introducing the concept of ethical revenue management, which prioritizes the satisfaction of the end traveler while adopting a responsible approach to pricing. For example, by offering eco-friendly deals to guests who reduce their environmental impact, such as reusing towels or limiting air conditioning usage.

During my research, I encountered a growing demand in the concierge sector in Paris, particularly in short-term rentals. This led me to specialize in a highly innovative area of revenue management, where the diversity of available properties requires a different approach.

What challenges led you to invest in an RMS solution?

I needed reliable insights on bookings, particularly regarding pick-up patterns. That’s why I turned to RMS professionals who are experts in Revenue Management.

This decision was driven by my desire to improve productivity and gain deeper knowledge of booking data. It was the combination of these two aspects—productivity and expertise—that led me to choose Revbell.

What were your selection criteria? How did the Revbell RMS stand out?

I evaluated many RMS solutions. Initially, I was more inclined to choose a Business Intelligence (BI) solution rather than an RMS, mainly because of cost. However, after assessing the productivity an RMS could bring me, the additional cost proved to be quite reasonable.

I had several selection criteria, especially the ability to perform mapping within the RMS. This was essential because I needed to cluster data coming from the PMS to analyze demand—particularly in the Paris short-term rental market, where the different districts show varying demands, influenced notably by the nationalities of the clients. So, segmenting apartments by district was crucial to evaluate demand over certain periods and adjust my pricing strategy accordingly. Revbell’s RMS offered this mapping functionality, which convinced me!

Moreover, the ability to create sub-segments based on my needs was another very appealing feature. It allows me to further customize my analysis and pricing strategy.

How did the onboarding phase go?

The onboarding was smooth thanks to the support from the Account Manager team, who introduced me to all the RMS features. Having a good prior knowledge of RMS from my previous experience, I found the learning process quite natural.

I had a tight timeline since I signed with my client and implemented the RMS in just one month. That’s quite a record, so it was all the more appreciated!

Which parameters do you use most often?

What I find particularly interesting is the ability to customize our dashboards, especially the “Alerts” feature. Every Revenue Manager has their own key indicators they want to monitor based on their own logic. Personally, I was able to select the indicators essential to me and create my own personalized dashboard. This helps me be more productive because I can quickly visualize the data that’s important to me on a daily basis.

Would you recommend the Revbell RMS to other companies?

Yes, I definitely recommend it! I find that the Revbell RMS offers excellent value for money. Moreover, the product team is very responsive and ready to address our specific needs. Recently, I faced a particular issue with a client, and the Revbell team was very attentive, proposing a custom development to integrate this specific request. It’s an approach focused on partnership rather than just providing software.

Currently, I am seriously considering the RMS for other clients of RevOptiMinds. It’s a tool that offers huge productivity gains, connects quickly via API, and also allows integration of external data, such as those coming from Lighthouse. These various elements make it a very interesting solution for me.