Client Testimonials

Lucien Barrière Hôtels et Casinos, part of Accor, is a group of casinos, grand hotels, deluxe tourist complexes and restaurants.

Headquartered in Paris, France, the business belongs to the Barrière-Desseigne family, who own 51%, and to the Accor Group, who own 49%. There are thirteen Lucien Barrière properties across France, and one in Morocco. A new hotel is scheduled to open in Lille in 2010.

It was back in July 2003 when Lucien Barrière first installed EzRMS™, starting with their Cannes properties (Hôtel Majestic Barrière and Hôtel Gray d’Albion). The next few years saw the Revenue Management system implemented at all other hotels in France, with the last property, Barrière Naoura in Marrakesh, Morocco, completing installation at the beginning of this year. The chain's newest property, in Lille, will also use the EzRMS™ Product Suite.

Lucien Barrière uses the EzRMS™ Core Module at corporate level, as well as Ez-COMPETE™ and Ez-BUDGET™, although these modules are only used at some properties, according to Fabrice Bernier, Group Revenue Manager. Around forty people use the RMS across all hotels.

Bernier says that prior to installation of the software the chain performed their Revenue Management using Excel. It was in fact when he went for a job interview that Bernier first saw EzRMS™, where he was shown a demo of the Product Suite.

He was apparently one of the people to then recommend the product to the group.

On a weekly basis, continues Bernier, Lucien Barrière looks at forecasts and sales department statistics at corporate level, and at individual property level, revenue managers look at EzRMS™ recommendations. Each Revenue Manager covers between one and four hotels at each resort.

“EzRMS™ is very good for us. All information from all our hotels gets sent directly to the corporate office.”

He tells how EasyRMS has done a lot of development for the group over the years. For example, when EzRMS™ was first installed, Lucien Barrière was using a proprietary PMS, and so EasyRMS developed an interface to this. A few years on, the proprietary system was replaced with MICROS’ Opera, and EasyRMS consequently uploaded EzRMS™ into this.

“EasyRMS has been very present since the first install in 2003,” says Bernier. “They have helped us undergo major changes and specific needs. Moreover, every six months we benefit from a new version, as a result of other EzRMS™ customers’ development demands.”

According to him, EasyRMS have always been very open to change, as opposed to their direct competitor who would not consider installing an RMS due to Lucien Barrière’s proprietary PMS.

So is this the only reason why EzRMS™ was selected above other RMS providers?

“No,” replies Bernier. “The solution was considered our best option because it is economical, and also because it is the only system we could find that was ASP based. This is important for us at corporate level.”

He thinks it is difficult to measure the impact of using EzRMS™, given the ever-changing economy. “But it’s a good tool, and today would be different if we didn’t have it, as EzRMS™ helps us a great deal in understanding our customers’ behaviour through cross–analyses,” notes Bernier. “As a company, we follow the forecasts and recommendations the solution offers us, and can easily view our various channels and market segments.”

The system allows Lucien Barrière’s corporate office to easily see which market segment is down – for example, British Tour Operators using the Travel Agent analysis. “EzRMS™ tells us very easily and is very helpful,” says Bernier. “We can now have specific tour operators and / or travel agents for all hotels.”

Bernier likes the fact that although the PMS tells them that occupancy is low, EzRMS™ tells them WHY, and in which segments.

The software also allows the head office to perform Macro Management, which helps with their marketing strategies. “For instance,” explains Bernier, “from lead times we can define the best period for our marketing campaigns, and with EzRMS™ we can quickly determine any behavioural changes in customer segmentations, which is very useful.” He says this is especially so this year, given the international crisis and believes that without EzRMS™ things would not be as good as they are for the group.

“One last thing I forgot to say about EasyRMS,” he adds, “which all revenue managers at Lucien Barrière agree on, is that all the staff are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful – and this is much appreciated,” adds Bernier in conclusion.

“Having implemented EzRMS™ in our hotels in early 2006, the depth of focus into Revenue Management and the knowledge and impact of revenue strategies has risen to impressive standards and this was clearly demonstrated by the hotels during the latest budget presentations. This was most interesting to see as too often RMS tools are seen simply as ‘yielding tools’ and not as ‘knowledge tools with the ability to yield’.

Our hotels have proven during their latest budget preparations that they are now in a position to quickly and easily interrogate the data which ironically resided in their own systems. This new intelligence meant that they were better equipped to make more accurate decisions and to be quicker in their decision making process. Armed with this new confidence the hotels have been able to capitalize on the market strengths and to outperform their competitors in each local market set. In most cities in which we are situated we achieve the leading RGI in the marketplace, and having the right tools to achieve this is essential.

EzRMS™ has indeed now been proven beyond any doubt to have been the right system choice for our organization. The process of implementation was ‘stress free’ which simply means ‘on time, within expectations and with no surprises’. We continue to enjoy a close and reliable relationship with the EasyRMS Team as they support our properties across the globe and we would have no hesitation to recommend both EasyRMS as an organization and the EzRMS™ Product Suite to any of our hospitality colleagues.”

Revenue management is a technique used to maximize room revenue (and incremental revenues) – essentially balancing inventory, price and demand to get the most value out of a property’s occupancy. This requires tracking of daily, weekly and monthly sales by room type, by market segments and by channels. It also requires detailed analysis of that data. Automated revenue management systems (RMS) can make this process much easier, but can also be expensive and not all systems are created equal.

To save members the time and expense of finding the best system, Patti Halter, Best Western’s Revenue Management Director, Member Care, and her team spent many months evaluating RMS products. In January, Best Western finalized a Preferred Vendor agreement with EasyRMS, a leading provider of web-based revenue management solutions.

“We went through an extensive evaluation process before selecting EasyRMS and the EzRMS™ software product,” Halter said. “This process started more than a year ago, and we have since determined that their product is ideally suited to our needs. EasyRMS also demonstrated a strong commitment to client care and product development.”

Implementation is fully automated and handled entirely by EasyRMS staff. The product is web-based, so it’s installed over the Internet onto an existing computer at the property, where it then reads data from the hotel’s existing Property Management System (PMS). This interface with the PMS allows the product to generate dozens of statistical reports regarding occupancy trends.

The Best Western Sterling Inn Banquet and Conference Center in Sterling Heights, MI, officially went live with EzRMS™ in February 06. The system already has changed the way the property does business, according to Victor Martin, General Manager and co-owner.

“We do a lot of group business, so we use it to evaluate whether or not it makes sense to take certain groups,” said Martin. “It’s a great tool. We have a revenue management meeting weekly to discuss the recommendations the systems gives us and to decide how to structure out rates. Our sales people use it everyday.”

Training is offered onsite, and there is no limit to the number of employees who may attend. Because the product is easy to use, the customized three-day training session focuses primarily on how to make the best use of the system at each individual property.

“I was really impressed,” said Martin. “It was more than just training on how to run the software. It was like taking a college class, because they’re really teaching you the theories and fundamentals of revenue management. And the instructor was great!”

Independent studies by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Cornell University and others have shown that, by utilizing a revenue management system, hotels can typically yield an immediate and permanent increase of four to seven percent in incremental gross revenues.

That return on investment – when coupled with the extensive data mining, forecasting and reporting capabilities built into the product – means EzRMS™ offers Best Western members incredible value and an unprecedented financial opportunity.

“The most amazing thing is that it actually works,” laughed Martin, who admits that at first the system seemed too good to be true to him. “You really get more than you bargained for. The cost is really reasonable considering what you get out of it. Its capabilities are just amazing and it’s so easy.”

“With regard to our revenue management planning, EzRMS™ has provided us with the tools to focus on specific months or even days that may be exceeding booking expectations or not meeting projections (whether short term or long term) with significant less time than previously achieved. By identifying what factors are creating these trends, we can decide if any changes need to be made. Group continuation: As trends change year to year, we have been able to identify dates that continue to show strong demand and allow higher rate strategies to be implemented on a more accurate level. On the other side, groups that may consider dates low in demand and/or off season, provide revenue that may have gone to other locations if not given the flexibility on rates” adds Juliet Nuyens, Reservations Manager at the Best Western Sterling Inn.

"Our hotel experience and Professional Development Training at Cornell University convinced us that Aerostar needed a Revenue Management System. The challenge was to find one that would provide us with the greatest benefits, yet was both affordable for an independent property and offered leading edge technology. The Internet based EzRMS™ product met these requirements and has been in operation since September 2002.

This leading edge system signals a new direction and ideology to business operations / sales at the Aerostar Hotel.

The new revenue philosophy resulted in an improved revenue performance of $39,000 USD during a one week period in October. The dramatic increase in both October, November & December 2002 revenue results can also be attributed to the new revenue approach.

EzRMS™ works on two levels, group quotation evaluation and individual rate recommendations. Both of these modules provide opportunities to ensure we sell the right product, at the right price, at the right time, to the right client to maximize revenue.

Implementation period is very short: 3 day training and 1 week for: making appropriate changes in your PMS and for internal trainings (Reservations, FD, etc).

And the last but not the least:

Training made by EasyRMS and the subsequent technical support has been fantastic! After 10 years in hotel business I can say that it’s the best one I’ve ever come across."

"Following our decision to make a strong focus on Revenue Management we searched the market for a sophisticated tool which was not based on the traditional capital-intensive technology but would give us the flexible opportunity provided by a web-based product. We felt that EzRMS™ would be the perfect fit within these current and future business needs."

"In December 2000 we installed the EzRMS™ Core Module into four of our main properties - First Hotel Amaranten, Stockholm, Sweden, First Hotel Reisen, Stockholm, Sweden, First Hotel Garden, Malmo, Sweden and the First Hotel Vesterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark."

"As with any organisation we were initially a little cautious to be the first live sites for the EzRMS™ solution but have certainly seen during the past four months that our inhibitions and concerns where misplaced and that the true value of an ASP offering has been demonstrated without question. The two main issues that we at First Hotels faced were (a) Data Quality / Maintenance & Support and (b) The ability to have access and control of our various properties from a central location."

"Throughout this whole process so far we have been delighted with the data situation - there have been minor data issues which you would expect with any installation of this type, however, the biggest positive service provided by EasyRMS is the ability to not only highlight these data discrepancies immediately but to provide the 'fix' on-line without our systems even being down for 1 minute - something that provides an amazing value added service and boosts the confidence levels within our group no end !!"

"The second issue of access & control has again been solved and we are now able to view the financial and business decisions taken by our General and Revenue Managers on a daily basis. In my position as Director of Revenue Management for the group this is a vital aspect of the solution offered and I do not understand how anyone in my position within a hotel chain can operate effectively without such a tool."

"We have been extremely satisfied so far by both the level of service and commitment offered by the team at EasyRMS and the functionality of the EzRMS™ product. We certainly envisage continuing the rollout of this sophisticated tool throughout our entire property portfolio, starting with an already selected further 6 properties to be installed by the end of April 2001."

"We have been focussing on Revenue Management within our hotel for 18 months and have seen vast improvements to both our REVPAR and to the general culture within the organisation. Although we have been using an existing solution from an established software vendor during this process, we have found this type of technology to be both problematic and difficult to manage. The decision to change an existing system is always a difficult process but Easy (Ez) Revenue Management Solutions have produced a unique and sophisticated tool which is not based on traditional capital-intensive technology and gives us the flexible opportunities provided by a true web-based product."

"Although it is still early days, we have been using the EzRMS™ ASP Core Module since the beginning of March and have already seen the immense benefits offered by such technology. We are now able, just via a standard internet connection, to gain access to our Revenue Management solution on- line!! This not only provides us with an array of useful graphs and statistical information from which to base our executive decisions, but also recommends to us the exact sales controls we should set for our future business - thus enabling us to maximise our profits and really control the business in an effective manner."

"The availability of the EzRMS™ solution to-date, level of service we receive and the energy and commitment given to our project has been impeccable, thus I would recommend any hotel, whether part of a large chain or a smaller independent property, to take full advantage of this latest technology provided by Easy (Ez) Revenue Management Solutions."

"Educating key members of our hotel personnel about the specifics of Revenue Management has been an essential part of our company strategy for planting the seeds of a Revenue Management culture throughout our organisation.

"EasyRMS have proved to be an effective, reliable and flexible partner in serving our needs during these early stages of our Revenue Management development.

"The knowledge and commitment demonstrated by the EasyRMS consulting team has ensured that the key and individual members of our management team have returned with an enthusiastic and open minded attitude regarding Revenue Management principles and this has undoubtedly helped our organisation to make the needed strides forward.

"We are definitely keen to take a serious look at the ASP solution currently being developed by EasyRMS as this could considerably help us to enhance the management of revenues and bottom line profits.

"I recommend any style of hotel company to take full advantage of the EasyRMS range of services to assist them in the development of this critical business area."

"Having undertaken the huge project of implementing Revenue Management within the Scandic Hotel Group we have found EasyRMS a vital partner for the smooth installation of Revenue Management procedures and support tools.

"It is so valuable for chain HQ's such as ourselves to keep up-to-date with the latest skill sets and automated solutions and by working with the EasyRMS team we have been able to take advantage of their wealth of knowledge and international experience in this area.

"Their seminar range is solidly structured and a fantastic value added service to the hospitality industry, combined with their innovative new Internet solution EasyRMS are a vital global strategic partner for any hotel company."

"All of us within the hospitality industry know that we have to sell the Right Product, to the Right Customer, at the Right Time for the Right Price.

"EasyRMS actually tells you HOW to achieve this and teaches you to look at Revenue Management from a totally different perspective."

"Revenue Management is a tool and procedure for managing Yield within hotels – but knowing this is not enough to be able to implement strategies that the company needs, Mercure Hotels in Austria recognised this in time and installed an automated Revenue Management software program throughout the properties.

"However, even this type of installation is not enough - a sound understanding and adequate expertise is necessary in order to be able to derive the maximum benefit from these modern decision-making practices.

"Thanks to Easy (Ez) Revenue Management Solutions, we are now able to operate professionally.

"The target-oriented training methods and special commitment on the part of Mr Paul Margaillan are the reasons why we have now reached a level of knowledge which enables us to handle the Yield / Revenue Management strategically within the group and to continually increase our profits."

"I was impressed with the level and amount of content presented by EasyRMS during their Revenue & Yield Management Concepts Seminar in London.

"The seminar covered practical day to day topics and was clearly designed to be both interesting technically, at the same time allowing the delegates to discover real techniques and procedures which could be implemented immediately back at their individual hotels.

"I am convinced that seminars like these are much needed and serve as a valuable addition to the services available to the hospitality industry. EasyRMS's work in this area will therefore continue to grow.

"I look forward to seeing the new Internet product being launched by EasyRMS later this year."

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