RESPONSIBILITY
The ultimate responsibility for a successful yield/revenue manage-ment program rests with the general manager. In some hotels, this responsibility is dedicated to the rooms division manage/front desk manager/reservationist. In other hotels, yield/revenue management is given to sales and marketing, and in yet others, to the assistant general manager. All three places make sense and have both advantages and disadvantages. First, it is the function of the rooms people to sell the hotel’s product, rooms. They work with yield/revenue management every day, usually identity trends quickly, and are the first to receive customer input. However, being so close to it, they sometimes are unable to see the big picture. The sales and marketing staff are selling the hotel, not just the rooms. They are better at seeing the big picture but sometimes lose sight of the primary product of the hotel, rooms. They are so busy selling meetings and conventions and weddings and catering and parties that group, corporate, and professional team sales that would increase occupancy and number of room nights are often forgotten. The assistant general manager has the authority to get the necessary information but is one level removed from actual data collection. This means the general manager is two levels removed. Not really an ideal situation.