For Revenue Managers in the fast-paced car rental industry, the fight against manual work, reactive decisions, and siloed data is a constant struggle. Many of us have felt like we're "behind the curve," relying on intuition rather than forward-looking strategy.
WeYield Customer Success team recently concluded a four-month Revenue Management transformation coaching with a key partner in the European market. The core objective was simple: transition from a reactive, manual workflow to a structured, data-driven, and anticipatory Revenue Management practice. The results demonstrate a profound shift in maturity, offering a blueprint for other operators seeking sustainable, competitive growth.
Here are the main impacts observed during the 4-month journey:
1. The Death of the "Dinosaur" Workflow
At the outset, the customer’s workflow was heavily reliant on irregular checks and ad-hoc reactions. As the lead Revenue Management candidly explained
We are like a dinosaur when it comes to adjusting rates and staying reactive to competitors
Over the transformation, this dramatically changed. Pricing updates increased by a factor of 3 to 5, moving to multiple adjustments per week, and daily during peak season. Daily yield management routines became institutionalized, focusing on clear dashboards, anomaly review, and preparation ahead of meetings. This shift from reactionary firefighting to consistent, repeatable habits is the bedrock of sustained maturity.
2. Sophisticated Forecasting and Demand Analysis
Forecasting was once inconsistent and limited to a few weeks. The coaching instilled a systematic, granular practice:
- Detailed Demand Tracking: Reservations are now tracked by car group, arrival day, segment, and channel.
- Systemic Event Integration: School vacations, bank holidays, and major events are systematically integrated into the forecast.
- Fleet-Linked Forecasts: Daily arrival-day forecasts are now directly linked to the fleet plan, strengthening anticipation and allowing strategies to be planned well in advance.
I can clearly show them where we are, how we are standing, so there is nothing just guessing or maybe feeling what probably will be. Yeah, I can say that confidence definitely grows with that."
3. Market Intelligence Moves from Awareness to Action
Competitive intelligence transitioned from being "partial and inconsistent" to continuous and structured. The weekly routine now includes:
- Increased Rate Shop Volume: Volume doubled or tripled depending on the week.
- Clear Competitive Sets: A justified competitive set was defined, with pricing movements observed, recorded, and interpreted weekly.
- Reinforcing Decisions: Insights are methodically used to challenge or reinforce pricing actions, enabling the RM to understand competitor behavior over time and respond strategically.
4. Fleet Inventory Management: Weeks Ahead of the Constraint
Late stop-sells and unclear availability were common pain points. The RM’s behavioral transformation here was one of the most profound:
- Proactive Stop-Sells: Stop-sells are now applied much earlier, often weeks in advance, protecting revenue before risk materializes.
- Clear Risk Identification: Inventory at risk is identified sooner and communicated more clearly across operations.
- Systematic Integration: Fleet availability is now systematically incorporated into both pricing and forecasting decisions.
A New Mindset and RM Rhythm
The introduction of a stronger working rhythm—including dedicated weekly RM meetings, action minutes, tracking documents, and regular key performance indicators review cycles—was key. This structured approach, completing around 20 structured WeYield Revenue Management cycles in four months, drove new levels of organizational discipline.
In the end, the transformation was about more than just tools and data; it was a shift in confidence and strategic contribution. The final assessment reflected a leader capable of anticipating demand, shaping pricing, protecting inventory, and aligning strategy with overall company goals.
The Revenue Management's progression speaks for itself:
“I’ve moved from being a reactive operator to a structured, analytical and forward-looking Revenue Manager, equipped with the knowledge and habits to drive profitability.”
