How to Use the Hotel Revenue Manager Onboarding Template

Why structured hotel revenue manager onboarding matters

A revenue manager who doesn't understand your property's systems, competitive landscape, and strategic priorities will default to reactive pricing. They'll chase competitor rates instead of leading the market. They'll miss demand signals because they don't know where to look. And every day of unfocused pricing costs real money — a single poorly priced high-demand night can leave thousands of pounds on the table.

The challenge with revenue management onboarding is that the role sits at the intersection of technology, analytics, commercial strategy, and cross-departmental relationships. A new revenue manager needs to absorb your PMS, RMS, channel manager, rate shopping tools, and reporting systems while simultaneously understanding your property's market position, business mix, and commercial goals. Without a structured programme, they spend weeks finding their feet instead of driving results.

This template breaks the first week into five focused days, moving from property orientation through to strategic planning. Each day builds on the last, and the assessment questions give you a clear picture of where your new revenue manager is strong and where they need additional support.

Day 1: Foundation and Property Integration

The first day is about grounding your new revenue manager in the property — how it operates, who the key people are, and what systems they'll be working with daily. Revenue management decisions don't happen in isolation; they depend on understanding how every department contributes to the guest experience and the bottom line.

Hotel Systems and Structure Orientation

Why this matters: A revenue manager who understands the physical property and its operational flow makes better pricing decisions. They know which room types command a premium because they've walked them. They understand why certain periods strain capacity because they've seen the operational impact first-hand.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk every department during a relatively quiet period so they can absorb the layout and ask questions without rushing
• Show them the PMS and RMS side by side, explaining how data flows between systems and where manual intervention is needed
• Pull up your business mix data and walk through each segment — corporate, leisure, group, OTA — explaining booking patterns and price sensitivity for your specific property
• Give them read access to the channel manager from day one so they can start familiarising themselves with the interface

Customisation tips:

• A city-centre business hotel will have a very different segment mix than a resort property — adjust the business mix overview to reflect your actual trading patterns
• If your property uses a revenue management system with automated pricing, explain the guardrails and override procedures early

Team Integration and Role Clarification

Why this matters: Revenue decisions affect every department. The sales team needs to understand rate strategy before quoting corporate clients. The front desk needs to know about overbooking policies. Reservations needs clarity on rate parity. Building these relationships on day one prevents the friction that comes from a revenue manager making decisions without context.

How to deliver this training:

• Arrange face-to-face meetings with the general manager, director of sales, front office manager, and reservations manager — not just introductions, but working discussions about how revenue management affects their teams
• Have them shadow the current revenue team (or whoever has been handling revenue) through a typical daily routine, including the morning pickup review
• Walk through your rate parity policy, overbooking tolerance, and minimum length-of-stay rules in detail
• Set up their communication channels — who gets the daily revenue email, who they call when they need a rate approved for a large group

Customisation tips:

• In a hotel group, the new revenue manager may also need to understand cluster or regional reporting lines
• If you have a revenue committee or weekly strategy meeting, schedule their first attendance for early in the week

Basic Revenue Management Principles

Why this matters: Even experienced revenue managers need to understand how your property applies fundamental concepts. The relationship between ADR, occupancy, and RevPAR plays out differently at every hotel depending on market conditions and strategic priorities.

How to deliver this training:

• Use your own property's data to illustrate each concept — show how ADR and occupancy have traded off against each other over the past year
• Walk through your booking pace for the coming month and explain what patterns they should be watching for
• Discuss your segmentation model and how you assign value to different customer types
• Explain your property's pricing philosophy — are you a rate leader, a follower, or a value player?

Customisation tips:

• A new-build property with limited historical data needs a different approach to pace analysis than an established hotel with years of trends
• If your property is heavily reliant on one segment (conference business, for example), emphasise the risks and mitigation strategies specific to that dependency

Assessment Questions

Use these questions to check understanding at the end of Day 1. Have a conversation with your new revenue manager — the goal is to identify any gaps in system knowledge or market understanding before Day 2 builds on these foundations.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask them to demonstrate PMS and RMS navigation rather than just describe it
• Look for an understanding of your specific business mix, not generic revenue management theory
• Note areas where they're hesitant and plan to revisit them during Day 2

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 1, your new revenue manager should be showing comfort with the property environment and a clear curiosity about the data. If they're not yet asking questions about pricing patterns and demand drivers, revisit the business mix overview before moving to Day 2.

Day 1 Notes

Record observations about how Day 1 went — how quickly they picked up the systems, how they interacted with department heads, and any areas where additional support is needed.

Day 2: Market Analysis and Pricing Strategy

Day 2 shifts from internal orientation to external focus. Your revenue manager needs to understand the competitive landscape, build demand forecasting skills, and grasp your property's rate architecture before they can start making pricing decisions.

Competitive Set Analysis

Why this matters: Pricing without competitive context is guesswork. Your revenue manager needs to know exactly who your primary and secondary competitors are, how they position themselves, and what their pricing moves typically signal about market conditions.

How to deliver this training:

• Pull up your STR reports and walk through the competitive set data together, explaining why each hotel was included
• Demonstrate your rate shopping tools and show how to extract daily competitive rate data
• Run through a real example of a competitor pricing move from the past month and discuss what the appropriate response would have been
• Build a simple decision tree for common competitive scenarios — competitor drops rates, new supply enters the market, a competitor closes for renovation

Customisation tips:

• In a market with limited direct competitors, secondary competitive analysis becomes more important — show how to benchmark against aspirational competitors
• If your property competes differently across segments (perhaps you lead on corporate but follow on leisure), explain the segmented competitive strategy

Demand Forecasting Techniques

Why this matters: Accurate forecasting is what separates reactive pricing from strategic pricing. A revenue manager who can predict demand patterns 30, 60, and 90 days out gives the property time to optimise rates and restrictions rather than scrambling at the last minute.

How to deliver this training:

• Pull up historical booking data and walk through seasonal patterns, showing how demand builds for different date types (midweek versus weekend, high season versus shoulder)
• Build a market events calendar together, marking local events, holidays, conferences, and sporting fixtures that drive demand
• Create a pace report for the coming month and practise interpreting it — what does it mean when pace is ahead of last year but behind budget?
• Explain your forecast accuracy tracking method and set expectations for how quickly they should aim to produce reliable forecasts

Customisation tips:

• A resort property with long booking windows needs different forecasting horizons than a city hotel where most bookings arrive inside 14 days
• If your market has a major event calendar (festival city, conference destination), build this into the forecasting training as a primary demand driver

Rate Structure Management

Why this matters: Your rate structure is the mechanism through which strategy becomes action. A well-designed rate architecture gives the revenue manager the levers they need to respond to market conditions without creating rate integrity issues.

How to deliver this training:

• Map out your complete rate structure from rack rate down to the lowest negotiated rate, explaining the logic behind each level
• Show how rate fences work in practice — what conditions differentiate a non-refundable rate from BAR, and why those conditions matter
• Walk through recent package and promotional offerings, discussing what worked and what didn't
• Review your corporate and group pricing process, including who has authority to approve rates at each level

Customisation tips:

• A hotel with significant group business needs deeper training on displacement analysis and group pricing methodology
• If your property uses dynamic pricing automation, explain the rules engine and when manual overrides are appropriate

Assessment Questions

Check these at the end of Day 2. By now your revenue manager should be able to articulate your competitive position and explain the rationale behind your rate structure.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask them to identify a pricing opportunity based on the competitive data they've reviewed
• Check whether they can connect demand forecast data to specific pricing actions
• Note any gaps in analytical thinking that need addressing before Day 3

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 2, your revenue manager should be demonstrating analytical curiosity and the ability to extract actionable insights from data. If they're still struggling with the tools, schedule additional hands-on time before moving to Day 3.

Day 2 Notes

Record how your revenue manager handled the analytical training — their comfort with data, speed of tool adoption, and quality of questions about strategy.

Day 3: Channel Distribution and Inventory Management

Day 3 moves into the operational mechanics of revenue management. Your new revenue manager needs to understand how rates and availability reach the market, and how to use inventory controls strategically to maximise revenue.

Channel Management and OTA Relationships

Why this matters: Each booking channel has a different cost structure, and the channel mix directly impacts net revenue. A revenue manager who understands channel economics makes better decisions about where to invest visibility and where to restrict availability.

How to deliver this training:

• Pull up your channel contribution report and walk through each channel's revenue share, commission rate, and net contribution
• Log into OTA extranets together and show them how to manage content, visibility boosters, and promotional programmes
• Review your direct booking strategy — website conversion data, booking engine performance, and any loyalty or best-rate-guarantee programmes
• Demonstrate the channel manager and practise pushing rate and availability changes across all connected channels

Customisation tips:

• A hotel with a strong direct booking channel will focus this training differently than one heavily dependent on OTAs
• If your property participates in OTA promotional programmes (Genius, Preferred Partner), explain the commercial terms and when to opt in or out

Inventory Allocation and Restriction Management

Why this matters: Inventory controls are the precision tools of revenue management. Used well, they protect high-value inventory during peak periods and stimulate demand during soft periods. Used badly, they leave money on the table or create guest frustration.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your room type hierarchy and show how pricing differentials between room types are set and maintained
• Demonstrate how to implement minimum and maximum length-of-stay restrictions, and explain the demand conditions that trigger each
• Show real examples of when CTA (Closed to Arrival) and CTD (Closed to Departure) restrictions were used and the revenue impact they had
• Explain your approach to NLRA (Non-Last Room Availability) and how you protect inventory for higher-value channels

Customisation tips:

• A resort with multiple room categories and suites needs more detailed room-type optimisation training than a limited-service hotel with two room types
• If your property uses automated restriction rules in the RMS, show how to review and override them when market conditions change

Booking Pace and Pickup Analysis

Why this matters: Pace and pickup analysis is the daily heartbeat of revenue management. It tells you whether demand is building as expected and whether your current pricing is capturing the right volume at the right rate.

How to deliver this training:

• Pull up today's pace report and walk through how to read it — bookings on the books versus same time last year, versus forecast
• Show examples of booking anomalies from the past few months and explain what action was taken in each case
• Demonstrate pickup reporting and explain what constitutes normal pickup versus a signal that pricing needs adjusting
• Discuss strategies for both scenarios — what to do when pace is significantly ahead of forecast, and what to do when it's behind

Customisation tips:

• A hotel with a high proportion of group business needs separate pace tracking for group versus transient segments
• If your property uses an RMS with automated pace alerts, show how to configure thresholds that match your market rhythm

Assessment Questions

Day 3 covers the operational mechanics of revenue management. Use these questions to check that your revenue manager can translate strategy into channel and inventory actions.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask them to walk you through how they'd distribute a rate change across channels
• Present a scenario where demand is building faster than expected and ask what restrictions they'd consider
• Check their understanding of channel economics by asking which channels they'd prioritise for a soft period

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 3, your revenue manager should be able to independently update rates and manage availability across your distribution channels. If they're still unsure about restriction logic, revisit the demand-based decision framework before Day 4.

Day 3 Notes

Record how your revenue manager handled the distribution and inventory training — their confidence with channel management tools and their understanding of when to apply restrictions.

Day 4: Advanced Revenue Tactics and Problem Solving

Day 4 elevates from day-to-day operations to complex scenarios that require nuanced judgement. These are the situations where experienced revenue managers earn their keep — balancing short-term revenue capture against long-term positioning and guest relationships.

Complex Pricing Scenarios

Why this matters: Standard pricing decisions are relatively straightforward. The real skill comes when demand patterns are unusual, when competitors behave unpredictably, or when you need to balance multiple objectives simultaneously. These scenarios are where good revenue managers differentiate themselves.

How to deliver this training:

• Work through a high-compression scenario using real data from a past peak period — show what rates were achieved and discuss what could have been done differently
• Discuss low-demand strategies that go beyond simple discounting — value-added packages, length-of-stay incentives, and segment-targeted promotions
• Run a group displacement analysis together, comparing the guaranteed revenue from a group booking against the expected transient revenue for the same dates
• Review special event pricing history and build a framework for pricing future events based on demand build curves

Customisation tips:

• A conference hotel will spend more time on group displacement analysis, while a leisure property will focus on seasonal demand management
• If your market experiences extreme compression events (major sporting events, New Year's Eve), build specific pricing playbooks for these dates

Revenue Stream Coordination

Why this matters: Total revenue management goes beyond room revenue. A revenue manager who considers F&B, meeting space, spa, and other ancillary revenue when making pricing decisions generates significantly more value for the property.

How to deliver this training:

• Show how room pricing decisions affect F&B revenue — a discounted room that drives a high-spending restaurant guest may be more valuable than a full-rate room with a guest who eats off-site
• Walk through your function space pricing and show how to evaluate a meeting room booking against alternative revenue opportunities
• Review your upselling programme results and discuss how pre-arrival and front-desk upselling contributes to total revenue
• Explain how loyalty programme commitments affect pricing decisions and where the balance lies between member benefits and revenue maximisation

Customisation tips:

• A full-service hotel with significant F&B and events revenue needs deeper total revenue management training than a select-service property
• If your property has a spa or golf course, include these ancillary revenue streams in the coordination discussion

Crisis and Opportunity Management

Why this matters: Markets don't always behave as expected. A revenue manager needs frameworks for responding to sudden demand changes — whether that's a local event cancellation, a competitor closing for renovation, or an unexpected spike in bookings from a new source.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through past examples of demand disruptions and the pricing responses that were deployed
• Discuss how to identify and capitalise on unexpected demand — when a competitor goes offline, when a new event is announced, or when a market segment suddenly picks up
• Review competitor disruption scenarios and the pricing principles that apply (avoid predatory pricing, focus on value capture)
• Build a simple crisis pricing framework that covers the most likely disruption scenarios for your market

Customisation tips:

• Hotels in areas prone to weather disruption need specific contingency plans for cancellation waves and recovery pricing
• If your market is affected by seasonal events (Christmas markets, summer festivals), build these into the opportunity management framework

Assessment Questions

Day 4 covers the advanced thinking that separates competent revenue managers from strong ones. Use these questions to check whether your new starter is developing strategic judgement alongside technical skill.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Present a multi-variable scenario and ask them to walk through their decision-making process
• Check whether they're considering total revenue impact, not just room revenue
• Look for evidence that they can balance competing priorities rather than optimising for a single metric

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 4, your revenue manager should be demonstrating the ability to think beyond standard pricing into strategic revenue optimisation. If they're still focused solely on room rate, revisit the total revenue management concepts before Day 5.

Day 4 Notes

Record how your revenue manager handled the advanced scenarios — their strategic thinking, ability to consider multiple variables, and comfort with ambiguity.

Day 5: Strategic Planning and Performance Review

The final day shifts focus from tactical execution to strategic planning and performance management. Your revenue manager needs to be able to set direction, measure results, and communicate insights to stakeholders across the business.

Strategic Revenue Planning

Why this matters: Day-to-day pricing is important, but long-term revenue success comes from strategic planning that aligns with the property's commercial objectives and anticipates market evolution.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your annual revenue planning process from start to finish — budget setting, target allocation by segment, and strategy documentation
• Show how revenue budgets connect to the broader property P&L and discuss the commercial director's or GM's expectations
• Review your segment strategies together, identifying which segments have growth potential and which are in decline
• Discuss the technology landscape — what tools are you considering, what's on the roadmap, and how does the revenue manager evaluate new technology

Customisation tips:

• A hotel group with centralised revenue strategy will need training on how property-level planning feeds into regional or brand-level strategy
• If your property is undergoing a repositioning or renovation, the strategic planning discussion should address how pricing strategy evolves during and after the transition

Performance Analysis and Reporting

Why this matters: A revenue manager who can measure, analyse, and communicate performance effectively drives better decisions across the entire property. The quality of their reporting directly influences how the leadership team thinks about pricing and revenue.

How to deliver this training:

• Show your existing KPI dashboards and explain what each metric tells you about property performance
• Demonstrate variance analysis using a recent month's results — where did you beat forecast, where did you miss, and why?
• Walk through how to present revenue insights to different audiences — the GM wants strategic headlines, the sales team needs segment detail, and the finance team wants forecast accuracy
• Discuss your continuous improvement approach — how often strategy is reviewed, what triggers a strategy change, and how test-and-learn experiments are run

Customisation tips:

• If your property reports into a brand or management company, include the required reporting formats and submission deadlines in the training
• Different stakeholders care about different metrics — adapt the reporting training to reflect your specific audience mix

Professional Development Planning

Why this matters: Revenue management is evolving constantly — new tools, new distribution channels, new analytical approaches. A revenue manager who stops learning quickly falls behind. Setting up a development plan from day one creates the habit of continuous improvement.

How to deliver this training:

• Discuss their current skill profile honestly and identify the areas where development will add most value
• Share relevant industry networking opportunities — HSMAI events, revenue management conferences, local hospitality networking groups
• Talk through certification options (CRME, CHDM) and whether the property would support them in pursuing these
• Set up a mentorship connection, either within the property or through your hotel group or management company

Customisation tips:

• An experienced revenue manager joining from a competitor may need development in your specific systems rather than general revenue management theory
• If your organisation offers internal training programmes or secondment opportunities, introduce these here

Assessment Questions

These final assessment questions check whether your revenue manager is ready to take ownership of the revenue function. Focus on strategic thinking and stakeholder communication rather than technical knowledge — you've covered that across the previous four days.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask them to outline a high-level revenue strategy for the coming quarter based on what they've learned this week
• Check whether they can present a revenue insight clearly and concisely for a non-technical audience
• Be honest about areas that still need development and agree a plan for continued support

Success Indicators

These are the markers of a revenue manager who's ready to start operating with growing independence. If all four are present, your onboarding has given them a strong foundation. If any are missing, extend supported working and schedule additional coaching.

Day 5 Notes

Record your final assessment of the onboarding period. Note strengths, development areas, and any agreed next steps for continued training and support.

Making the most of this template

Five days is a concentrated programme, and revenue management is a role that takes months to fully master for any specific property. The goal of this template isn't to create a fully independent revenue manager in a week — it's to give them a structured foundation that accelerates their path to confident, data-driven decision-making.

Use the notes sections at the end of each day to build a record of your revenue manager's development. These notes are valuable for 30-day and 90-day reviews, for identifying recurring training needs across multiple hires, and for refining your onboarding process over time.

The assessment questions and success indicators create accountability for both the trainer and the trainee. If your revenue manager isn't meeting the success indicators by the end of each day, that's useful information — it might mean the training pace needs adjusting, additional hands-on time with systems is needed, or the role requires someone with more experience.

Consider pairing your new revenue manager with someone from the commercial or sales team as a buddy. Revenue management doesn't operate in a silo, and the best revenue managers build strong working relationships across the business from their very first week.