Discover how Grand Curiosa Hotel transformed its strategy by leveraging data and insights to stay ahead in the competitive hospitality market.
Turning insights into action: Grand Curiosa's strategic leap
Data isn't just about having numbers; it's about making those numbers work for you. This story reveals how Grand Curiosa Hotel in Gothenburg, Sweden, uses benchmarking data to become more nimble, make decisions based on insights, and look ahead more effectively. Discover how competitor insights fuel their journey towards operational excellence and strategic foresight.
Grand Curiosa Hotel, boasting 457 rooms, is a family-oriented hotel with at least five beds in every room – a feature unmatched by any other accommodation in Gothenburg. This distinctive aspect caters to the family segment, making it an ideal choice for those traveling with children or in larger groups. Grand Curiosa also features three restaurants, a gym, and conference facilities.
Sandie Nihlmar, Revenue Manager at Grand Curiosa Hotel, is well-known for her pioneering work in Gothenburg’s hospitality world. For example, she was the first in the city to apply flexible pricing models to cabins and camping. Sandie’s innovative approach has driven Grand Curiosa's success and influenced the broader industry to do the same.
- Our hotel is basically located inside of Liseberg, Gothenburg’s amusement park. Imagine staying in a place that feels like a museum, filled with all sorts of interesting park-related things. It's this blend of being right in the middle of one of Sweden's favorite amusement parks and offering such a unique experience that really sets Grand Curiosa apart.
Data plays a critical role in the hospitality industry
Sandie Nihlmar's long tenure in the hospitality industry has given her an in-depth understanding of the sector's dynamics and the critical role data plays in sustaining competitiveness and staying informed. For Sandie, leveraging data isn’t just about keeping up; it's about strategically navigating the industry to identify and use ways for improvement and expansion.
- Data allows hotels to make strategic decisions based on industry standards, trends, and competitor performance, Sandie emphasizes.
This conviction underlines why a benchmarking tool is indispensable for Sandie and her role at Grand Curiosa Hotel. It provides a structured approach to comparing performance against a set of peers or industry benchmarks, offering actionable insights that drive decision-making.
- The hospitality industry is fiercely competitive, and staying ahead requires not just hard work but smart work, Sandie points out.
- Benchmarking is that smart work. It helps us understand where we stand in the market, what we're doing right, and where we can improve.
“There really isn’t any alternative”
Sandie has been an avid fan and enforcer of Benchmarking Alliance for years. So when Grand Curiosa opened its doors in April 2023, it was only natural to link up with the benchmarking platform. She states:
- Being unable to compare your hotel to others in the area or with different competitor sets is like operating in the dark.
Highlighting the necessity of being part of Benchmarking Alliance, especially for a hotel like Grand Curiosa, Sandie adds:
- It's natural that we brought Benchmarking Alliance on board. There really isn't any better alternative. Everyone is there, and you want to be there too to have access to the valueable data. The more participants there are, the richer the data you receive. If you're not part of it, you're missing out. If you are professionally working with your revenue management, Benchmarking Alliance is a necessary tool.
Being able to execute pricing decisions precisely
The partnership with Benchmarking Alliance and our revenue management system have propelled Grand Curiosa Hotel towards advancements in revenue optimization through strategic pricing. These platforms together form a comprehensive toolkit for forecasting and analyzing historical data, granting Grand Curiosa the capability to execute pricing decisions precisely.
Sandie Nihlmar emphasizes the significance of these integrations:
- Utilizing insights from both Benchmarking Alliance and our revenue management system allows us to navigate through time – reflecting on past performance while anticipating future trends. This comprehensive viewpoint is crucial for identifying the optimal pricing moments, maximizing our revenue potential.
Additionally, the ability to configure and analyze competitor sets, or "compsets," through these platforms offers Grand Curiosa a strategic advantage. It enables a detailed comparison against a curated list of competitors, providing insights into market positioning and opportunities for advancement.
- The platforms enable us to dissect Gothenburg's market into segments, enhancing our strategy with detailed reports. This ensures that everyone, from the executive team to the front desk, is in sync with our competitive stance and pricing tactics, Sandie explains.
A Grand Curiosa favorite: ‘Event Intelligence’
One tool from Benchmarking Alliance that Sandie Nihlmar found particularly transformative is Event Intelligence, especially for its straightforward approach to overviewing events and market behavior. This tool simplifies identifying both upcoming and past events, enabling effective early pricing strategies for anything that affects hotel demand.
- It's a game-changer for us, making it super easy to get ahead with pricing for any future event or happening, says Sandie.
Event Intelligence offers insights into event sizes, expected attendance, and the proportion of local versus international visitors, which is critical for setting the right prices. This data allows Sandie's team to tailor their pricing strategy to capture this demand effectively.
- Knowing whether guests are coming from near or far, and when they're likely to arrive and leave, really helps us nail our pricing. It's all about getting the details right to serve our guests better and boost our bottom line, she adds.
This pragmatic use of Event Intelligence underscores Grand Curiosa's focus on technology to improve decision-making and increase both guest satisfaction and profitability.
No data = a handicap
Without Benchmarking Alliance, Grand Curiosa would essentially be navigating without a compass. Sandie reflects on this scenario:
- We'd be in the dark about how we're performing – just rolling along.
This situation would significantly handicap the hotel, especially in an industry where many competitors employ flexible pricing strategies. She elaborates:
- Not seeing why we lose out to competitors on certain days or during events would leave us guessing. This lack of insight would be detrimental to my job and also sow doubt in my pricing decisions. Without the ability to draw connections between different decisions, years, and events, we’d lose out on critical strategic insights.
Going above and beyond for their clients
Sandie speaks highly of the collaboration with Benchmarking Alliance, emphasizing its practical benefits:
- The collaboration has been incredibly positive. I always get a quick response when I need help.
She also appreciates Benchmarking Alliance’s openness to innovation and support in integrating Grand Curiosa's systems with necessary platforms. Sandie notes their efforts to overcome challenges, like benchmarking the B&B and camping grounds Lisebergsbyn, showcasing their commitment to finding solutions.
To emphasize the part Benchmarking Alliance plays in Sandie’s professional life, she confesses:
- The first thing I do in the morning is to check our benchmarks to see where we landed overnight. It’s that much fun!
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