Radisson Leverages Automation for Impressive Gains in Group Bookings

Radisson Hotel Group has seemingly made a quantum leap in group sales efficiency. In an era where customers clamor for speedy but accurate digital transactions, its investment in automation is paying off. It is the first international hotel group to implement Hivr.ai’s meeting and group sales automation technology fully. So far, the results are impressive.

From late 2022 through September 2023, the Radisson’s lead-to-quote conversions vaulted by an impressive 80%. The customer response rate more than doubled (+125%). Meanwhile, the time it took to dispatch proposals shrunk by 59%. These metrics look impressive, especially in a sector struggling to cope with understaffed hotel sales teams.

“The technology and partnership with Hivr.ai are an essential cornerstone in supporting Radisson Hotel Group’s overall ambition to “become the easiest to do business with” by leveraging technology to support the customer journey”, says Angela Graun, vice president, sales operations & global meeting & events at Radisson Hotel Group.

Radisson’s Digital Journey

Strategic partnerships have been at the core of this endeavor. Integrating Hivr.ai’s technology was part of a larger digital investment strategy, a journey Radisson embarked on alongside EY and Hivr.ai.

The Hivr.ai technology automatically synchronizes inventory, pricing, booking and customer data across RFP portals in real time. Customers can then visualize all RFPs in a single consolidated interface. This approach promises to increase operational efficiency and conversion rate through task automation. 

An AI-powered pricing engine also enables clients to submit bids for RFPs automatically with intelligent pricing. The promise of this technology is an increase in occupancy and average daily rate (ADR).

Unlike other group booking solutions that look to become the only RFP system, Hivr.ai integrates multiple RFP sources, including Cvent, Hubli, MeetingSelect, VenueDirectory, and Aloom.

“With Hivr.ai as its central channel manager and automation software, Radisson Hotel Group will eliminate manual data entry and significantly reduce response times needed for its meeting planners. We’re excited to have embarked on this transformative journey that will redefine how the meetings and groups business is sourced in the future,” said Hivr.ai co-founder Felix Undeutsch.

Digital dexterity had already permeated Radisson’s meetings and events business. In 2022, it launched the Book It Easy tool, a small- and medium-sized event booking engine. The most innovative feature is immersive room setup visualization through smartphones or virtual reality goggles. Radisson claims these innovations have sparked a 35% rise in qualified meeting inquiries and a 12% climb in booking conversions.

The Future of Group Sales?

There’s no denying that agility and responsiveness are key in today’s market. But can a fully digitalized approach capture the nuances of negotiation and client care in a space that relies heavily on personal relationships and bespoke service?

Radisson will further bolster its tech stack by incorporating new booking management tools, rooming list options, advance payments and group booking options in 2024. Its success will hinge on its ability to enhance, not encumber, the planner’s journey.

While the numbers are undoubtedly remarkable, they serve as a starting block, not a finish line. The real test will come as competitors catch up and customer expectations evolve in tandem with the technology Radisson is deploying. The sector will watch keenly to see whether this use of technology is the blueprint for future success or a stepping stone to a more nuanced solution.