Latest news with #Fabi
Hospitality Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Revenue Management is like teenage Sex...yes , you read correctly
What a way to start the day, ey!?!?! ;-) You've heard it. Now let's really unpack it: 'Revenue Management is like teenage sex: Everyone talks about it, nobody really knows how to do it, everyone thinks everyone else is doing it, so everyone claims they're doing it too.' And as much as I wish I could refute it, well… welcome to half the hotels I've consulted for. Let's break it down, shall we? 1️⃣ 'Everyone's Talking About It' Revenue Management! Total Revenue! Profit Optimization! Forecasting Models! You'd think half the industry had a PhD in dynamic pricing the way they drop buzzwords in meetings. But ask them to explain displacement cost or unconstrained demand and suddenly it's... crickets. Talking RM is easy. Doing it right? Not so much. 2️⃣ 'Nobody Really Knows How to Do It' Most hotels have some version of RM. But it's often a patchwork of gut feelings, last year's budget, and Excel sheets with 49 tabs and no formula integrity. Not exactly the Kama Sutra of pricing strategy. 'We do revenue management.' Cool. Is that before or after you copy and paste your comp set's rates and OTB data? 3️⃣ 'Everyone Thinks Everyone Else Is Doing It' This one's the killer. Because your GM thinks the hotel across the street has a 'whole strategy team.' The owner read a LinkedIn post about AI in pricing. And the sales team? They're convinced revenue just… happens. So we throw together a monthly meeting, share a STR report, nod a few times, and pretend everything's optimized. Meanwhile, the rooms are 40% full, the bar is empty, and we're running a weekend promo in the middle of corporate season. And all of a sudden it is not the Ghostbusters you wanna call. 4️⃣ 'So Everyone Claims They're Doing It Too' Because no one wants to admit they're… ahem… inexperienced. So we dress it up. Add a pricing tool, slap on a forecast slide, rename the reservations manager to "Revenue Executive" ... boom. We're 'doing revenue management.' Just don't ask what our pickup curve looks like. Or how we measure conversion. Or how we align with marketing. Or… you get the idea. Here's the Truth: Revenue Management isn't about pretending. It's about performance. It's not how much you say: It's how well you do: ✅ Understanding demand patterns ✅ Optimizing inventory across channels ✅ Driving profit, not just occupancy ✅ Aligning sales, marketing, and ops ✅ Owning your data like it's your favorite playlist So yes, RM is like teenage sex. But you know what's better than pretending? Learning. Practicing. Asking questions. Failing forward. And maybe… hiring a coach who's done it before. 😉 Don't worry. We've all been there. Now let's grow up and get good at it. Love, Fabi PS: Call me if you need to! View source
Hospitality Net
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
The Chocolate Principle – Sweet, Simple, and Strategic 🍫
Let's talk chocolate. Ever notice how a single piece of chocolate hits the spot? But three pieces? That's indulgent. And a whole bar? Suddenly you're full, guilty, and Googling 'how many calories does a bar of chocolate have.' That, my dear revenue warriors, is the Chocolate Principle. And it applies to your pricing and upselling more than you think. 🍫 What Is the Chocolate Principle? It's the sweet spot where desire meets satisfaction. Just enough to make someone want it, not enough to overwhelm. In revenue terms: If you give away too much , you dilute your value. , you dilute your value. If you offer too little , you miss out on conversion. , you miss out on conversion. If you nail the right amount, you get the 'mmm, I'll take it' moment. 🍬 How Revenue Managers Get It Wrong The buffet strategy: 'Let's throw in breakfast, spa access, welcome drinks, late checkout, and a unicorn.' Now you're just giving away margin like it's Halloween. 'Let's throw in breakfast, spa access, welcome drinks, late checkout, and a unicorn.' Now you're just giving away margin like it's Halloween. The tease strategy: 'Upgrade for €300 more.' Cool, but not even Willy Wonka would pay that without some golden ticket perks. 'Upgrade for €300 more.' Cool, but not even Willy Wonka would pay that without some golden ticket perks. The overcomplication trap: 'Rate ABC includes DEF, unless it's GHI, in which case JKLM.' At this point, the guest has lost interest ... and possibly their will to live. 🍭 The Sweet Spot Moves – What You Can Do 1️⃣ Bundle with purpose. Instead of throwing in everything, bundle high-value, low-cost items. Room upgrade + drink voucher? Yes. Upgrade + spa + massage + late check-out + shoe-shine? No. 2️⃣ Tap into emotions, not logic. People don't buy because they need. They buy because they feel. 'Make your weekend special with a skyline view and Prosecco on arrival' = yes. 'Upgrade for €47.60 per night' = meh. 3️⃣ Test the portion. Just like chocolate, different guests have different tolerances. Run A/B tests with different upsell combinations and prices. You might be surprised how little extra it takes to drive big uplift. 🧠 Final Bite of Wisdom Great revenue managers don't just maximize value ... they create craving. You don't want your guest to say, 'That's a good deal.' You want them to say, 'That sounds perfect.' Because when you hit that chocolatey sweet spot? They bite. And they come back for more. Love, Fabi P.S. Next time you're stuck on an upsell combo… eat a piece of chocolate. It helps. View source
Fox Sports
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Robert Shwartzman Joins Galaxy of Indy Stars with Improbable Pole
INDYCAR A star was born Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Robert Shwartzman, a 25-year-old Russian-reared Israeli driver who has never competed in an oval race, outran and then outlasted a host of NTT INDYCAR SERIES veterans to become the first rookie to win the pole for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge since Teo Fabi in 1983. Prior to Fabi, Walt Faulkner was the last rookie pole winner in 1950. Before that, the rookie to top qualifying was Jean Chassagne in 1914, but he got the top spot in a blind draw. The rare occurrence had the crowd at IMS roaring with approval as Shwartzman secured this stunning upset. 'Honestly, it's unbelievable,' said Shwartman, the first driver from his country to compete in this event. 'I was just processing it, and I still can't believe it. It's just a dream. 'I was just thinking in my dreams, fantasizing about how it would feel to take pole position in Indy 500. How is the vibe? Then I was like: 'Yeah, Robert, get back to reality. You have a new car, new team, you are a rookie. How can you expect to be in this position? It's just in your dreams.' 'But still I was keeping that tiny dream deep inside like, 'Maybe, maybe.'' Shwartzman said he couldn't even remember that last time a crowd cheered for him. After five races this season, he stands 24th among 27 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings. Entering qualifying, Shwartzman wasn't even thought to be a contender for the top half of the 33-car field. He turned only six laps in Tuesday's practice, had the 28th-fastest lap Wednesday and ranked 32nd after Thursday's practice before jumping up to 13th on Fast Friday presented by Turtle Wax. He said his lap times weren't 'good looking' because the group behind the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet was simulating the most consistent qualifying laps it could rather than toiling in the draft, as others often do. Perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise that Shwartzman had the sixth-fastest lap Saturday in Day 1 of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying. But winning the pole? No one called that. Adding to the story is that Shwartzman drives for PREMA Racing, which is competing in this event for the first time. PREMA became the first new team to win Indy's pole since Mayer Motor Racing, which took the honor with Tom Sneva in 1984. Here's irony: PREMA, like Fabi, is Italian, and it was founded in 1983, the year Fabi bested his field at IMS. Shwartzman also drives car No. 83. Pato O'Ward, last year's '500' runner-up who qualified in the third position, called it 'an amazing storyline' for the 109th Running. 'They are the rookies of rookies on ovals,' he said. 'It is phenomenal what they did. 'Obviously, they do look surprised, but Indy is full of surprises.' While Shwartzman is new to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, he has been on Formula One's radar for years. He has driven at nearly every level of the European single-seaters, winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship for PREMA in 2019. Two years later, he was the runner-up to current Formula One points leader Oscar Piastri in Formula 2 (also for PREMA). He has been an F1 reserve driver for Ferrari in recent years, tested a Formula E car for DS Penske and co-drove with Robert Kubica in the World Endurance Championship. Chip Ganassi Racing was the first to consider Shwartzman in the U.S., offering him a test at Sebring International Raceway in fall 2023. Shwartzman said his first memory of Indy came as a young driver attending F1's Monaco Grand Prix. 'It was so much more exciting (than F1),' he said. 'I was just, like, 'Damn, until the last turn you don't know who is going to win.' I was being like: 'OK, this guy is fast, he's going to win, and then all of a sudden, no, he's getting overtaken and then another guy and another guy. The rotation is always changing.'' He called those races 'proper battles.' Now, he is here, getting cheered by people who had never heard his name just a few months ago. Next week, an IMS crowd of more than 300,000 and a worldwide television audience will watch him take the green flag in a historic moment. For what it's worth, Shwartzman is the only driver in this field to have released a song. Under the name of Shwartzy, 'ACTIVE' debuted in July 2023. Many of those working on Shwartzman's No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet are new to the INDYCAR SERIES, but many have considerable experience. Shwartzman's driver coach is Ryan Briscoe, who won the pole for the 2012 race among his 10 career starts. It was Briscoe who stressed to the newcomer this weekend that it's natural to be nervous in such a big moment, advice Shwartzman appreciated and thought helped. Shwartzman's lead engineer is Robert Gue, who has now helped engineer two other '500' pole winners (Alex Tagliani in 2011 and James Hinchcliffe in 2016). 'This is going to be the most special,' Gue said. '(Shwartzman) has a natural feel for the car, and he has the ability to feel changes. He has incredible talent. For the first time qualifying, this is mega awesome.' That's how stars are made. recommended
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
German embassy asks Italy's banking union about M&A battles
MILAN (Reuters) - The German embassy in Italy on Tuesday asked the country's main banking union Fabi to explain the takeover battles rocking the sector, the union said. During a meeting in Rome requested by the embassy, Fabi chief Lando Maria Sileoni and the embassy's financial affairs advisor Benedikt Grodau discussed ongoing deals, banking regulation, the unions' role and political implications, Fabi said in a statement. Germany is closely monitoring the rapidly changing Italian financial sector and its cross-border implications, Fabi said. Current M&A activity Italian banking includes UniCredit and Monte dei Paschi di Siena bidding respectively for Banco BPM and Mediobanca. In a move that angered the German government, last year UniCredit disclosed it had snapped un a hefty stake in Commerzbank and began pressing for a tie-up. The Italian bank's bid for Commerzbank was among the issues discussed at Tuesday's embassy meeting, a source who attended the gathering said, without giving details. UniCredit is awaiting European Central Bank approval for the 28% stake it has built in the German lender, for the most part using derivatives. Sign in to access your portfolio
Reuters
11-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
German embassy asks Italy's banking union about M&A battles
MILAN, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The German embassy in Italy on Tuesday asked the country's main banking union Fabi to explain the takeover battles rocking the sector, the union said. During a meeting in Rome requested by the embassy, Fabi chief Lando Maria Sileoni and the embassy's financial affairs advisor Benedikt Grodau discussed ongoing deals, banking regulation, the unions' role and political implications, Fabi said in a statement. Germany is closely monitoring the rapidly changing Italian financial sector and its cross-border implications, Fabi said. Current M&A activity Italian banking includes UniCredit ( opens new tab and Monte dei Paschi di Siena ( opens new tab bidding respectively for Banco BPM ( opens new tab and Mediobanca ( opens new tab. In a move that angered the German government, last year UniCredit disclosed it had snapped un a hefty stake in Commerzbank and began pressing for a tie-up. The Italian bank's bid for Commerzbank was among the issues discussed at Tuesday's embassy meeting, a source who attended the gathering said, without giving details. UniCredit is awaiting European Central Bank approval for the 28% stake it has built in the German lender, for the most part using derivatives.
