Voice of opportunity: Turning caller inquiries into revenue strategies | a Revinate webinar
February 19, 2025
In this week’s episode of the Hotel Moment podcast, we’re featuring a webinar from our webinar series, Hotel Moment Deep Dive.
Revinators Melissa McMullin, Product Marketing Manager, Jack Newkirk, Enterprise Sales Consultant, and Dominic Donatoni, Senior Enterprise Client Sales crack open the treasure chest that is the voice channel — dispelling the misconception that “voice is dead.” With 58% of guests calling before booking, they highlight how personalized interactions drive higher ADR and how removing barriers for both guests and agents improves conversion rates. They also discuss reducing reservation team turnover, a $1.2M revenue recovery case study, and strategies to align marketing, revenue, and operations for stronger direct bookings.
Revinarora, Melissa McMullin, Dominic Donatoni, and Jack Newkirk explore the untapped potential of hotel voice channel and its impact on direct bookings and guest experience.
Together, they discuss:
- Why the voice channel is neglected, not dead, and why it should contribute 30-38% of a hotel’s business
- How 58% of guests call before booking, and why personalized interactions drive higher ADR
- The importance of removing barriers for guests and reservation agents to boost conversion rates
- How the concept of Ikigai can reduce 200% turnover in reservation teams through career development
- A case study showing how small voice channel improvements recovered $1.2M in annual revenue
- Practical strategies for leveraging guest data to drive direct bookings and enhance guest relationships
- How aligning marketing, revenue, and operations teams creates a stronger, more effective voice strategy
Listen in to discover how hotels can maximize voice channel potential, increase direct bookings, and empower their reservation teams for long-term success.
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Episode Highlights:
[00:08:43] The voice channel isn't dead, it's neglected - The experts debunk the myth that hotel voice channels are obsolete, noting that this narrative benefits those profiting from online bookings. A healthy hotel should generate 30-38% of its business through voice, which often delivers higher ADR than digital channels. Voice stands out by offering personalized experiences and building trust through human connection. Hoteliers who invest in and optimize voice can unlock a major revenue opportunity that many competitors overlook—treating it as a sales channel, not just an operational tool.
[00:15:14] Data-driven guest engagement strategy - Capturing comprehensive guest data during calls unlocks powerful sales opportunities, with 64% of guests booking on their first call, making initial interactions crucial. By gathering travel purposes, preferences, and contact details, hotels can enable personalized follow-ups, marketing automation, and stronger guest relationships. Implementing systematic data capture goes beyond transactions, building a robust customer database that drives future revenue.
[00:20:47] Creating workplace fulfillment through Ikigai - The discussion highlights Ikigai (workplace fulfillment) as key to reducing the 200% turnover rate in reservation teams. It centers on four components: loving your job, excelling at it, fair pay, and meaningful impact. For hotel managers, training, recognition, and career development foster engagement, while employee fulfillment directly boosts guest satisfaction and revenue growth.
[00:34:22] Converting inquiries into revenue - The experts analyze how improving voice channel conversion rates can significantly impact revenue. A 3% increase in conversions, combined with proactive outbound calls and email nurturing, can recover over $1.2 million in annual revenue for a medium-sized property. This approach allows hoteliers to maximize existing resources without additional marketing costs. Key strategies include equipping agents with the right tools, implementing coaching programs, and establishing systematic follow-up processes to capture lost business.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
03:00 - Understanding the guest booking journey: Breaking down barriers
08:43 - Debunking the “voice channel is dead” myth
14:35 - Voice teams as revenue drivers: Changing perceptions
20:47 - Ikigai: Creating purpose in the workplace
25:08 - Data capture: Turning information into revenue
31:04 - Real world impact: Revenue optimization case study
43:56 - Key takeaways: Voice channel success strategies
44:39 - Outro
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.
Hotel Moment Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Shannon Knapp, CEO of Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), Patrick Norton of Brittain Resorts & Hotels, Shawn Jereb of Montage International, Carlo Del Mistro, Chief Digital Officer of Ennismore, Jason Pirock of Springboard Hospitality, and many more.
Are you a hospitality industry leader with insights to share? We're always looking for innovative voices to join our conversation about the future of hospitality technology.
If you'd like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of Hotel Moment, we'd love to hear from you! Our podcast reaches thousands of hospitality professionals worldwide, and we're particularly interested in perspectives on:
- Innovation in hospitality technology
- Guest experience transformation
- Revenue optimization strategies
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