Revenue Academy is gradually gaining traction in the market with students joining every day. As a result we are keen to make sure that as many people as possible who want to study revenue management and gain a qualification have the opportunity to do so. In the light of this, we are delighted to announce Edwards & Finn, the leading hospitality recruitment agency, have committed to the sponsorship of a number of Revenue Academy students. The sponsorship will support commercial professionals on their journey to formalise their revenue management skill set through Revenue Academy’s CertRM qualification. We spoke to managing director, Tom Finn, about how revenue management has changed over recent years, the importance of professional development and what appealed to him about the Revenue Academy.

Revenue Academy: Why do you believe revenue management education is so important now?

Tom: Revenue management has changed so much over the last few years partly accelerated by the pandemic. The skills required of competent revenue professionals have evolved greatly. We are at the coalface of recruitment and we see an increased requirement for candidates with a wider understanding of commercial issues as the industry increasingly recognises the importance of breaking down silos and encouraging departments to work closer together towards a single goal. Revenue management is no longer the responsibility of one person or department within the organisation. There needs to be a collective approach to understanding the levers that drive optimal commercial performance and this requires a step change. We need to change the way we think and encourage and support initiatives to build revenue education within our industry across all departments.

While there are a lot of very good revenue managers, there is also a requirement to support the development of softer skills within the function as we see the revenue remit expand driving the need for greater collaboration across teams when making revenue decisions. Successful revenue managers will be those who can effectively communicate, influence and negotiate across departments to help drive optimal commercial performance.

Revenue Academy: Why are you so supportive of education at Edwards & Finn? 

Tom: We have been supporting educational initiatives within the industry for some years now. We have a commitment to drive positive change within our industry and education is one way to achieve this. Therefore we see it as our obligation to support educational initiatives if we are to see the industry grow and flourish. We want more people to view hospitality as an attractive career option and help them to progress. We see the sponsorship of students and educational initiatives as a way to continually build revenue management excellence, and help elevate the discipline.

Revenue Academy: What appealed to you about the Revenue Academy?

Tom: We support a number of educational programmes and are always looking out for new initiatives but the Revenue Academy appealed as it offered a refreshingly practical and affordable way to build revenue management skills and knowledge. The theory behind revenue management is presented in a highly practical way making it accessible to all which as I mentioned is key. Also, Ally has recognised the importance of the softer skills which can be overlooked. The price point makes it a viable option meaning not only those responsible for revenue management can build and refine their knowledge, but also other departments can look to develop their understanding of revenue management drivers and contribute confidently to commercial discussions. We are keen to support any initiative that supports the development of revenue management knowledge throughout the hotel.

Join the growing number of students at Revenue Academy

This is a really exciting step forward for us and a generous way for Edwards & Finn to continue their ongoing dedication to advancing revenue management expertise within the industry. If you are thinking of advancing your revenue management skills and want a practical approach to doing so, then please visit the course list here at Revenue Academy and take a look at our courses. You could soon be on your way to getting a qualification in revenue management!

Revenue management is changing – it’s time to think differently.

Don’t get left behind. Contact us here and embrace the new collective approach to revenue management.