A Clear View of Where the Property Is Losing Revenue, Control and Sales Opportunities
Direct Revenue Consulting conducts a detailed and independent review of the commercial performance of hotels and other hospitality properties to determine what is working, where risks exist and which activities offer the greatest potential for improvement.
The audit brings together sales performance, pricing, distribution, contracts, partners, direct sales, digital presence and internal processes into one structured view of the business, supported by practical recommendations and a prioritised action plan.
The Problem Is Rarely Limited to One Channel or One Rate
Weak commercial performance rarely has only one cause. A property may achieve strong occupancy but weak net revenue, offer a good product without proactive sales, maintain numerous partnerships without a clear contribution to bookings and revenue, or set rates that are not aligned with demand.
Individual decisions about pricing, discounts, contracts, channels and marketing are often made separately, although their combined effect determines the actual profitability of sales.
The purpose of the audit is to connect data, contractual conditions, sales activity and the actual operational capacity of the property so that the owner or management receives a clear view of priorities and next steps.
What the Audit Covers
Sales Performance and Business Indicators
Analysis of historical and current performance to identify sales patterns, seasonality, revenue quality and deviations from business objectives.
- Occupancy
- ADR and RevPAR
- Revenue by period
- Booking pickup and pace
- Booking lead time
- Length of stay
- Cancellations and no-shows
- Performance by room type
Pricing & Revenue Strategy
Review of pricing architecture, seasons, room categories, rate plans, restrictions and promotions and their alignment with demand and market positioning.
- Seasonal pricing structure
- Room-type relationships
- Minimum stay
- Flexible and non-refundable rates
- Promotions and discounts
- Special dates
- Competitor positioning
- Net-rate control
Distribution Channels
Analysis of direct, OTA, B2B, group and corporate sales and the actual role and profitability of each channel.
- Sales channel structure
- Bookings and revenue by channel
- Commissions and contracted margins
- Payment costs
- Rate parity
- Public exposure of contracted or net rates
- Availability and restrictions
- Channel dependency
Partners and Contract Conditions
Commercial review of active B2B agreements and conditions affecting rates, availability, payment, risk and long-term sales control.
- Allotment and free-sale models
- Release periods
- Cancellation conditions
- Payment methods and deadlines
- Marketing contributions
- Automatic renewal
- Stop-sale obligations
- Risk of redistribution of contracted rates
Sales Processes and Organisation
Analysis of how individual, group, B2B and corporate enquiries are received, processed, monitored and converted.
- Response time
- Responsibilities
- Sales pipeline and open opportunities
- Follow-up
- Proposal overview
- Internal approvals
- Handover of confirmed bookings
- Commercial reporting
Direct Sales and Customer Journey
Review of the website, enquiries, booking process, contact points and obstacles that may reduce the number of quality direct reservations.
- Website structure
- Calls to action
- Booking engine
- Telephone and email enquiries
- Offers and conversion
- Sales conditions
- Mobile experience
- Enquiry-source tracking
Digital Visibility and Sales Content
Analysis of how the property is presented on its own website, sales channels and to partners and whether the content supports positioning and sales.
- Hotel and room descriptions
- Photography
- Key selling points
- SEO fundamentals
- Paid advertising and online visibility
- Google Business Profile
- Sales materials
- Content consistency
Commercial and Operational Alignment
Review of the connection between what is sold, how it is sold and what the hotel can operationally deliver.
- Information accuracy
- Capacities and facilities
- Additional services
- Check-in and check-out conditions
- Payment rules
- Reception communication
- Issue escalation
- Responsible persons
From Data to a Prioritised Action Plan
The audit is not simply a list of problems. Each area is assessed according to its impact on revenue, profitability, sales control, guest experience and implementation feasibility.
Current Situation
What the hotel currently does, which systems it uses and what results it achieves.
Identified Risks
Where revenue leakage, uncontrolled costs, inconsistent conditions or unclear processes exist.
Business Impact
How each issue affects sales, revenue, profitability, workload or guest experience.
Recommended Action
What should be done, in what order, who should be involved and which business objective the action supports.
Priority Matrix
Each recommendation is categorised by expected business impact and implementation complexity, giving management a clear sequence of activities.
Signs That a Property May Need a Commercial Audit
Data and Documents That May Be Reviewed
The scope of analysis is adapted to data availability, property size and audit objectives.
The quality and depth of the conclusions depend on the accuracy and availability of data. Where complete information is unavailable, the analysis is based on available evidence with clearly stated limitations.
Risks That Often Remain Hidden
Revenue Without Clear Profitability
Gross sales results may appear strong while commissions, discounts, payment costs and additional charges reduce the actual value of reservations.
Uncontrolled Distribution
Partners may redistribute rates to unintended markets or public channels, creating parity and direct-sales problems.
Excessive Dependency on One Channel
A high share of sales from one source increases commercial risk and reduces the hotel’s negotiating power.
Unclear Responsibilities
When responsibility for pricing, channels, proposals and partners is unclear, opportunities are delayed or lost.
Sales Without Structured Follow-Up
Enquiries, meetings and proposals without regular communication follow-up do not create a sustainable sales pipeline or a quality overview of open opportunities.
Misalignment Between Sales and Operations
Selling conditions or services that cannot be delivered consistently increases costs, complaints and guest-experience risks.
Who This Service Is For
Owners and Investors
For decision-makers requiring an independent view of commercial performance, risks and priorities.
Properties with Inconsistent Performance
For properties generating revenue and reservations without a sufficiently clear understanding of weak profitability or unstable sales.
Properties Before a Strategic Change
For hotels considering changes to management, pricing, distribution, partners, source markets or the commercial model.
New Advisory Projects or Management-Transition Projects
For properties requiring a structured review of the current situation and the realistic scope of work before a longer engagement, management transition or a larger commercial intervention.
How the Audit Works
Scope and Objective Definition
Agreement on the areas of analysis, key questions, available data, involved persons and expected outcome.
Documentation and Access Collection
Collection of reports, rates, contracts, channel settings, sales materials and other relevant information.
Data and Process Analysis
Analysis of sales performance, pricing, distribution, contracts, partners, enquiries, systems and commercial procedures.
Interviews with Responsible Persons
Understanding working methods, responsibilities, limitations and objectives from ownership, management and relevant teams.
Findings and Priorities
Identification of key risks, opportunities, connected issues and activities with the strongest business impact.
Presentation and Action Plan
Presentation of findings, recommended activities, implementation order and possible models of further cooperation.
What the Property Receives
Possible Cooperation Models
Targeted Commercial Review
Focused analysis of one area, such as pricing, distribution, B2B agreements, direct sales or sales processes.
Comprehensive Commercial Audit
Detailed analysis of the full commercial system, from sales performance and pricing to channels, contracts, processes and digital presence.
Audit & Implementation Support
Analysis of the current situation, development of the action plan and further professional support in implementing selected priority activities.
The scope, duration and working rhythm depend on the property’s size, number of channels and contracts, data availability, organisational complexity and management objectives.
What a Commercial Audit Is Not
The audit focuses on the sales, revenue, distribution, contractual, digital and organisational performance of the property’s commercial operation. Where formal legal, accounting, tax, technical or safety analysis is required, the property is referred to an appropriately qualified professional.
Property Readiness Before Contracting or System Changes
For properties that need to confirm whether documentation, safety, technology or operational prerequisites are in place before signing a contract, selecting a partner or changing a key sales system.
Need a Clear and Independent Review of Your Commercial Performance?
Through an initial discussion, we define the main questions, available data and the scope of analysis that can provide the greatest value to your property.