Welcome to the latest installment of Brance's blog series, where we meticulously evaluate the top channel managers who are revolutionizing the hotel industry. Today, we look at RateGain, a channel manager that has been discussed among hoteliers. 

In the hospitality business, the right channel manager can streamline your operations, enhance your online presence, and ultimately boost your revenue. But with so many options available, how does RateGain measure up on the aspects that matter most?

We've thoroughly researched and scored RateGain on several critical parameters, and we're eager to share these insights with you. Here's a snapshot of our findings:

Our Channel Manager Review Parameters You Can Trust

As part of our review policy, we’d first like to state that our reviews were created with the help of AI analysis. Then, we parsed the whole review for any inaccuracies before editing it for clarity and crispness.

Moreover, we’ve picked specific parameters, like ‘revenue management’, for example, that we believe best demonstrate the performance of a channel manager. We then judged based on the channel manager's performance against these parameters.

Here are all the parameters we have picked:

Parameter | Positive | Negative | Ok

------ | ------ | ------ | ------

Ease of Use | 87% | 8% | 5%

Technical Reliability | 29% | 46% | 25%

Customer Support | 86% | 13% | 2%

Price | 67% | 27% | 7%

Operations Management | 93% | 5% | 2%

Integration | 71% | 20% | 10%

Revenue Management | 83% | 14% | 3%

Marketing Visibility | 44% | 44% | 11%

Reporting Analytics | 66% | 20% | 15%

So that’s a quick rundown of our selected parameters. With this clear, let’s now jump into the complete factor by factor review.  

1. Ease of Use

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 87%  | 8%       | 5%  |‍

Positives: 

RateGain excels in ease of use, with an impressive 87% positive score. Users appreciate the user-friendly interface, highlighting its quick and efficient updates to pricing and allotment as a standout feature. The real-time refresh option and on-the-go accessibility through a customizable interface significantly enhance the management of room types, rates, and restrictions. The bulk update feature, particularly with xls files, is noted for its convenience, alongside an intuitive dashboard for performance metrics. 

The automatic booking creation is praised for improving operational efficiency, making RateGain a highly regarded channel manager for hotels. ‍

Negatives:‍

Despite its high ease of use score, RateGain faces some criticism. A small percentage of users find the user interface complex and not intuitive, particularly when reducing the number of rooms to zero without causing a system shutdown. 

The dashboard's user-friendliness and the clarity of rate plan mapping and stop sell features are areas highlighted for improvement. Additionally, the GDS system's difficulty and the setup process's non-user-friendly aspects, requiring market manager assistance, are mentioned as drawbacks. The lack of efficient data analytics and clear infographics further detracts from its usability.

2. Technical Reliability 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 29%  | 46%      | 25% |‍

Positives: 

RateGain's technical reliability receives a moderate positive score of 29%. Its real-time synchronization feature is highlighted for preventing overbooking and booking errors, with high data accuracy and a flawless connection between the Channel Manager and PMS being notable strengths. 

The efficient rate shopping and consistent mapping of room rates to channels, alongside fast updates to rate or availability changes, are appreciated for maintaining stable system information.

Other than that, there’s a lot that can be done to improve what’s already there.‍

Negatives: 

As you probably guessed, RateGain's technical reliability has a lot to go, as shown by its 46% negative score. The lack of a dedicated mobile app hinders on-the-go management capabilities, and mobile browser compatibility issues affect usability. 

System stability concerns, including frequent delays and occasional downtimes, along with inconsistent functionalities and OTA partnership issues, impact performance. 

The tedious channel mapping process and slow update times are also criticized for reducing efficiency, which is another factor that adds on to its bad reviews and ok reviews of 46% and 25% respectively. 

3. Customer Support

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 86%  | 12%      | 2%  |‍

Positives: 

RateGain's customer support is highly praised, with an 86% positive score. 

The support team's responsiveness and availability, including 24/7 coverage, are significant advantages. 

The effectiveness and speed of live chat and email support are particularly noted, alongside proactive weekly check-ins and immediate issue resolution. The after-sale service and training provided by the support team are also commended for being supportive and clear. It's no wonder then that its customer support is highly praised.‍

Negatives: 

Despite the high praise, RateGain's customer support has room for improvement, with a 12% negative score. The lack of language options in the online assistant, notably Thai and Indonesian, and slow response times are areas of concern. 

The absence of direct contact center support via phone or WhatsApp and the concern of support for email replies and technical support are highlighted as needing enhancement.

4. Price 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 67%  | 27%      | 6%  |‍

Positives:‍

RateGain's pricing is considered reasonable by a majority, with a 67% positive score. 

Users appreciate the promotional discounts available and the flexible price derivatives setup. The platform is viewed as offering value for money compared to other vendors, with negotiable pricing options that match hotel needs and budgets.

All in all, customers take it to be giving satisfactory results as far as prices are concerned.  ‍

Negatives: 

Understandably, not all people are on board with its pricing. Concerns about RateGain's pricing are expressed, as shown by its 27% negative score. 

The yearly price is considered high for long-term clients, and packages include features deemed unnecessary by some clients. The non-competitive nature of the pricing and its misalignment with some hotel requirements are also mentioned as drawbacks. 

While 6% of people believe the pricing of the tool to be giving satisfactory, it still has a long way to go in achieving positive consensus everywhere.                                

5. Operations Management 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 93%  | 5%       | 2%  |‍

Positives: 

RateGain scores exceptionally well in operations management, with a 93% positive score. The platform enables dynamic pricing strategies and offers extensive functions for managing hotel groups. It streamlines room inventory across various platforms and facilitates the efficient setup of incremental rates and derivatives for room pricing strategies. 

Specifically, the ability to manage multiple channels efficiently and provide real-time updates for a competitive edge is highly valued—as shows the high appreciation all around.‍

Negatives: 

Despite its strengths, RateGain's operations management faces minor criticisms—as its 5% negative score makes it clear. 

Accessibility issues with rate plan management and the centralization of VCCs for chain hotels within the extranet are areas highlighted for improvement, especially if constant growth is the goal.

6. Integration

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 71%  | 20%      | 9%  |‍

Positives: 

RateGain's integration capabilities are highly regarded, as demonstrated by a 71% positive score. 

The seamless integration with property management systems and OTA extranets, alongside efficient parity tracking and real-time updates across channels, are key strengths. 

The platform's broad connectivity with numerous OTAs and its support for bulk updates of rates and inventory are praised for helping maximize revenue through efficient use of multiple distribution channels.‍

Negatives:‍

With a 20% negative score, RateGain's integration faces challenges. 

Issues such as the inability to manage GDS bookings through the channel manager and the need for improvements in OTA partnership results are significant. The tedious channel mapping process and limited OTA integrations for direct promotions are areas that require attention to enhance the platform's integration capabilities.

7. Revenue Management 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 83%  | 14%      | 3%  |

Positives: 

RateGain's revenue management is highly effective with an 83% positive score. The Rate Shopping tool is instrumental for competitive pricing, and robust reporting tools enable detailed booking pattern analysis. The comprehensive dashboard analytics simplify rate management, and the platform's dynamic pricing capabilities help maximize hotel profitability. 

Effective integration with online distribution channels enhances pricing strategies and revenue management.

‍Negatives:‍

As always, there are areas for improvement in RateGain's revenue management. It gets a 14% negative score as well as 3% in satisfactoriness—demonstrating the work that needs to be done. 

For one, the absence of revenue management features and difficulties with rate parity are concerns. The lack of auto yielding and rate analytic features for better yield management and the need for improvements in identifying supplier names within the online channel interface are highlighted as needing enhancement.

8. Marketing Visibility 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 44%  | 44%      | 11%  |‍

Positives: 

Digital marketing solutions offered by the platform increase property visibility and enhance control over diverse booking platforms. 

The support provided to hotels during special occasions like anniversaries is appreciated, along with the significant improvement in online presence achieved through the platform. It’s no surprise then that RateGain's marketing visibility receives a moderate positive score of 44%.  ‍

Negatives: 

RateGain's marketing visibility faces equal criticism, with a 44% negative score. The need for updates with the latest technology for channel management and monitoring, improvements in sales and marketing strategies, and the development of tools for direct booking are areas of concern. 

Moreover, the lack of a dedicated mobile app for marketing purposes and the need for smarter options and extra functionality in the channel manager are highlighted as significant drawbacks.

9. Reporting Analytics

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

|----------|----------|-----|

| 66%  | 20%      | 14%  |‍

Positives:‍

RateGain bags a 66% positive score in this department. 

The platform provides data-analytics and insights for better decision-making and is instrumental in analyzing booking patterns to optimize pricing strategies. The top-notch reporting and analytics capabilities enhance business operations, and the dashboard offers a comprehensive view of channel performance. 

Moreover, graphical reports are easy to interpret, aiding quick analysis, and the reporting features are extensive—all offered in minimalistics design. However, it stands the fact that the tool is still underutilized by some users. 

Customizable reports with conditional formulas cater to specific business needs. ‍

Negatives:‍

However, there are areas for improvement in RateGain's reporting analytics, with a 20% negative score. The report quality is deemed inadequate and requires further study for accuracy. Reporting and analytical tools are in need of improvement, and the alerting system is incomplete. 

Channel connection reporting is overly complex, and the log data history is limited, suggesting a need for better reporting features.

So Should You Buy RateGain Channel Manager?

RateGain is what you go for when operations management, customer support, and ease of use are prominent on your radar. RateGain undoubtedly stands out in all of them—bagging a clear  93%, 86%, and 83% in all the respective parameters. 

As expected, there are some areas that the tool can improve on—marketing visibility and price stand out here in particular—but all of this can be easily improved over time. You also have the option of trying out a free demo; you will get a good feel of what the tool has on offer, get any of your doubts cleared up, and more.

As we wrap up our review of RateGain, it's clear that the channel manager stands out in several key areas. With high positive scores in ease of use (87%), customer support (86%), operations management (93%), and revenue management (83%), RateGain demonstrates its capability to provide a user-friendly platform with robust support and effective management tools.

However, there are areas that require attention. Technical reliability emerges as a significant concern, with a negative score of 46%, indicating a need for improvement in system stability and performance. Marketing visibility also presents a challenge, with an equal split of positive and negative feedback at 44%, suggesting that while some users find value in the marketing tools provided, others see room for enhancement.

In conclusion, RateGain offers a range of features that are highly regarded by many hoteliers, but it's essential to consider both the strengths and the areas for improvement. By understanding the parameters that are overwhelmingly positive and those that need refinement, hoteliers can make an informed decision that aligns with their operational requirements and business goals.

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