Welcome again to Brance's blog series, where we meticulously evaluate the top channel managers transforming the hotel industry. 

In today’s edition, we're taking a closer look at RateTiger, a channel manager that has been a buzzword among hoteliers. Selecting the right channel manager is pivotal for your hotel's seamless operation and revenue optimization. However, with so many options in the market, how does RateTiger stack up on the parameters crucial for your hotel's success?

We've conducted exhaustive research and scored RateTiger on various essential parameters. Let’s look at them.

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. We then parsed the review for inaccuracies before editing it for clarity and crispness.

Moreover, we’ve picked specific parameters, like “customer support,” 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 | 83% | 13% | 4%

Technical Reliability | 39% | 41% | 20%

Customer Support | 97% | 3% | 0%

Price | 63% | 25% | 13%

Operations Management | 58% | 42% | 0%

Integration | 70% | 23% | 7%

Revenue Management | 83% | 13% | 4%

Marketing Visibility | 33% | 67% | 0%

Reporting Analytics | 69% | 23% | 8%

So, now that we have laid down all our parameters, it’s time to begin the review.  

1. Ease of Use

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 83%  | 13%      | 4%  |‍

Positives:‍

RateTiger shines in its ease of use, as demonstrated by its 83% positive score. Users naturally laud its user-friendly interface, highlighting a breezingly simple integration between the Booking Engine and Channel Manager as a key feature. 

Moreover, the support for multiple languages broadens its usability, and the dynamic pricing feature is appreciated for its impact on sales and revenue management. 

Then there’s the one-screen dashboard and supportive guidance for first-time users—ensuring a smooth onboarding experience for all new years.‍

Negatives: 

Of course, there are areas for improvement too. For one, the website management and confirmation letters need enhancement—they aren’t as user-friendly as possible. Moreover, the user interface lacks flexibility and rate shopping options. 

Performance issues, such as slow response times and loading screens, along with an outdated interface design, detract people from the user experience. 

The system's complexity and the manual property setup process are also significant drawbacks; they can give the uninitiated tons of unnecessary headaches. 

2. Technical Reliability

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 39%  | 41%      | 20% |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger's technical reliability isn’t the best of all—it gets a very mediocre 39% positive score. 

What comes highly praised? 

Real-time updates and reliable two-way integration between PMS and OTAs, along with prompt email notifications for new or canceled reservations. Then there’s the auto resync feature, simplifying both rate updates and the system's reliability, especially on peak days.‍

Negatives: 

Naturally, the technical reliability is a significant concern for RateTiger—as shown by a 41% unfavorable score. 

Some of the most negatively reviewed things include (but aren’t limited to)  outdated technology, difficulties with punctual price updates, and problems with connectivity to other channels.

Similarly, the mobile app's inferiority to the desktop version and inventory synchronization issues leading to overbooking are also criticized.

3. Customer Support

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 97%  | 3%       | 0%  |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger's north star is its customer support; a 97% positive score proves this beyond doubt. 

For example, the support team's responsiveness and 24/7 availability are highly valued and praised by a majority of users. Many team members from RateGain are frequently praised for their help, and the support team is described as friendly, professional, and attentive. So clearly, personalization and consultative listening are their strong suit.

Finally, effective problem resolution and valuable training by the support team are also highlighted as an overall plus. ‍

Negatives: 

There are barely any negative reviews for the RateTiger channel manager. The things that do stand out include customer service and technical support—both have been proven to be unhelpful at times. Similarly, online support responses can sometimes be too slow. 

Then there’s also the lack of follow-up training after the initial setup is also mentioned. 

4. Price

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 63%  | 25%      | 12% |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger also makes a good case for itself in its pricing—the collective reviews show a 63% positive score. 

Specifically, users find the price of great value; in short, it's considered a cost-effective solution and a wise investment for properties overall.‍

Negatives: 

Again, a lot can be improved here: the tool gets a 25% unfavorable score, while the remaining 12% hold it to be. Users recommend reducing contract pricing to improve cost margins and suggest eliminating middlemen to enhance cost efficiency. 

The addition of free tools to foster long-term customer relationships is also proposed.

5. Operations Management 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 58%  | 42%      | 0%  |

Positives: 

RateTiger's operations management is positively viewed, with a 58% score. Integrated systems enhance operational efficiency, and the control over room inventory and prices across multiple OTA platforms is appreciated. 

The significant reduction in workload through diverse options and centralized room inventory management simplifies operations.‍

Negatives: 

Despite its strengths in operations management, the tool does face many criticisms, as demonstrated by a 42% unfavorable score. Reservation formats and master close functionality need improvement, and the system lacks chain-level setup options. 

Also, rate management restrictions and the inability to close multiple channels on specific dates simultaneously are also noted as areas for improvement in many reviews.

6: Integration 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 70%  | 23%      | 7%  |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger gets a 70% positive score in Integration, demonstrating a grasp that’s more than good enough. 

Seamless integration between RateTiger's Booking Engine and Channel Manager, along with effective integration with multiple global and regional OTAs, are key strengths. 

Customizable user access levels and efficient mapping of rates and inventory across channels are also highly valued.‍

Negatives: 

Integration challenges exist, though—that much is clear from a 23% unfavorable score. 

Similarly, incompatibility with current PMS due to a lack of open APIs and issues with rate consistency across OTAs after updates are significant drawbacks. 

Then there’s also a lack of necessary filters in channel view; apart from this; problems with OTA connections leading to incorrect closed availability are also criticized.

7. Revenue Management

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 83%  | 13%      | 4%  |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger's revenue management is highly effective, with an 83% positive score. Reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights, and dynamic pricing offers a competitive edge. 

The system's contribution to a 90% growth in occupancy for users and features like Guarantee Parity ensure rate integrity across different channels.‍

Negatives: 

Naturally, there are areas for improvement, too; the tool gets a 13% unfavorable score. 

First of all, the absence of a section for comparing rates with competitors and a lack of an alert system for rate deviations are significant losses for users. Limited date options for bulk rate updates and inaccuracies in rate shopping tool reports are another set of drawbacks that leave it with a 4% drawback. 

8. Marketing Visibility 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 33%  | 67%      | 0%  |‍

Positives: 

RateTiger's marketing visibility is limited, with only a 33% positive score. While nothing is particularly mentioned in the collective positive reviews, it stands to reason that the tool does a good enough job.‍

Negatives: 

Marketing visibility can certainly be improved for the tool; a staggering 67% leave behind unfavorable scores for the RateTiger channel manager. 

For one, Meta connectivity updates are slow and need improvement, and the platform cannot distribute promotions generally to all OTAs—highlighting significant areas for enhancement.

9. Reporting Analytics 

| Positive | Negative | Ok  |

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

| 69%  | 23%      | 8%  |‍

Positives: 

The RateTiger channel manager’s reporting analytics is well-regarded; users give it a 69% positive score. 

Its comprehensive reporting tools are well-praised for offering insights into booking trends; the dashboard is another feature that stands out to many users for all the wealth of information it packs into a single place.

Moreover, users specifically appreciate the reporting dashboard for its adequacy and simplicity.‍

Negatives:‍

However, there are obvious detractors, as you can probably guess from the 23% negative score. 

Existing reports require enhancements for better utility, and additional statistics and reports would be beneficial. Inaccuracies in the rate shopping tool reports are also highlighted as areas for improvement for many guests.

So Should You Get the RateTiger Channel Manager?

So, to sum up the RateTiger channel manager: it's evident that the channel manager excels in customer support with an outstanding 97% positive score, reflecting its commitment to providing exceptional service to hoteliers. However, among its other great features, there are areas that call for improvement. Technical reliability and marketing visibility are just a few examples that have received considerable negative feedback, with scores of 41% and 67%, respectively. 

Overall, the RateTiger channel manager showcases a robust set of features that are well-received by many users. So after you’ve considered the overall positive parameters and those needing development, you can now make a well-informed decision that best aligns with your operational needs and business objectives.