Revenue Management: Hard-Core Tactics for Market Domination

by Robert G. Cross

From the man the Wall Street Journal hailed as "the guru of Revenue Management" comes revolutionary ways to recover from the after effects of downsizing and refocus your business on growth.



Whatever happened to growth? In Revenue Management, Robert G. Cross answers this question with his ground-breaking approach to revitalizing focusing on the revenue side of the ledger instead of the cost side. The antithesis of slash-and-burn methods that left companies with empty profits and dissatisfied stockholders, Revenue Management overturns conventional thinking on marketing strategies and offers the key to initiating and sustaining growth.



Using case studies from a variety of industries, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations, Cross describes no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech methods that managers can use to increase revenue without increasing products or promotions; predict consumer behavior; tap into new markets; and deliver products and services to customers effectively and efficiently. His proven tactics will help any business dramatically improve its bottom line by meeting the challenge of matching supply with demand.

Genres: Business, Buisness, Finance

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 1996

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2 stars. Cross does provide the basic framework for how price & revenue optimization (PRO) techniques are implemented, however this book is written with the intention of selling Cross's services as opposed to equipping the reader. While effective pricing initiatives have demonstrated an ability to increase profits between an average 8-11% (McKinsey, A.T. Kearney), in practice, PRO is highly quantitative and demand forecasting & effective product differentiation (critical components) are very difficult.

[KevinS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gross’s seminal Revenue Management captures insights about data science and corporate trends that were ahead of its time when it first appeared in 1997. Gross view about market “entropy” and properly segmenting customer micro-markets give the reader not only the language but also the tactics for increasing company revenue, which is crucial for the fast-moving start-up and corporate giant alike. The reader can discern that Gross’s case studies read as relevant, well-informed, and significant. What’s more is that it’s clear that these case studies stem from Gross’s experience running his own revenue management company.

The book has several minor drawbacks mostly stemming from the fact that the book has now aged for 20 years including unsupported study data, improper data visualizations, and dated case studies that may not resonate with an increasingly technology-driven corporate world. The book takes aim at corporate execs and non-data company employees in a time when “data” was not as much a buzzword as it is today. As a result, much of what Gross hopes to convince the reader about - that data can be used to boost revenue and improve price discrimination - the reader may already find they understand because so many now have booked plane tickets at variable prices and have had the “surge price” mark-up for ride shares.

Despite its shortcomings Gross writes a convincing piece to encourage companies to adopt a data-driven strategy to managing revenue.

[Arin Goswami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important concept, mostly from younger friends in reverse. This is a safe space.

[Vesselin Tchakarov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Systematic and based on facts, experience and case studies. It can transform your business

[Manuel Mac-Bride · Rating 3 out of 5]

7.0 É um livro interessante para perceber os fundamentals do Revenue Management. No entanto, encontra-se já algo desatualizado e foca-se em demasia na industria hoteleira e aviação.

[Gerhard Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book! It has some great insighta in to pricing products and services for different market segments. It is more applicable to the service industry (Airlines, car rental companies, hotels, etc...) than consumable products. I rented this book from the local library and ended up buying to have it in my library for reference when needed. Mr Robert G. Cross has founded a consulting business base on the model presented in this book. It is well written...I highly recommend it.

[Landmark Property Services, Inc. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of our principals and our marketing director attended the 2011 Apartment Revenue Management Conference (ARM). Robert Cross spoke at the event and gave out signed copies of his book.

If you are considering revenue management software for your community, this is a must-read. This book provided necessary background on revenue management and helped us to understand how other industries are using revenue management to increase income.

[Thomas Rones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the book is quite old, the ideas are relevant. I was familiar with this concept as "Yield Management", but by reading this I gained a greater understanding of the mechanics behind such strategies.... and that this tool can be used without any technology by simply shifting demand; as we see with Carol's barber shop.

[Roland · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUTOGRAPHED COPY

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely informative. Don't regret reading it.

[Warren Whitlock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book changed my life. Reading this was the first time I thought of focusing on revenues as something other than "just get more leads and the sales will follow"