Bavarian Inn Transforms Revenue Strategy with IDeaS

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

The Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan—a beloved, family-owned resort destination— embarked on a transformative journey to elevate their revenue strategy. Amidst a $90 million property expansion, including the launch of Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark and family fun center, the Bavarian Inn team knew they needed advanced technology to keep pace with rising demand and operational complexity.

Why it matters: Before adopting IDeaS’ suite of tools including G3 RMS, Optix, and Function Space Revenue Management (FSRM), Bavarian Inn relied on manual processes that led to reactive rather than strategic decisions.

Previously, multiple reports from the PMS were compiled into an Excel sheet to create a report. Now, using Optix, a template can be saved allowing for easier and more effective data analysis. Time is no longer spent collating data, as it is readily available, enabling faster implementation of strategies and changes compared to the old system. Additionally, the resort lacked dynamic pricing for its meeting and event spaces, relying instead on static annual rates that didn’t reflect real-time demand.

Top 3 Core Objectives: The main objectives for Bavarian Inn were to modernize their revenue management strategy by gaining real-time data visibility, implementing dynamic pricing—especially for event spaces—and improving operational efficiency to support growing demand from a major property expansion.

Enhance Data Visibility: Bavarian Inn aimed to replace manual, time-consuming reporting with real-time access to performance data. This would enable faster, more informed decision-making across departments.
Implement Dynamic Pricing: The resort needed to move away from static, annual pricing—particularly for event spaces—and adopt dynamic pricing strategies to better capture demand and maximize revenue.
Improve Operational Efficiency: By automating revenue tasks and centralizing reporting, the team sought to save time and redirect focus toward strategic initiatives like forecasting, promotions, and pricing optimization.

Innovators Mentioned

Bavarian Inn

IDeaS

Ruth Eddy

Revenue Manager

Bavarian Inn

"We were most definitely leaving dollars on the table and spending far too much time manually adjusting with only slight benefits. Optix is such a powerful tool for helping analyze data to make more informed decisions. The ability to create report templates is really great. I can easily pull a report and compare timeframes, add in a graph or chart, and present it at a meeting."

Ruth Eddy

Revenue Manager

👍 Revenue Manager Ruth Eddy said that Optix has significantly reduced manual work and improved data analysis, enabling faster, more informed decisions through customizable, easy-to-share reports.:

"We were most definitely leaving dollars on the table and spending far too much time manually adjusting with only slight benefits. Optix is such a powerful tool for helping analyze data to make more informed decisions. The ability to create report templates is really great. I can easily pull a report and compare timeframes, add in a graph or chart, and present it at a meeting."

⚖️ The selection process: During their research process, Ruth Eddy evaluated IDeaS's product differentiators, customer support, and holistic value as a strategic partner and ultimately decided that IDeaS was the best fit solution:

Revenue Manager Ruth Eddy said, about their decision: "I was running multiple reports from our PMS to compile an Excel sheet just to come up with the same report that I can create a template for in Optix. It has really allowed me to look at the data in an easier and more effective way. I am no longer spending time collating the data I need to review, instead I have it readily available and can put strategies and changes into play a lot faster than I would have using my old system."

📈 The results: Following the implementation of IDeaS solutions, Bavarian Inn achieved record-breaking revenue and occupancy, particularly after the waterpark launch. The team now benefits from faster, data-driven decisions, dynamic pricing across rooms and event spaces, and significant time savings through automation and streamlined reporting.