Hotel Revenue Management: Impact of
Familiarity and Information on Customer’s
Perceptions of Fairness
Paramita Suklabaidya*, Anjana Singh**
Abstract Hotels theoretically can charge as many different rates or prices as they want, but if customers view the hotel’s rate policies as
unfair, they are unlikely to patronize the hotel in future as perception of price fairness play an important role in customer satisfaction and their
behavior. Considering the importance of perceived fairness, it becomes essential to understand the major factors infuencing customer’s fairness
perception of RM pricing. The purpose of this study is to determine customer perceptions of fairness concerning pricing policies charged by
the hotel industry and to examine how familiarity and Information approach in pricing policies affect customer perceptions of fairness. The
study was conducted in a Hospitality context (e.g. Booking and staying in fve star hotel) in order to examine the effect of Familiarity and
Information on customer perceptions of price fairness. A quantitative approach was used to measure respondents’ level of knowledge and
impact of information and the current study conducted a survey with scenario based situations. The research also used Qualitative primary
research through structured open ended interviews to discuss in detail related to differential pricing strategies. The interviews were conducted
with Revenue Managers/ General Managers from a spectrum of hotels in India. The research indicates that the high levels of transparency
and information will acceptrules of variable pricing, and the benefts and problems associated with the practice.This research will inform
management the strategies that seek ever-fner price discrimination through the use of customer databases and individually targeted price
offers. Some customer segments may be amenable to variable pricing and will happily play along with the company’s ‘‘rules’’. Other groups
may not understand such rules, and in these circumstances may distrust a company that practices variable pricing.
Keywords: Variable Pricing, Differential Pricing, Familiarity, Price, Non-Price Information, Revenue Management
INTRODUCTION
Hotel leaders have always confronted the challenge of usage
of pricing strategies to achieve both income and customer
satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to recognizecurrent
practices of price setting in upscale hotels of National
Capital Region and approaches adopted by policy makers
in price sensitive and aggressive competitive market. This
evidence will enable us to analyze the opinions and price
pressures that hotel leaders go through in driving value for
customers through pricing strategies and to make references
accordingly.
According to Kimes (2010a) Revenue management pricing
is based on two dimensions that is price discrimination and
demand based pricing. Revenue management (RM) pricing
is special and exceptional due to unconstrained demand
and the choice is left to hotel to select customers who are
paying most or fulflling the conditions. These conditions
give you the seamless opportunity to increase occupancy
as well as average room rate. Price discrimination allows
hotels to charge multiple prices to different market segments
which ultimately lead to improved revenue as compare
to one single rate to all customers. This discrimination
could be presented with conditions or fences in terms
close to arrival or length of stay controls. Marriott Chain
International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems
Volume 10 Issue 1 June 2017
ISSN: 0947-6250 (Print)
©Copyright IJHTS
® Exclusive Marketing Rights: Publishing India Group
* Assistant Professor, IGNOU, New Delhi, India. Email: paramitaz@ignou.ac.in
** Research Scholar, IGNOU, New Delhi, India. Email: anjana.singh@vedatya.ac.in