Commercial Alignment: The Buzzword We Throw Around When We Don’t Want to Talk to Each Other — Photo by Infinito
Let’s call it out: Every time a hotel says, “We need better commercial alignment,” what they really mean is: “We don’t talk to each other, and it’s getting awkward.”
Sales is over here chasing volume. Marketing is launching a “Weekday Rekindle Romance” campaign during corporate travel season. Revenue is busy pushing rate caps like it’s a game of Tetris. And the GM just wants to know why the forecast is off again.
It’s not alignment. It’s a noisy open office with competing KPIs and passive-aggressive Slack messages.
What’s Really Going On?
“Commercial alignment” sounds strategic. But underneath, it’s usually this:
- Everyone has different goals.
- No one understands what the other department actually does.
- And half the team thinks RevPAR is a skin condition.
Add in silos, ego, and a love of Excel… and we’re basically trying to win a relay race where everyone’s running in a different direction.
The Three-Language Problem
Here’s the biggest issue: We’re not aligned because we’re not even speaking the same language.
- Revenue speaks in demand, compression, pickup, pace.
- Sales speaks in leads, contracts, and “we’ll lose the client.”
- Marketing speaks in engagement, funnels, and some metaphysical concept of brand tone.
No wonder nothing clicks. We’re basically trying to negotiate peace with Google Translate and a blindfold.
What Real Alignment Looks Like
It’s not “let’s sit in more meetings.” It’s:
- Shared KPIs – One scoreboard. Not three.
- Mutual Respect – Assume everyone’s trying to win, not sabotage.
- Clear Communication – No jargon Olympics. Just clarity.
- U nified Roadmap – One calendar. One vision. One battle plan.
And most importantly: Make decisions together. Because if you’re not in the room when pricing, campaigns, or offers are set…..well then you’ll be outside it when results crash.
Final Sip of Real Talk
Commercial alignment isn’t a deck. It’s not a workshop.
It’s daily effort. Conversations. Trade-offs. And shared wins.
Love,
Fabi
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