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Alliance Manchester Business School Square with Hyatt Hotel in
Image of the PS Ambitions, Service Excellence, Sustainable and Agile.

BGA Targets: A Year in Review and Strategic Focus for 2025

Alignment with PS Ambitions:

Since the Bedroom Guarantee Agreement (BGA) contract began in 2018, the target of 16,000 bed nights per calendar year has been a challenging goal to achieve. Several events have disrupted progress, such as the Covid pandemic and the cyber-attack. Despite these challenges, the Alliance Manchester Business Schools (AMBS) Leadership Team continues to strive towards the BGA targets with strategic focus and adaptability.

2024 Performance Overview

In 2024, University achieved a total of 11,861 bed nights against the BGA target. This represents a slight reduction compared to 2023, where the University achieved 12,313 bed nights.

For additional context, here are the bed night achievements over the past few years:

  • 2019: 11,028 bed nights
  • 2020: 1,645 bed nights
  • 2021: 4,765 bed nights
  • 2022: 13,661 bed nights

Strategic Focus in 2024

The key strategic focus in 2024 was to surpass the success of 2023 by maintaining the pricing structure in line with the BGA for all individual and group bookings, except for the special staff rate. This approach was part of the response to the 2022 Alliance Manchester Business Schools (AMBS) Uniac (Internal Auditing for University) recommendations. Although the financial gain in 2024 was less than in 2023, it was still positive considering the fewer number of rooms sold.

The discounted staff rate continued as it proved to be an effective promotion and income stream. Despite the predicted shortfall on the 16,000 commitments for the year, it was not detrimental to the AMBS Leadership Teams overall strategic aim.

Additional Strategic Focus Areas in 2024

  • The release of a feedback survey appertaining to the booking process, customer service and the opportunity to improve processes. 
  • Improvements to the booking platforms and the inclusive element of booking rooms via University platforms. 
  • Further review and follow up of wastage. 
  • Focus on key University dates and the risk v benefit of holding rooms on behalf of some stakeholders. 
  • Marketing focus on the use of a QR code to link visitors using the University with the transient booking page. To be displayed in all catering outlets across the University. 
  • Targeted communications and education of the BGA and booking process via SOM colleagues and other relevant networks. 
  • The creation of ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ guides. 

Support sought from the Finance planning sub-committee to; 

  • Use the Hyatt BGA rate as a guide for accommodation budget setting across the Institution.
  • All External Examiner hotel bookings should be mandatory for the Hyatt via the BGA booking platforms.  
  • Ensure colleagues refrain from booking other 4* hotels in the City.  
  • Remove the option to book the Hyatt Oxford Road via Key Travel.  
  • Make it mandatory to secure bookings at the Hyatt via the AMBS booking platforms.  

Strategic Focus for 2025 includes:

  • Staff Training: Training staff on the use of power automate to reduce duplication of effort and potential human error in room bookings administration.
  • Institutional Wastage: Continued focus on reducing wastage through bookings to other 4* hotels in Manchester or occasional bookings to the Hyatt that do not count towards our BGA target. We will cross-check wastage data against hotel capacity data and seek support from University PSLT.
  • Reducing Misunderstanding: Efforts to reduce misunderstanding around the pre-purchased nature of rooms within the BGA. Colleagues booking elsewhere with good intentions to protect local budgets inadvertently impact rooms already committed to the BGA.
  • Marketing Strategy Adaptation: Adapting the marketing strategy and exploring new platforms and networks for information sharing, including the use of AI. Regular review meetings between the DoM (Director of Marketing?) overseeing the BGA and marketing communications colleagues will be crucial.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges faced in 2024, the AMBS Leadership Team remains committed to achieving our BGA targets. With strategic focus and continuous improvement, the aim is to overcome obstacles and reach our goals in 2025 and beyond.