Revenue Management Systems
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From guest data chaos to os e inspired discipline
Revenue leaders sit on fragmented guest data, spread across PMS, CRM, RMS, and mobile apps. In many hotels, the mobile operating systems used by teams and guests mirror this chaos, with every smartphone leaking personal data through default android operating settings. The philosophy behind os e, rooted in a privacy focused operating system, offers a powerful lens to rethink commercial performance.
Built on a fork of LineageOS, the /e/ operating system shows how a de-Googled system can still deliver a refined user experience. By removing most google apps and services, and replacing them with open source software, Gaël Duval and the /e/ Foundation demonstrate that control over data does not mean sacrificing functionality. For hotel groups, this mindset translates into disciplined data governance across revenue management, pricing, and distribution.
When a hotel team uses a standard android operating device, every login app, email, and app lounge interaction can feed external ecosystems. The same happens on guest facing mobile operating journeys, from booking engines to loyalty apps, where uncontrolled online services capture behavioural signals. A privacy first approach, inspired by os e, encourages hoteliers to treat every app and every account as a strategic asset, not just a technical detail.
In practice, this means auditing which apps and software run on staff smartphones, tablets, and front office systems. It also means mapping how guest data flows between RMS, CRM, channel managers, and external services, just as /e/OS maps data flows inside its operating system. By adopting this discipline, revenue managers can align privacy, compliance, and commercial performance instead of treating them as competing priorities.
Designing privacy centric revenue strategies with os e principles
Os e is more than a mobile operating label ; it is a governance model for data. In the hospitality context, this model can guide how revenue managers structure segmentation, pricing rules, and distribution partnerships. The goal is to maximise revenue while minimising unnecessary exposure of personal data to third party operating systems and online services.
On /e/OS, the app lounge curates apps so users can run android software without surrendering full control to google play or play services. Similarly, hotels can curate which distribution apps and services access their inventory, rates, and guest profiles. When evaluating OTAs, metasearch, or RMS integrations, commercial leaders should ask which systems behave like open source partners and which behave like opaque black boxes.
Murena smartphones, running the /e/ operating system, illustrate how a device can embed advanced privacy while remaining commercially viable. For hotel executives, this is a reminder that direct channels can be both high performing and privacy respectful when designed with the same care. Strategies to minimise OTA commissions and boost direct hotel bookings, such as those outlined in direct booking optimisation frameworks, become even more powerful when combined with strict control over guest data flows.
Revenue managers should also revisit consent and tracking policies across mobile apps, loyalty portals, and booking engines. Instead of defaulting to broad tracking via google apps or generic android operating SDKs, hotels can adopt privacy by design analytics inspired by os e. This approach protects guests while still providing the granular demand signals needed for dynamic pricing and forecasting.
Reimagining RMS and CRM stacks through an os e ecosystem lens
The /e/ Foundation built os e by forking LineageOS and replacing core google services with open alternatives. This mirrors what many hotel groups must do with legacy RMS, CRM, and PMS stacks that depend heavily on closed, data hungry platforms. By treating their tech stack like a mobile operating ecosystem, executives can deliberately choose which services deserve access to sensitive commercial data.
In os e, components such as MicroG, K-9 Mail, DavDroid, and NextCloud replace proprietary google apps and online services. In hospitality, similar thinking leads to selecting open source or privacy respectful CRM, BI, and RMS tools that integrate via transparent APIs. When these systems run on secure linux servers or hardened android operating devices, the entire revenue management workflow becomes more resilient.
Murena workspace extends this logic by offering a suite of cloud tools aligned with advanced privacy principles. A hotel group could mirror this with a controlled workspace for revenue teams, where every app, from forecasting software to login app utilities, is vetted for data practices. Channel management, for example, can be anchored in solutions that respect data boundaries, as illustrated in channel manager optimisation strategies.
As os e shows, a coherent operating system can support hundreds of smartphone models and devices without surrendering control to google. Likewise, a coherent hotel tech ecosystem can support multiple properties, brands, and operating systems while keeping ownership of pricing rules and guest data. This mindset helps revenue leaders negotiate better terms with vendors and avoid lock in that erodes long term profitability.
Guest journey, mobile touchpoints, and the os e approach to trust
Every step of the guest journey now passes through a mobile device, whether a personal smartphone or a hotel provided tablet. On standard android operating systems, each tap in a booking app, check in form, or digital key can feed third party data pipelines. The os e philosophy invites hoteliers to treat these touchpoints as trust critical moments rather than mere UX conveniences.
On /e/OS, advanced privacy tools allow users to control trackers, permissions, and network calls at a granular level. Hotels can emulate this by giving guests clear, simple controls over what personal data is collected at each stage, from pre stay marketing to post stay surveys. When guests see that a hotel respects privacy as rigorously as os e does on its operating system, their willingness to share meaningful data for personalisation often increases.
Murena smartphones, used as in room devices or staff tools, can reinforce this trust narrative by visibly running a privacy focused operating system. Features such as parental control can be repurposed in hospitality to manage content access on family devices or kids clubs tablets. Even navigation tools like Magic Earth, which run without deep google play integration, can be offered as privacy respectful local guides on guest devices.
For revenue managers, this trust translates into higher opt in rates for loyalty programmes, more accurate profile data, and better response to targeted offers. It also reduces the risk of data breaches that can damage brand equity and long term RevPAR. By aligning guest facing mobile operating experiences with os e principles, hotels turn privacy into a commercial asset rather than a compliance burden.
Commercial analytics, forecasting, and the value of clean data in os e
Revenue management lives or dies on the quality of its data, from pick up curves to channel mix and price elasticity. In many hotels, this data is polluted by inconsistent tracking across apps, operating systems, and online services. The os e ecosystem shows how disciplined control over data flows can dramatically improve signal quality for decision making.
Because /e/OS is a free and open-source mobile operating system based on LineageOS, designed to provide a privacy-focused alternative to standard Android systems by removing proprietary Google apps and services. This architecture ensures that personal data is not silently replicated across multiple google accounts and services. For hotel analytics, a similar approach means minimising redundant trackers, harmonising IDs across systems, and limiting dependence on opaque google apps based attribution.
When staff use murena smartphones or other privacy focused devices for operational tasks, the data they generate stays within controlled software environments. This reduces noise from unrelated apps, background services, or unvetted login app tools that often run on generic android operating devices. Clean data streams make it easier for RMS algorithms to detect real demand shifts, seasonality patterns, and channel cannibalisation.
Commercial leaders can then feed this higher quality data into forecasting models, pricing simulations, and scenario planning. Combined with strategic guidance such as the frameworks presented in advanced hotel revenue management strategies, this creates a virtuous cycle of insight and action. Os e becomes not just a technical reference, but a metaphor for how disciplined data governance underpins superior commercial performance.
Governance, compliance, and long term value creation with os e
For boards, asset managers, and general managers, the strategic question is how privacy centric ecosystems like os e translate into long term value. The answer lies in governance structures that treat mobile operating environments, guest data, and commercial systems as a single risk and opportunity portfolio. This integrated view aligns legal compliance, brand positioning, and revenue optimisation.
By adopting principles from the /e/ Foundation, hotel groups can define clear policies on which apps, services, and operating systems are allowed on corporate devices. This includes specifying approved android operating versions, mandating open source or auditable software where feasible, and restricting unnecessary google play dependencies. Murena workspace style environments can centralise email, storage, and collaboration tools under a single, privacy aware governance framework.
Such governance also clarifies responsibilities between IT, revenue management, and commercial teams. For example, when evaluating a new RMS or mobile app, stakeholders must assess not only forecasting performance but also data residency, advanced privacy features, and integration with existing linux or mobile operating infrastructure. This echoes how os e evaluates each source project component before integrating it into the operating system.
Over time, hotels that align with os e principles build a reputation for respecting personal data while still delivering sophisticated, app driven experiences. This reputation supports premium pricing, stronger corporate contracts, and higher loyalty retention, all measurable in RevPAR and GOPPAR. In a market where operating systems, devices, and apps constantly evolve, a privacy first governance model becomes a durable competitive advantage.
Key quantitative insights related to os e and privacy centric ecosystems
- /e/OS is compatible with over 200 smartphone models, illustrating that a privacy focused operating system can still achieve broad device coverage.
- Crowdfunding efforts for the /e/ ecosystem raised approximately 25 000 euros, signalling market interest in alternatives to dominant mobile operating systems.
- The /e/ project has evolved from its initial announcement to multiple major operating system versions, showing sustained development and community engagement.
Frequently asked questions about os e and hotel revenue management
What is /e/OS and why does it matter for hotels ?
/e/OS is a free and open source mobile operating system based on LineageOS that removes most proprietary google apps and services. For hotels, it demonstrates that full featured mobile operating environments can exist without excessive data extraction. This inspires similar approaches to guest data governance and commercial system design.
Who is Gaël Duval and what is his role in os e ?
Gaël Duval is a French software developer and the founder of the /e/ Foundation. He initiated the os e project to create a privacy focused alternative to mainstream android operating systems. His work provides a reference model for hospitality leaders seeking to balance innovation, privacy, and commercial performance.
How can hotels practically apply os e principles to revenue management ?
Hotels can start by auditing all apps, devices, and operating systems used in revenue, sales, and distribution workflows. They should then prioritise open source or transparent software, limit unnecessary google apps dependencies, and centralise governance of online services. This creates cleaner data, stronger compliance, and more reliable forecasting.
Are privacy focused mobile operating systems compatible with existing hotel apps ?
Most hospitality apps built for android can run on privacy focused systems like /e/OS via the app lounge. However, hotels should test critical apps, especially those relying heavily on google play services or specific login app frameworks. Where issues arise, vendors can often adapt their software to more open source friendly environments.
What role can murena devices play in a hotel technology strategy ?
Murena smartphones and tablets can be used as staff devices, guest room tablets, or secure terminals for sensitive commercial tasks. Their operating system, aligned with advanced privacy principles, reduces unnecessary data exposure to third parties. This supports both operational efficiency and the hotel’s positioning as a trustworthy, privacy aware brand.
