The Number That Didn’t Add Up
When a regional airport ran an annual audit across its retail tenants, the team uncovered a surprise: one brand’s reported revenue was $200,000 lower than the certified total. Investigating further revealed the underlying issue, each tenant was reporting data differently. Some merchants reported tax inclusive, while others didn’t, and some logged returns immediately, while others delayed them. The result led to inconsistent data, inconsistent billing, and revenue quietly slipping from its non-aeronautical revenue.
$200,000
Revenue discrepancy uncovered in annual audit
The Data Spectrum
Receiving reports daily doesn't mean your data is accurate. Many landlords, shopping centers operators, airports and franchisors assume automation equals precision, but that's often a part of data spectrum.
Automating bad data only gets you incorrect numbers faster. Without standardised inputs, your revenue‑share calculations are never fully reliable.
Normalised, Source‑Level Capture: The Accuracy Standard
Achieving true accuracy means capturing transactions directly at the point of sale (POS) and not relying on what tenants report, or how their systems categorise figures.
Modern solutions like source‑level data capture with normalisation translate disparate tenant data into a consistent format. Whether your tenant uses Oracle, Lightspeed, or a boutique POS system, every sale, return, and discount follows the same logic.
This ensures you're comparing like‑for‑like, with no interpretation required.
The Cost of “Close Enough”
Consider a tenant with revenue‑share terms of 8% of gross sales. If self‑reported data understates monthly sales by just $15,000, that’s $1,200 lost every month. Multiply that across 25 tenants, and you’re missing tens of thousands yearly—with no easy way to prove it.
$15,000
Underreported monthly
$1,200
Lost per month
$360,000
Lost yearly (25 tenants)
Accurate, normalised data eliminates this uncertainty. Each invoice aligns with an auditable record of actual transactions, reducing disputes and improving trust.
Accuracy Builds Confidence
When landlords and tenants share visibility into the same dataset, billing disputes nearly disappear. Statements become transparent, relationships strengthen, and cash flow improves.
More importantly, reliable accuracy supports strategic forecasting, helping operators identify profitable categories, optimise tenant mix, and make informed leasing decisions.
In revenue management, automation gives you speed, but accuracy gives you confidence.
Reach out to us at sales@pathfinder.global for a demo today or learn more about PosPatrol Revenue Assurance Solution powered by Pathfinder.
