Group Sales Manager

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing group/catering-related opportunities. Manages group/catering opportunities not handled by the Event Booking Center. Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Responsible for driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience. Provide service to our customers in order to grow share of the account on behalf of the company.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; no work experience required.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Understanding Markets & Maximizing Revenue

• Identifies new group/catering business to achieve personal and property revenue goals.

• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.

• Closes the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and property needs.

• Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control property occupancy.

• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

Conducting Daily Sales Activities

• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the Event Booking Center.

• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff effectively.

• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Supports the company’s service and relationship strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.

• Services our customers in order to grow share of the account.

• Executes and supports the company’s Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.

• Provides excellent customer service consistent with the daily service basics of the brand.

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.

• Partners with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.

• Sets a positive example for guest relations.

• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

• Attends pre- and post-convention meetings to understand group needs, obtain feedback on quality of product (e.g., rooms, meeting facilities and equipment, food and beverage), service levels and overall satisfaction.

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.

• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to the company.

Building Successful Relationships

• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Event Booking Center, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.

• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.

• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.

• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Provides accurate, complete and effective turnover to Event Management.

Additional Responsibilities

• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.

• Conducts site inspections.

• Creates contracts as required.

• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.