Sales & Event Meeting Manager (Full Service Hotel)

Description

Assists in planning and execution of meetings and special events. Position assists in the implementation of departmental strategies. The position has responsibility for assisting in the execution of all property events with a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales where appropriate. Acts as the on-property liaison for group sales within the pre-defined peak room parameters for Property Sales. Contracts and closes group business in addition to conducting site inspections. Verifies business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. Achieves group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Implements the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Assisting in Managing Meetings and Special Events Operations and Budgets

• Researches and analyzes new products, pricing and services of competition.
• Assists in apprising property of all groups that will impact property operations.
• Assists in execution of event management strategy that is aligned with the company’s business strategy and leads its execution.
• Conducts daily walk-through of banquet floor to help ensure client satisfaction and quality standards.

Managing Profitability

• Assists in developing working relationships with outside vendors and establishing prices and service agreements to enhance the event experience and to increase additional revenue opportunities for the property as needed.
• Creates opportunities to upsell during event planning.
• Assists in managing department controllable expenses to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Creates an atmosphere in all event management operations areas that meets or exceeds guest expectations.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Ensures employees understand expectations and parameters.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement

Managing Sales Activities

• Achieves group revenue goals by responding to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are within the pre-defined peak room parameters.
• Understands the overall market (e.g., 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.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
• Achieves group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
• Partners with Area Sales to identify new group/catering business and achieve personal and property revenue goals.
• Acts as the on-property liaison for group events over the Group Sales peak room parameters of the Sales Office.
• Develops group sales revenue and operation budgets, and provides forecasting reports.
• Works with the management team to create and implement a group sales/marketing plan addressing revenue, customers, and market.
• Assists with selling, implementation, and follow-through of group sales promotions.
• 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.
• Provides accurate, complete, and effective turnover to Event Management.
• Executes and supports Marriott’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.
• Conducts site inspections, as required.
• Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand (Courtyard).
• Verifies that the property implements a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.
• Monitors the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process by creating mechanisms to channel issues to property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders.
• Verifies successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses, and providing a return on investment for the owner and Marriott International.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.

Building Successful Relationships

• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings through sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
• Develops relationships within the community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Group Sales within the Sales Office, Area Sales, EST) to verify the property needs are being achieved and the sales efforts are complementary, not duplicative.
• Partners with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.
• Assists with social media management and promotion of the hotel through social media platforms.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and verifying their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Implements the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• 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 Marriott.
• 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.

Qualifications

Hospitality Sales & Metting

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)