SUMMARY Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing large group/catering related opportunities with significant revenue potential. Manages group/catering opportunities not handled by an Event Booking Center (EBC). Actively up:sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Verifies business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Responsible for driving customer/guest loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer/guest experience. Provides service to customers in order to grow 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 Market Opportunities and Driving Revenue - Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation. - Partners with group/catering counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity. - Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the. - Handles all opportunities if property does not participate in an EBC. - Identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each property's revenue goals. - Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue. - Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions. - Designs, develops and sells creative catered events. - Maximizes revenue by upselling packages and creative food and beverage. - Understands the overall market:competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how tosell against them. - Closes the best opportunities for each property based on market conditions and individual property needs. - Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts. Providing Exceptional Customer Service - Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations. - 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. - Supports brand's Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience. - Provides excellent customer service in order to grow share of the account. - Executes brand's Customer Service Standards and property's Brand Standards. - Executes and supports the business Customer Service Standards and property's Brand Standards. - Participates in and practices 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. - 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 property and brand. - 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. Building Successful Relationships - Works collaboratively with off:property sales channels, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
