JOB 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 & 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 to sell 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. • Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. • Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff. Additional Responsibilities • Utilizes intranet for resources and information. • Conducts site inspections. • Creates contracts as required. • Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
