Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Posted
Special Events Group Sales Manager
About the job
JOB SUMMARY
Represents the hotel and brand and increases revenues for all special events and group spa by soliciting, selling and closing local business. Develops leads, up-sell events and books private events. Works with clients and stakeholders within the parameters of established guidelines. Verifies that the business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. Provides appropriate revenue and sales reports as required. Follows up with clients after functions and network re-booking of any events for future business.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Education and Experience
Required:
• High school diploma or GED; 3 years’ experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area.
OR
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 1 year experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, or related professional area.
Preferred:
• 4-year college degree; previous experience in proactive lead generation in hospitality and sales discipline; knowledge of property-specific business segments (e.g. group, catering, transient); knowledge the hospitality industry.
CORE WORK ACTIVITIES
Managing Sales Activities
• Manages the solicitation, sales and coordination of all Special Event/Pool & Spa sales.
• Participates in all site and pre-planning visits from property group customers.
• Generates detailed weekly call reports with a minimum of 30 complete and qualified sales calls per week, to include 5 outside sales/appointments per week.
• Provides a weekly up to date and accurate “on the books” report. Report should reflect details of previous year’s definite and tentative groups by period.
• Constructs a sales action plan for driving Special Event/Pool & Spa sales.
• Generates each group’s agreement, deposits and correct billing information for every group booked.
• Provides professional group proposals for clients.
• Contacts all definite in house groups to solicit activities.
• Targets group spa accounts with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• 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.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
• Works with the management team to create and implement a Special Event/Pool & Spa sales/marketing plan addressing revenue, customers and market.
• Assists with selling, implementation and follow-through of Special Event/Pool & Spa sales promotions.
• Attends Tie Down 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 and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• 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.
• Achieves group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.
Building Successful Relationships
• Develops relationships within the community to strengthen and expand customer base for sales opportunities, to include attending community/organization and association events as required.
• Participates in community and hotel networking events (e.g., Rotary Clubs, Chamber of Commerce, etc.).
• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Sales Office, Area Sales, Enterprise Sales Team (EST)) to verify that the property needs are being achieved and the sales efforts are complementary, not duplicative.
• Partners with Special Events, Event Management, Spa and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.
• 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.
Providing Exceptional Customer Service
• Accountable for customer loyalty and property’s brand standards by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience consistent with the daily service basics of the brand.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and verifying 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.
• Handles guest complaints and disputes following the instant pacification procedures.
- Department: Event
Special Events Group Sales Manager
Full-time, Indefinite
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