Hospitality Sales Final – Flashcards
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Why is it important for hotel people to understand the differences between various types of meetings? After all, aren't all the definitions synonymous?
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Convention Business: dealing with an entire spectrum of meetings of all types Meeting: when an event does not seem to fit into any category Seminar: a conference or other meeting for discussion or training Convention: a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concern. Conference: a formal meeting for discussion. Congress: a formal meeting or series of meetings for discussion between delegates, especially those from a political party or labor union or from within a particular discipline. Lecture: deliver an educational lecture or lectures.
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Distinguish between a congress and a conference, a symposium and a workshop, a trade show and a consumer show.
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Congress is an international/European term for an event similar to a conference. Pretty much the same thing Symposium is more of a presentation while a workshop is more training face-to-face Trade Shows are NOT open to the public while consumer shows are
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What three classifications of groups hold meetings and what are the characteristics of each?
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Corporations: mandatory, do not have to pay, does not have to move between cities each time Associations: do not have to go, has to pay for it, events in a city, have to move around due to bylaws Nonprofit Organizations: Government Agencies, Labor Unions, and SMERF Groups Government Agencies: have to find these, does not bring in a lot of money, per diem, rate displacement -; the difference in per diem to room rate Labor Unions: local, state, regional, national, international, needs to be unions -; the hotel, convention every 2 years -; more regional, spouses come too -; they have money to spend SMERF Groups: social, military, education, religion, fraternal
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Per Diem
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"Per Day" The fixed amount of money given to government representatives for each day of travel away from home. Government employees have a fixed amount of money that they can spend per day on food, beverage, and lodging
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Describe the different types of meeting planners. What kinds of meetings does each organize?
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Full-Time Meeting Planners: large national associations and corporations that look to convention revenues to financially support their organizations are most likely to staff full-time, professional meeting planners Single-Event or Part-Time Planners: these meeting planners typically work for smaller companies or associations that do not have enough meeting activity to warrant a full-time meeting planner. The experience of these planner will vary; some will have little or no knowledge of the mechanics of running a meeting and will look to your hotel for assistance Committees: many associations and nonprofit groups have committees that are involved in initial suggestions for meetings, screening of meeting sites, and the actual planning of meetings. The experience of committee members may vary and the hotel may be faced with multiple or conflicting decisions. Third-Party Planners: an increasing number of meetings are being booked by third parties, such as meeting management firms, association management companies, and travel agents. If this is the case, you will be dealing with an intermediary, not directly with the company, association, or nonprofit organization holding the meeting
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Define the term "millennials" and describe two ways in which this group is changing the meetings industry.
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Born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s More focused on technology and social interaction than attendees in the past. This has resulted in "unconferences" and open space workshops that are participant-driven Meetings requiring long sessions are broken up by frequent participative learning opportunities
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What is strategic meetings management (SMM)? How does it differ from revenue management? ?????????
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Strategic Meetings Management: a program designed by meeting planners to get the best return on investment (ROI) for their meeting dollars while providing consistency and an optimal experience for attendees Revenue Management: involves setting guestroom prices based on demand, with an eye towards maximum profitability
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Name the types of third-party meeting planners. How do these planners impact hotels?
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Meeting Management Firms: companies, representing another organization, that handle site selection, negotiations, and turn-key support for an event Association Management Companies: work for smaller associations that do not employ a full-time professional staff Destination Management Companies (DMO): professional management companies specializing in the design and delivery of convention events, activities, tours, staffing, and transportation, utilizing local knowledge, expertise, and resources Incentive Travel Houses: full-time professional travel companies that make arrangements for companies that wish to offer incentive trips Travel Agents: some travel agents have expanded their traditional role of selling package tours, transportation, and guestrooms to offer meeting planning services to corporate accounts
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Describe the elements of a "green meeting"
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energy efficiency and conservation, water efficiency and conservation, sustainable food, recycling and composting, and education
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What are CSR activities? How do they benefit attendees and the community?
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): many hotels are partnering with charitable organizations
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Conventions are extremely important to associations for financial reasons. Explain why.
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This is how they produce revenue: membership fees (dues) meetings events/registration fees donations/sponsorships fundraisers merchandise/advertising
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What kinds of meetings do associations hold? What type of facilities are best suited to each?
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annual (national): most likely have to fly to average attendance is 300 or less general session-; attended by everyone, along with smaller breakout sessions -; the smaller meetings concurrent sessions -; different topics at the same time state/regional: chapters, more local locations difference is sponsorship conferences: specific topics, shorter supplement the annual convention seminars/workshops: shorter training and continuing education board of director/committee: Hilton, Hyatts, nice areas regularly, small meetings hybrids: need the technology combine a live program with a virtual component
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Identify the monthly and daily meeting patterns of association meetings.
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cycles and patterns geographic restrictions lead time -; time between booking and happening kind of sites -; depends on: image, sites, size, complexity attendance (voluntary) convention duration
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There are many similarities between association meetings and corporate meetings, but there are also clear distinctions. Contrast the two considering lead time, attendance, and kind of site required.
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Lead Time: shorter for corporations Attendance: corporations -; mandatory associations -; optional Kind of Site Required:
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Company meetings come in many sizes and shapes. If you were the sales manager of a small property with limited meeting facilities, what types of company meetings would you target?
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Management? ?????????????????????
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Discuss the multi-booking potential of corporate meetings.
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Meetings in different places but with the same hotel brand
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As with associations, finding the key decision-maker within a corporation is of utmost importance. Why is this problem so acute in the corporate meetings market? List probable decision-makers within the corporate structure.
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Passenger traffic -; travel agents Procurement -; purchasing department RPF -; request for proposals
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What role do local chapters or business offices of regional, national, or international corporations play in the determination of meeting sites?
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depends on agenda, complexity, and size of meeting
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List the major sources for finding corporate meetings and tell how each is used to develop a client base.
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Special meetings and business publications Trade directories, publications, and databases Trade associations Convention and visitors bureaus Lateral referral and account penetration
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What are SMERF groups? Why are they an important market segment? What SMERF market segments show the most potential for future growth?
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Social Military/Medical Education Religion Fraternal
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How does dealing with government agencies differ from dealing with other meeting groups? What types of hotels are best-suited for the various types of government meetings?
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Have to find these Does not bring in a lot of money per Diem
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What types of meetings do labor unions typically hold? What factors are important to planners booking labor union meetings?
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national conventions -; every 2 years regional conferences -; central location, 2-3 days, 200-500 people executive and committee meetings -; 4 a year needs to be union hotels spouses come too
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What makes the incentive market different from the corporate market in general? What types of properties are best-suited to handle this market segment? What types of amenities would you stress if you were trying to attract the incentive market?
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Incentive travel meetings -; the sales people informal, fun
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What are the characteristics of insurance/financial meetings? What types of hotels might be most attractive to this type of business?
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they spend a lot of money, everything top notch
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Where does the convention service manager fit into the hotel organizational structure?
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"the person who makes it happen" Plans and coordinates all arrangements related to assigned groups to ensure the success of the convention and to promote business
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What types of programs are available to train convention service managers and their staffs to better assist meeting planners?
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The Society of Corporate Meeting Professionals invited convention service managers to join their ranks, and Successful Meetings instituted an annual Convention Service Manager of the Year Award Own organizations include the Event Service Professionals Association Can also join Professional Convention Management Association which includes educational resources, networking, and an annual meeting that offers nearly 100 educational sessions to meeting planners
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Describe the titles and duties of the members of the convention services staff.
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Director of Convention Services: oversees, trains, and assists the convention staff in all phases of managing meeting accounts. Assigns meeting accounts to convention service managers, keeping the workload evenly distributed among staff. Usually reports to the director of sales/marketing, but at large properties may report directly to the general manager Convention Coordinators: entry-level position in the convention service department. Primary responsibilities are to service small meeting groups and to assist convention service managers Floor Manager: responsible for servicing and setup of all meeting room and food and beverage functions. Oversees house persons to ensure instructions from the specification and function sheets are carried out Set-Up Crew: responsible for the physical setup of all meeting and banquet rooms Director of Exhibit Service: works closely with the meeting group's trade show manager when the hotel's exhibition facilities are utilized. This position is only present in hotels with substantial dedicated exhibit space Function Book Coordinator: the single person who inputs and retrieves entries from the function book reservation forms, responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the computerized function book. This individual works closely with the sales staff, catering, and the convention service manager Convention Service Secretary: performs secretarial duties, including typing of correspondence, specification sheets, and function sheets for the convention service department
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What is meant by the transition? At what four times can transitions take place?
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The term transition is meant the turnover from the meeting planner to an individual within the hotel 1- During the site inspection 2- Right before signing the contract 3- Immediately after the point of sale 4- One year before the meeting
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What is tracing and hot is it used to build relationship with the meeting planner?
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Tracing: Building a relationship with the client by using follow-up letters, e-mails, text messages, telephone calls, and personal contacts
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Briefly define the eight steps inherent to servicing a group's meeting.
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1- After booking, the CSM reviews all correspondence to find out what information has been documented and what information is still required 2- The booking is listed in the function book, and contact is made with the meeting planner through a letter of introduction 3- Tracing 4- Details of the programs are formulated in a personal interview with the meeting planner at least six months before the event. Reservation requests are sent out. 5- A monthly preconvention meeting is held with all department heads to review upcoming groups 6- Two or three days before the conference opens, a pre-convention meeting is held with the front office managers, the supervisor in charge of room setup, the catering manager, and the meeting planner 7- During the event, the CSM is on hand as much as possible 8- A post-convention meeting is held at the end of the event. All charges to the master account are verified and initialed a second time by the client
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Describe in detail the types of reservations systems used to handle group bookings.
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Hotel-Managed Reservations: hotels can either offer a reservation link on their own websites or provide a link on the group's website. Many hotels set up separate landing pages for groups, and the planner (using a password) can readily access group reservation information Rooming Lists: usually used for corporate meetings, rooming lists provide the names and arrival and departure fates for all attendees. The planner provides this information to the hotel, which then downloads it into its reservation system Convention Center Housing Bureaus: A number of convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) offer housing services to groups, and are especially beneficial if the meeting is spread out over several hotels, as CVBs usually have a strong working relationship with hotels in the city. In addition, planners often negotiate with the CVB to handle housing at no cost to the group Third-Party Housing Companies: a especially beneficial in cases in which the group's needs are complex. Because these firms are solely in the business of housing and/or registration, they typically offer the most streamlined reservation system's. In addition, often become an extension of the group's staff
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Distinguish between rack rates, run-of-the house-rates, spread rates, and split rates.
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Rack Rate: All rates remain as posted, with no discounts or concessions. Rack rates are rarely used for conventions because convention groups are able to negotiate a group rate lower than rack rates Run-of-the-house-rate: With a run-of-the-house rate, all similar rooms except suites are priced at the average between minimum and maximum rates, despite level or location. All guests pay the same rate. This is also called a flat-rate arrangement Split Rate: Split rates are offered to a group based on the room type. For example, regular guestrooms would be offered at a different rate than tower club rooms, ocean-view rooms priced differently than garden-view rooms, and so on
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Distinguish between a proposal letter and a letter of agreement (contract).
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Letter of Agreement: all arrangements that have been negotiated and agreed to Proposal Letter: a letter sent by the hotel before the letter of agreement or contract that spells out exactly what the customer will receive
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What elements should be considered when developing a contract?
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1) preamble: clearly specifies the parties entering into the contract (both parties are identified by name, address, and contract information, and dates) 2) a statement of intent by both parties to the enter into the contract 3) the name or designation of the event
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What is the master account? In what ways is this account billed?
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One folio for the group on which all charges are accumulated the meeting planner decides how it will all by paid for
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What is a damage clause? An attrition clause? What is the difference between a termination clause and a cancellation clause? How extensively are each of these clauses used?
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termination clause: both parties might cancel because of circumstances beyond its control Cancellation clause: that one party elects not to perform, which ordinarily requires the payment of damages
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What are standardized contracts? What types of properties typically use them? What are the pros and cons of using standardized contract?
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Contract standardization--> with a brand or chain
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of negotiating multiple-meetings contract?
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ad: discounted prices dis: predicting meeting attendance future developments
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What are the three different folios that can be used for a meeting or convention? Who pays the charges for each?
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master account folio individual guest folio split folio
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What factors should be considered when determining a time of payment for a meeting group? When are charges typically billed?
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policy of hotel, credit and reputation of the convening organization, past history, the frequency of group business, and other factors
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List the four groupings for service gratuities and distinguish between blanket service charges and special tipping.
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gratuities service charges blanket service charge: added to the room charge and delegates are not encumbered with further tipping special gratuities: given to management personnel
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Why is a post-convention review important? Who should attend post-convention review meetings?
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staff only with the meeting planner talk to staff to find out everything
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What should be included in the post-convention report? What are the benefits of post-convention reports?
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summary of our meeting experiences that creates history showcases our talents and professionalism benefits: all them to more accurately evaluate and qualify business
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What is the difference between sales and marketing?
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Sales: direct selling efforts through face-to-face calls, telephone calls and mailings Marketing: the practice of combining, blending, integrating, and controlling the factors that influence sales
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The marketing plan should cover what time frame?
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Marketing Plan: a written guide detailing sales, advertising, and promotion programs used to attract business to the property's revenue centers
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List the four steps in developing a marketing plan.
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step 1: conducting market research step 2: selecting target markets and positioning the property step 3: establishing objectives and action plans step 4: reviewing and monitoring the marketing plan
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What factors should be considered when selecting target markets?
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markets already serviced, then select those that have great potential
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What is meant by zero-based budgeting?
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a budget that starts at zero and requires planners to justify expenditures for each activity
