Senior Sales Specialist - Account Sales

JOB SUMMARY

Provides temporary sales support for the sales organization. Serves a utility function to account for staffing changes resulting from turnover, leaves of absence, or call volume/demand changes. May require travel as needed per assignment. Supports above property (Account Sales Senior Account Executive, Account Executive, Multi-Hotel Sales Senior Sales Managers) and on property (Senior Sales Executive/Manager, Senior Catering Sales Executive/Manager, Destination Sales Executive) roles based on need. The incumbent is responsible for implementing brand 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.

While supporting Above Property Roles, provides temporary sales support by applying principles of strategic account management and develops strong partnerships with buyers for the purpose of penetrating and growing market share and driving sales for properties or Multi-Hotel Sales large group sellers.

While supporting full-service or luxury hotels on-property, provides temporary sales support by contracting and closing business across all segments, identifies and develops strong relationships (group + transient customers), conducts site inspections, verifies turnovers are completed in a timely fashion and actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.

Education and Experience

Required:

• 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.

Preferred:

• Previous experience selling group business, either at a property or in a sales office.

• Account management experience

• Knowledge of property operations, Food and Beverage (F&B).

• Knowledge of the group sales process for all brands and how to close a sale.

• Team-based selling experience.

• Hospitality Management Degree.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Managing Sales Activities Bench

• Serves as bench function to account for staffing changes resulting from turnover, leaves of absence, or extended vacation leave for above noted positions.

• Provides temporary support and performs all duties of the Senior Account Executive and Account Executive (Account Sales) or Senior Sales Manager (Multi-Hotel Sales), Senior Sales Executive/Manager, Senior Catering Sales Executive / Manager and Destination Sales Executive due to absence, vacancy, or lead volume changes.

Understanding Market Opportunities & Driving Revenue

• Understands the overall market (e.g., competitors strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand, etc.) and knows how to sell against them.

• Closes opportunities based on market conditions, customer, and property needs.

• Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations.

• Responds to and manages complex incoming opportunities (group/catering/BT) in a timely manner to incoming leads and opportunities.

• Presents market hotel benefits and features based on customer needs.

• Refers opportunities to appropriate sales associate if business is outside defined parameters.

• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).

• Achieves revenue goals by responding to incoming group/catering/transient opportunities that are within the pre-defined parameters.

• Transfers accurate, complete, and timely information to property in accordance with brand standards.

• Leverages methodologies, technical and business knowledge across the market.

• Understands and utilizes company marketing initiative/incentives to close on business.

• Up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue for individual properties.

• Implements process improvements and best practices.

• Identifies, qualifies, and solicits new business (group or transient) and re-solicits non-managed realized opportunities to achieve property revenue goals.

Developing & Executing Sales Plans

• Works with partners to develop creative ideas and proposals focusing efforts on accounts and/or transient customers with significant potential revenue and develops effective sales plans and actions.

• Utilizes negotiation skills and creative selling abilities to uncover new business.

• Develops strong partnerships with buyers for the purpose of penetrating and growing market share.

• Executes designated sales strategies to develop and solicit specific accounts to achieve revenue goals.

• Applies principles of strategic account management and develops strong partnerships with buyers.

• Leverages tools and resources to actively achieve revenue goals (e.g., Sales & Marketing Planning & Support, Area Sales, Multi-Hotel Sales or Account Sales Leadership, Hotelligence, EMPOWER, GXP, Property Management System, MRDW etc.)

• Utilizes intranet for resources, templates, and information.

• Creates and maintains complete and up-to-date lead information on each account in SFAWeb/CI/TY to verify accurate reporting.

Building Successful Relationships

• Creates clear expectations for customers and properties throughout the sales process.

• Works collaboratively with other sales channels (e.g., Area Sales, Account Sales, Multi-Hotel sales, on-property resources) to establish coordinated sales efforts that are complementary and not duplicative.

• Works collaboratively with Revenue Management to analyze business needs, make recommendations, and establish guidelines when appropriate to extend (Business Travel) BT rates.

• Partners with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customers expectations.

• Maintains current business relationships for new business within accounts.

• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, with the intent to build a relationship and loyalty.

• Drives customer loyalty through excellent customer service throughout the sales process.

• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending appropriate features and services that best meet their needs.

• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings.

• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Resolves guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process.

• Brings issues to the attention of property and above property leadership as appropriate.

• Builds and maintains rapport with customers throughout the sales process.

• Handles customer inquiries and lead requests for groups within predefined parameter; and refers customer care issues to the appropriate owner.

• Makes availability known to customer at all times during this process. Solves problems and/or suggest alternatives to previous arrangements.

• Emphasizes guest satisfaction and focuses on continuous improvement.

Additional Responsibilities

• Understands and utilizes company marketing initiative/incentives to convert cold leads to warm leads.

• Completes other reasonable duties as requested by leadership.

• Achieves revenue goals as defined by leadership.

• Conducts walk-throughs, site inspections and Familiarization Tours (FAM) tours, as required.

• Represents sales department at staff meetings and stand up meetings and reports out on sales activity.

• Processes all leads and responds to customer inquiries in a timely manner.