News for the Hospitality Executive |
Lessons from the Field
A Common Sense Approach to Success in the Hospitality Industry |
By Dr. John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE, May 30, 2008 |
The Importance of Meaningful Sales Team Job Descriptions
Tom Robbins {American Author} My last two columns have discussed decisions to be made if your hotel needs a professional totally dedicated to the selling of property services and potential sources on where to recruit from. A further critical element that needs to be part of the process is exactly what is expected from your sales professional. I have had a number of readers email me questions the past few weeks that relate to that point exactly � either they have just begin a new job and do not know where to begin or they are interviewing for a hotel sales position and their interview was uncomfortable because there was not a clear plan for what they would be doing. Job descriptions aid in the hiring process by defining the specific criteria needed to effectively fill a position. Not only do they assure the proper criteria are being considered, but they aid in keeping all interviews as objective as possible. They provide the necessary criteria on which to structure the interview itself and assure all applicants of being evaluated fairly and equally. They may also provide legal protection to the property and interviewer alike by defining the specific skills required by an applicant to qualify for the job. It is the responsibility of the general manager and sales director (if applicable) to develop job descriptions for every position in the sales office. Today, regardless of the size of a property, many sales department heads have the title of "Director of Sales." This can help position your sales representative as an equal when competing with other hotels. It is prudent to be certain that your sales staff is trained well enough to be able to compete, as a title alone does not make up for inadequately prepared person. Additional sales personnel (except clerical) may use the title of Sales Manager. This gives greater dignity to both positions and makes each more effective in dealing with their clients. A job description also clarifies the functions of each position. The size of the Sales Department is dependent on the size of the hotel; however, at the least, the Director of Sales should be given whatever some administrative assistance if at all possible to maintain an effective program, such as correspondence, computer or function book entries, answering the telephone, messages, filing, etc. This assures that the sales representative is spending the majority of time "selling" and bringing in revenue to the property. A properly written job description for a sales administrative assistant would define these functions. The following pages provide sample job descriptions for a Director of
Sales and a Sales Manager (or Sales Representative). Please remember that
your may vary in needs and specific duties and that these are offered as
starting points and suggestions only. We have found that there are
many properties that have titles that do not actually tie into the functions
or duties of the person. We urge prudence and caution in titles � make
them meaningful!
.
The next column will discuss ideas on choosing the right candidate in:
Factors for successful interviewing potential hotel sales candidates
Feel free to share an idea or to contact me regarding consulting and speaking engagements at [email protected] anytime and remember � we all need a regular dose of common sense. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication All rights reserved by John Hogan. This column may be included in an upcoming book on hotel management. John Hogan�s professional experience includes over 35 years in hotel operations, food & beverage, sales & marketing, training, management development and asset management on both a single and multi-property basis. He holds a number of industry certifications and is a past recipient of the American Hotel & Lodging Association�s Pearson Award for Excellence in Lodging Journalism, as well as operational and marketing awards from international brands. He has served as President of both city and state hotel associations. John�s background includes teaching college level courses as an adjunct professor at three different colleges and universities over a 20 year period, while managing with Sheraton, Hilton, Omni and independent hotels. He was the principal in an independent training & consulting group for more than 12 years serving associations, management groups, convention & visitors� bureaus, academic institutions and as an expert witness. He joined Best Western International in spring of 2000, where over the next 8 years he created and developed a blended learning system as the Director of Education & Cultural Diversity for the world�s largest hotel chain. He has served on several industry boards that deal with education and/or cultural diversity and as brand liaison to the NAACP and the Asian American Hotel Owners� Association with his ongoing involvement in the Certified Hotel Owner program. He has conducted an estimated 3,100 workshops and seminars in his career. He served as senior vice president for a client in a specialty hotel brand for six years. He has published more than 350 articles & columns on the hotel industry and is co-author (with Howard Feiertag, CHA CMP) of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD � a COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES, which is available from a range of industry sources and AMAZON.com. He resides in Phoenix, Arizona and is finalizing his 2nd book based on his dissertation � The Top 100 People of All Time Who Most Dramatically Affected the Hotel Industry. |
Contact:
Dr. John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE
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Also See: | For Hotels with Limited Service, Fewer than 100 Rooms - How Do You Determine if You Need a Person Dedicated to Selling / Dr. John Hogan / May 2008 |
Extending Your Sales Team or Make Travel Agents A Regular Part of Your Sales Programs / Dr. John Hogan / May 2008 | |
Finding Business Leads Can Be Easier Than You Think / Dr. John Hogan / May 2008 | |
Understanding the Differences Between Marketing and Sales / Dr. John Hogan / April 2008 | |
Identifying Your Customers / Lessons from the Field A Common Sense Approach to Success in the Hospitality Industry / Dr. John Hogan / April 2008 |