Tag Archives: general manager

Hotel Sales Manager not WOWED by interviewers……

Posted on by
Reply

I went on an interview tonight.  I got to say, I really was not “WOWED”.   They think I would fit their Tour & Travel Manager needs….but where I am now, I do the whole SMERFE Market and I like it better than being a DOS.  Also they are getting ready for a complete renovation plan.  I just finished that nightmare. 

I feel the interview went well but….they kept asking me about a database and I do not keep one.  I can promise that I will start working on one this weekend.

I felt very nauseous on my way there.  Almost like I was doing something wrong.  I don’t usually feel that way.  I thought about it and I think it’s because I do really like my DOS and although I don’t believe in everything that my GM is doing, he is trying to make the hotel better.  A GM needs to be tough or they will be abused, used and screwed. 

I got to say that I am glad that I took the time out for this interview.  Although I am struggling through issues at my current hotel, I like the product, location and there are many benefits.  It’s going to be up to me to stop being so overwhelmed.  There isn’t any more time for me to squander.  This interview made me realize how much I do like my hotel.

My DOS is awesome but I know that I need to stay on her good side.  I want to be productive and produce so we all make bonus.  She certainly wants to make a difference and so do I.

Still had a hard time getting soliciting calls done today.  This kills me.  But they did fix my desk that has been broken and I left it a disaster tonight because I spent my time welcoming, doing baggage and working in the Restaurant to take care of my Tour Bus.  They were a miserable group but I continued to smile and keep the staff smiling too.

Well, I’m pooped and ready to kick back and relax.

Good luck tomorrow!

Pure Energy

Never A Dull Moment for the Screamin Sales Manager

Posted on by
Reply

Never a dull moment even on my day off.  Well, as I thought and said, even with the “Waivers” signed by each sports guest and all of our policies explained by the Front Desk Personnel at check in, the sporting team kids took over the hotel.  We have about 50 rooms each night in over this Labor Day weekend and all will be checked out by Monday morning.  But will the staff make it? 

Someone left the Housekeeping closet open on the floor that they were blocked on.  The kids got in there and did their destructive deeds.  Why, why would anyone leave anything open?  And of course the noise complaints, missing parents, nasty teenagers.  They have no respect and nor do their parents. 

After I received a call about the problems from the AM MOD, I emailed both team contacts and copied the Sporting Facility contact, GM and DOS a message:  Any repeat complaints from any room or repeat problems with kids in the lounge, exercise room, etc. that the family will be evicted without question and they will not be refunded and they will pay for their full stay.  What more can I do?

I know, if we evict one family, they will straighten up.  I’m sure we will have complaints, but, I have had to do it before at another property, I hated it but it worked.  So I called the MOD for tonight and told her any one out of control that it was up to her judgement to do the right thing. 

I think that in this case a lot of other Manager’s might not want to kick anyone off the property. They are uncomfortable and they also don’t want to be the reason why chaos is started or the loss of an account.  But I tell you, this type of account isn’t worth it if it can’t be controlled.  They destroy the hotel, inconvenient other guest’s and confuse the staff. 

We as hotel people are responsible for all the guests and this building and we do not need to take abuse or to have anything wrecked in what we have done in renovations so far.  It isn’t fair and the police should be called and they should be escorted out of the building.  And if I want to be a real B****, I can call all of my sales friends in the market to have them black balled and create havoc with the Sporting Complex.

I have teenagers and I’d kick their ass if they acted like the kids with these teams.

As I increase my sales and capture the larger conventions etc., I won’t need to book this type of business for our hotel.  I am working on finding my niche, competitive pricing and basic city knowledge.  Knowledge is power and although I will have to use some sales time and personnel time for research, it will be worth it.

Now that I spoke to the AM MOD, PM MOD and General Manager – who called me to follow up about the email I sent to my contacts, I think that I can rest easy.  Security will be arriving around 11pm until 5am so until then, I’ll keep my cell next to me and try to assist in any way that I can. 

Enjoy your evening!

Pure Energy

A New Dawn for The Screamin’ Sales Manager

Posted on by
Reply

Today I was pretty busy. I did some soliciting over the phone this morning working on trying to get some appointments for next week. Finally all of my letters went out and are completed. And my traces are caught up. Since we don’t have any sales program in the office, I still use the old trace system writing down the group name on index cards. We even still use the big “bibles” for our function bookings. Pretty amazing and what a pain. I waited for my tour bus to arrive tonight…est 5pm…just 16 rooms and found out that they weren’t arriving until after 10pm. Everything was all ready for them so I left to go home about 6:30pm.

I have almost 16 years experience in the hotel industry and I have worked in every department with the exception of Housekeeping….can’t even keep my own home clean! My most recent hotel – full service mid class – is just under 350 rooms with 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

We are located 2 miles of an airport so we draw a lot of business from the airlines and distress passengers. The hotel is newly renovated but still has area’s that could look better and there are projects that we are still working on. They renovated for over 3 years so a lot that has been done is looking worn now. There was no preventative maintenance program ever in place. Yes, I have never experienced a 3 years renovation plan either until now.

I’ve been there almost 2 years to date working mostly as Director of Sales in a 3.5 man office – p/t secretary, 2 catering sm and me the DOS…by 2008 we were down to 1 catering sm (1 had to be let go) and myself and finally I got more hours for the secretary to work with the Catering sm. I mostly booked SMERFE groups. We did increase sales but not enough although we did make budget 9x out of 12. Still many service issues and rude staff. When the new GM came aboard about 2 months ago, I simply was tired of being beat up by my guest’s and the back stabbing, gosh. I asked to be a Sales Manager and for them to bring in someone new to handle this mess.

My new boss is pretty cool and I like her. So I was asked to work in Corporate Transient Segment which I did for 2 weeks and then I was asked to take on the SMERFE Sales Manager position that they were interviewing for. Although at first I was a bit offended, but when I thought about it I realized that I really enjoyed working with the groups….so I’m settled now and plugging away. I have the gift of patience and I’m very friendly so I fit well with all types of SMERFE clients.

Most of the Management Team was let go and new people are being brought in. At first I felt like I was walking on eggs shells each day as these new people were so hard to read. They were and still are always behind closed doors and you just don’t know what is going on or if you are going to be the next one fired. I’m in my 40′s now and I simply want to settle down, book tons of business and have some fun.

I don’t have an interest in hotel hopping anymore as like I did when I was younger simply to make a few bucks more. I did think about looking for a new sales job but my positive benefits list simply out weighed the negative. I like the staff and I know the product and I want to be a part of the team that turns this hotel around. I don’t feel like that everyday though….

Good luck selling tomorrow. I’ll be back.