What a long day.  Two tour buses checking in this evening after 9pm.  Sporting teams checking in all day long…..making reservation changes, additions, oh my.  Kids roaming about with nothing to do…parents missing?  

I felt like a reservationist all day.  I fiddled around in Opera to make and change their reservations. I’m so slow since I am not comfortable with the program yet.  With the stress and fighting going on with the Front Desk Personnel, they complained to their coach, thus the coach referred me and they called.  At least I know they were satisfied when we hung up.

I thought I would reorganize, review some of my traces and get some emails out wishing a happy holiday.  Got to be in their face as much as possible.  But no luck.  I’ll have to send my happy holiday message out tomorrow from home.  I was just too busy.

Another death for our hotel staff to swallow.  One of our owners died today.  It was sad for everyone.  I really liked him.  He hoped for the success of his hotel.  He believed in his Management Team.  He would stop in the Sales Office as he was always curious of our action plans.  I wanted him to be proud of his hotel.  But guess what.  He will never have the chance now to see his hotel in action now.  I’m sad about that and sad for his family.  He was a good man.  May he rest in peace.

We are rolling out a new Restaurant Menu in the next two weeks.  Next week we will take 3 days to blitz the market with our new lunch buffet menu.  Like most older hotels, we used to produce in the Restaurant and kick butt in revenue.  But as we let the Restaurant get run down, and not to mention the crappy food and ugly decor, people stopped coming. I am wondering how this is going to work out.  Our Food & Beverage Team are going to charge $14.95 and that does not include a beverage or tip.  What do we think….we have hired Gordon Ramsay?

Yes, it is a competitive price to the established and fine restaurants in our market but…….we have a terrible reputation and really, come on here.  Who is going to pay $20 bucks for lunch?   The service still is not mastered and not impressive and the food, well, unless there is some magic going on, I just don’t see it happening. 

My dinner with my clients last Friday was horrible and I barely ate anything.  My client sat quietly hoping I didn’t notice her reaching to her mouth to pick out the fish bones from her flounder…”the special”.  No she didn’t eat.  Her husband ate his chicken but it looked like rubber to me with every cut he made. Let’s be real here. I will cooperate, be positive and work hard for the blitz to help support the Restaurant.  We need the revenue.

My sister called and needed accommodations for one night in a couple of weeks.  She wasn’t looking for a discount.  She simply wanted a decent and competitive rate.  I can’t help to think how I really don’t want her to stay at my hotel.  She’s a polished professional.  I’m a SMERFE Sales Manager – we are different.  I am forgiving, she is a female professional.  I’ll be cringing every day now until she checks out.  I am afraid of my staff’s service, facility and certainly my god, I hope she doesn’t eat in the Restaurant. 

I feel bad saying that as I strive each and every breathe I take to increase sales.  I’m not as worried about my tour buses, family reunions or military groups….but I am worried about my sister.  Well I worry about all of my groups, don’t get me wrong.  My relationships with my clients are very special to me and I certainly don’t want to let anyone down.  But I must realize that some things are out of my control.  My property is still putting the team together, trying to get people trained and trying…..trying to make a difference. I must be patient.

I do believe, I must believe that we will get out act together and get our service levels up and facility appearance better.  Otherwise how can I sell?  Am I just a dreamer or should I find another hotel to work at?  I really want to be part of the team that turns this property around.  In a way it’s fun and challenging but in another ways it’s beyond frustrating. 

I’m off tomorrow and I’m excited about that.  Have a nice day tomorrow.

Pure Energy

A client of mine was killed in a car accident a couple weeks ago.  I didn’t find out until today.  I was devastated.  I had to fight with myself to get back on track and complete my goals of the day.  It was hard to focus since we also lost an employee this past Friday.  Even though I had ordered a yummy lunch, it sat on my desk until it got mushy as every ounce of my energy left had to go to sales.  I couldn’t let this get me down.

The office is nearly completed.  Now will be the fun of moving the rest of the junk back in that we had stored in a meeting room.  Finding a spot for it all….we are going to have to be creative.  Still so loud and noisy but I managed to get some good contacts and possibilities for future sales. 

I found out that they are interviewing for another Catering Sales Person.  Thank goodness and finally.  With so much flexible meeting space, you need two.  And as far as the Transient Sales Person, I haven’t heard anything but I hope they fill that position too.  I don’t know how the hotel’s revenues are going to afford more in salaries, but my Catering buddy made a good point…don’t worry about it.

The front desk still struggling, I hope they hire a new Front Office – Rooms Division Manager soon.  I’m frankly embarrassed with the desk operations right now. 

We are preparing for a busy weekend over this Labor Day.  Mostly with sporting teams and that means, kids out of control.  Do you have that?  When the parents go into the bar and the kids run all over the building?  Certainly we make them all sign “the waiver” at check in….yea and that works.  Oh how nice they are on the phone when you spend time going out of your way to assist them in every beckoned wish.  You think they would appreciate and respect your property?  But NOT.  So anyone out there with some ideas, let me know.  (other then not booking them or locking them in their rooms)

I can only imagine how the old front desk staff and the new front desk staff are going to handle these groups.  These guest’s are going to eat them up alive if they don’t get it right.   It’s going to be interesting.  I wonder if any of the new staff will quit.

It took about 2 hours to finalize the details for the additional groups that I booked for this weekend.  They all came through….but….it was like pulling teeth to get a couple to understand that yes, I need your credit card!

Well, another busy day ahead and lots of new clients to solicit.  Good luck to all of us crazy Sales People!

Pure Energy