The traditional way of dealing with sales in hotels is probably something of the past. By now, top management has finally realized that the sales team is vital for successfully running a hotel with a large share of B2B revenue. Especially during the recovery when the competition is more challenging than ever. However, sales teams come at a high cost, and it is even more critical that each salesperson becomes productive fast. To ensure success, top management needs to clarify what they expect the sales team to do, the desired outcomes and provide suitable systems and tools to reach goals faster and more accurately.
The magic formula
There are two parts in the formula to set expectations. The first part is the job statement that defines the job. The second part is the desired outcome of the job that sets the direction. The job statement should not be too vague or too narrow. Find the right balance to give the sales team freedom to make tactical decisions. Finally, express the desired outcome as a direction of improvement of a predictive metric.
Five jobs and desired outcomes
Here are five examples of job statements combined with desired outcomes. These are specific for B2B sales in hotels and apply to most hotels with a large share of B2B business. If you don't have clear job statements and desired outcomes, copy them, tweak them for your hotel, and hand them to your sales team.
Drive the sales team to bring in revenue
Every sales team needs a coach to inspire and manage the team. The desired long-term outcome is to create a successful sales team that will continuously bring in revenue. Therefore, the team leader needs to become more productive in coaching the team to succeed.
- Minimize the time to prepare to coach each person.
- Minimize the likelihood that the salespersons miss their goals.
- Minimize the likelihood that a good salesperson leaves the company.
Build a long-term relationship with customers
The day-to-day job selling and servicing customers correctly lead to a stable long-term relationship with customers. The desired outcome is to have a great relationship with all customers. To succeed, the salespeople need to spend more time with customers instead of working at their desks in the office.
- Minimize the time it takes to find and communicate with customer contacts.
- Minimize the likelihood that the hotel loses customers to competing hotels.
Respond to inquiries to win more business
Speed is of the essence when responding to inquiries. A fast reply to the customer sends a clear signal that the team focuses on serving the customer. The desired outcome is to win as many wanted (profitable) inquiries as possible. Therefore, the salesperson needs to respond quickly with the right offer and price to succeed.
- Minimize the time from inquiry to a won deal.
- Minimize the likelihood of losing the deal to a competing hotel.
Contract customers for future room revenue
For example, a large hotel with a high share of B2B business needs contracts with corporate customers and travel trade to optimize and secure long-term total revenue. To succeed, the salesperson needs to understand and capture future demand.
- Minimize the time from contact to signed contract.
- Minimize the likelihood of losing contracts to competing hotels.
Ensure that the contracted revenue will materialize
Contracted volumes are often an estimate rather than a guarantee. Therefore, salespersons need to ensure the optimal business from each contract.
- Minimize the time it takes to track production for each customer.
- Minimize the likelihood that the customer will not meet expected volumes.
- Minimize the likelihood that the customer will not renew the contract.
Help the sales team to succeed
Everyone loves clarity. Now the sales team knows what to do and where to go. However, top management cannot relax just yet. The following action is to set goals so it is possible to measure the progress. Finally, top management must help the sales team reach the goals by providing the suitable systems, tools, and other resources necessary to achieve the goals faster and more accurately.