JOB SUMMARY
Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing large group/catering related opportunities with significant revenue potential. Manages group/catering opportunities not handled by an Event Booking Center (EBC). Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Verifies business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Responsible for driving customer/guest loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer/guest experience. Provides service to customers in order to grow the account on behalf of the company.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Education and Experience
• 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.
CORE WORK ACTIVITIES
Understanding Market Opportunities & Driving Revenue
• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• Partners with group/catering counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity.
• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the .
• Handles all opportunities if property does not participate in an EBC.
• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each property’s revenue goals.
• Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue.
• Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions.
• Designs, develops and sells creative catered events.
• Maximizes revenue by upselling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Closes the best opportunities for each property based on market conditions and individual property needs.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
Providing Exceptional Customer Service
• Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations.
• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
• Supports brand’s Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• Provides excellent customer service in order to grow share of the account.
• Executes brand’s Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Executes and supports the business Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to the property and brand.
• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.
Building Successful Relationships
• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (.,, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff.
Additional Responsibilities
• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.
• Conducts site inspections.
• Creates contracts as required.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law.