Proactive Sales Executive

Position Overview:

• The Conference and Events Sales Manager is responsible for driving MICE sales and the delivery of a client focused service that results in the achievement of business revenue objectives.
• This will be achieved through the provision of a well organized and responsive booking service, the delivery of the product offer, the development of customer relationships and offering a personalized and tailored event management service.
• Participation in the Duty Management roster is necessary

Main Responsibilities:

Sales Strategy:

• Develop a flexible sales strategy to reflect the achievement of hotel budget commitment and which responds to local market conditions
• Take a proactive sales approach and in line with strategy, adapt sales solutions to meet client needs and expectations
• Ensure online meeting partner websites are regularly updated and managed including photos, descriptions, and promotions
• Competitor analysis to be completed and recorded on a regular basis including:
• Promotions, pricing, availability, test calls and conference boards
• Assess competitor brand standards and best practices

E-Enquiry (Database Management):

• Ensuring all enquiries are recorded accurately in the E-Enquiry application
• Data input rules and client file updates are respected
• Establish suitable chase dates, follow up and action accordingly
• Analyse E-Enquiry to understand business lost and business gained
• Use as a means to research new clients and follow up
• Carry out local research of potential new local business.  Maintain records and ensure appropriate follow up with your GM, RSM, and the Accor MICE sales team
• To develop relationships with local clients, direct bookers and agency bookers to ensure a strong base of new and regular repeat business and to ensure confidence in the hotel and booking process
• Accurately identify customer needs, draw up well presented and customised proposals in line with brand policies and standards of presentation
• Maintain current and past client records
• Promote, manage, and host a regular program of client FAM trips and show rounds
• To be a key contact for the head office MICE sales team – ensuring enquiries and RFP’s received are replied to in a timely manner
• Ensure all deadlines are met for all annual MICE RFP requests. Involve GM in all potential high volume requests to provide the best possible rates in the market place

Business bookings (Diary Management):

• Make commercial decisions to maximize MICE income on a daily basis
• Actively manage business bookings, record denials, make referrals direct to other Accor properties or through ‘Sandown’
• Ensure necessary follow ups are carried out to identify future business potential
• Each month review the next 6 months availability to highlight high demand/ low demand dates and take steps to minimize the risk of any shortfall

•  

• Ensure the conference sales team members are fully informed and able to promote all the Accor business products: ALL – Accor Live Limitless; AOB and ABA
• Conduct a daily and weekly Sales meeting to ensure all departments are fully briefed to provide a high service standard

Promotions and Local Marketing:

• Animate your hotel locally and in line with the business strategy.
• Christmas – the brochure production, distribution, animation, booking and payment process.
• Local and ad hoc events and promotions – appropriate to the hotel needs.
• Weddings – Activity based upon the importance, location and potential
• Identify need periods and undertake comprehensive program of sales activity to secure new and ad hoc business minimizing the impact of low activity periods

Talent & Culture Responsibilities

• Recruitment, selection, and retention of a high quality customer focused team
• To set monitor and review personnel objectives of your team
• Establish on-going On Job Training Programs within the department to meet Brand and Service Standards.  Use Department Procedure Manuals as a base for all service procedures training.

Operations

• Respect the brand standards and review feedback to the operational team on a regular basis.
• Take responsibility for the care and maintenance of the hotel conference facilities, equipment and resources – ensure faults and maintenance issues are reported and followed up.
• Prepare the Weekly Event list ensuring it is constantly up to date and all changes are communicated to the relevant departments so operations are seamless

Client Welcome

• Direct the daily client welcome and needs during course of each event.
• React to all requests and communicate changes
• Confirm hotel Fire procedure and security arrangements
• Seek Feedback both formal (survey) and informal

Administration/ Revenue

• Prepare monthly historic sales reports, detailed KPI’s, company production, key sales action taken and actions planned. Measure performance against budget and business trends and present to the General Manager and hotel sales team
• Monitor E-enquiry status on a daily basis to ensure proactive follow through
• Report the conversation of all enquiries through E-enquiry
• Update the department forecast on a daily basis
• Participate in the weekly revenue meeting
• Ensure contracts are issued for all events, returned signed by the client and that minimum number guarantees are sought and respected. Monitor the issue and return of client contracts
• Review provisional bookings and options weekly to prevent the risk of lost revenue

Credit – Sales Ledger

• Supervise the billing – Payment guarantees, Credit Policy and Deposits
• Promote the ABA card in preference to opening new credit accounts
• Ensure accurate invoices are sent out daily and Ledger transfers made without delay
• Support the timely payment of ledger debt
• Take a lead role to ensure the events office is opening to a professional standard through your direction and monitoring
• Clarify with events team their accountability, standards and targets of roles and review
• Manage the customer portfolio & develop more business opportunities
• Complete duty management if required and use the time productively to speak with guests and establish possible sales opportunities

Health & Safety

• Notify your Manager of any reason you may not be capable of performing your tasks safely.
• Participate in workplace consultation on matters pertaining to Workplace Health and Safety, as per the hotels agreed arrangements.
• Comply with safe work practices by following Accor Health, Safety and Environment policies, including the use of safe manual handling techniques, safe use of hazardous chemicals and machinery, working at heights procedures, using protective clothing and safety equipment where available and necessary, maintaining a clean, tidy work environment, and any other safety practice promoted and required by the Hotel.
• Ensure all equipment is kept in good working order and used only for the purpose for which it was intended.
• Attend and actively participate in all WH&S training required of you by the Hotel.
• Report any health or safety hazards, incidents and injuries to your Manager/Supervisor or Manager on Duty as soon as possible.  Hazards may include unsafe working conditions, equipment and machinery faults or damage, and other housekeeping or maintenance needs that may affect the safety or any person/s at the Hotel. Ensure that the appropriate documentation is completed correctly, such as the Injury / Incident Form.
• Participate and contribute to the risk assessment process when requested by your Supervisor/Manager.
• Work cohesively in conjunction with the hotel’s rehabilitation program, as required.
• Maintain standards of hygiene for food handling and presentation as prescribed by council / legislative regulations.
• Be fully conversant with departmental fire and evacuation procedures.

Systems & Procedures

• Log and inform your Manager of any system problems. Suggest any improvements that could be made to improve existing systems and procedures.
• Follow policies and procedures outlined in the Accor Brand Standards Manual, Departmental Service Standards / Procedures Manual and Accor Policy Manuals.

Environmental Responsibilities

• Be completely familiar with and uphold the Hotel’s environmental commitments, policies and procedures and initiatives relating to: Waste management, Energy and water conservation, Water quality.
• Responsible for supervising, maintaining and growing departmental initiatives with positive and sustainable environment impacts.
• Foster the education to new staff and guests of hotel environmental practices.

Customer Relations

• Provide efficient, friendly and professional service to all guests.
• Lead by example when attending to guest requests.  Show efficiency in constantly striving to provide Total Customer Satisfaction.
• Take initiative to ensure that interactions with our customers (internal or external) are positive and productive, call the Manager on Duty if difficulties arise.
• Work together with trust so that colleagues and management meet the goals of the department/Hotel.
• Treat customers and colleagues from all cultural groups with respect, sensitivity and transparency.
• Take every opportunity to be a “salesperson” by active selling of special promotions and facilities available within the Hotel.
• Implement the Accor values and Accor customer vision to ‘Offer the Best Service to Our Customers’.

Other

• Take responsibility to ensure all required tasks are completed accurately and within given time frames.
• Participate in scheduled training and development programs provided by the Hotel to improve self and department standards and attend departmental meetings as required.
• Abide by Accor policy on EEO and Harassment in the workplace.
• Ensure wherever possible that employees are provided with a work place free of discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
• Follow property procedures with respect to grooming, performance and conduct standards, workplace health and safety, emergency procedures and all other property policies and procedures as detailed in the employee handbook / department procedure manuals / company policy manuals.
• Ensure Hotel, Customer and Staff information or transactions are kept confidential during or after employment with the company. 

Salary: £12.97 per hour

Job Type: Full-time, permanent

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience
• Proven Sales Experience
• Hospitality Industry Knowledge
• Multi-Site Sales Expertise
• Strong Communication Skills
• Relationship Building
• Strategic Thinking
• Proactivity and Initiative
• Team Collaboration
• Organizational Skills
• Flexibility and Adaptability

Special Note

During the course of duty you will have access to certain information, which demands the utmost confidentiality. Discretion must be exercised at all times. Your responsibilities are included but not limited to this job description as this has been drafted as a guide to the purpose and main duties of the role as it currently exists. The hotel relies on the flexibility of its staff to ensure the continuity of the high standards currently being achieved. It is not intended as a wholly comprehensive or permanent schedule of duties and it does not form part of the contract of employment. The Company reserves the right to amend this job description from time to time to accommodate the requirements of the business and the evolving nature of the role.

Information on the processing of personal data

When you submit an application to [HQ and Midscale Hotels: Accor UK Business & Leisure Hotels Limited] OR [Ibis Family Hotels: Accor UK Economy Hotels Limited], trading as AccorInvest UK, the company processes some of your personal data to consider and manage your application. We may also process data supplied to us by third parties, for example one or more of your former employers or a third-party supplier of personality questionnaires. Please note that your answers to any questionnaire will not lead to an automated decision. In our capacity as data controller, we ensure that we comply with all legislation relating to the protection of personal data (in particular the retained EU law version of the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and the Data Protection Act 2018). Information relating to the processing of candidates' personal data and to the exercise of their rights of access, opposition, rectification and deletion is available in our Employee Privacy Policy.