Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007 - (Page 18)

18 Training Trends IN THE details Help increase revenue Train front-desk staff Discuss proﬁt centers Convert reservations H&MM September 18, 2007 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Front desk on the front line of sales effort raining your front-desk staff to generate more revenue is a very efﬁcient way to increase overall revenue at your hotel. The ﬁrst step is communicating revenue and occupancy goals, and providing incentives for meeting and exceeding these goals. This also includes letting your front-desk staff know when goals aren’t be- T By Nathan Stacks H&MM Columnist ing met and scheduling meetings to review why, as well as developing strategies for ensuring future goals are met. Posting revenue and occupancy goals on a board where all of the front-desk staff can see it serves as a constant reminder and motivator. Training and consistent coaching on up-selling your rooms is one of the simplest ways to make more rooms revenue. It is an effective strategy to sell the highest priced rooms ﬁrst and sell down throughout the day. This enables you to have more ﬂexibility in yield strategies later in the evenings when walk-in business dies down. Your front-desk staff should also always be aware of the different proﬁt centers within the hotel and encourage guests to use them. In a full-service environment, this would include suggestions to visit the restaurant, lounge, gift shop or any other area within the hotel that generates more revenue to the overall top line. Maximizing your front-desk staff as a sales force for higher rated rooms and other proﬁt centers within the hotel can be as or more effective than an outside sales force. Perhaps the most signiﬁcant way to generate more money through your front-desk staff is a good working knowledge of yield- and revenue-management concepts. A revenue or yield strategy should always be in force at the front desk in relation to the revenue and occupancy goals of the hotel. Frontdesk staff should be empowered to yield rate during low demand periods to build and maintain revenue per available room, but it is important that the g.m. or revenue manager set parameters and ensure the front desk understands those limits. Front-desk agents also should practice reservation conversion tactics. Reservation conversion is an effective way to boost the hotel’s bottom-line revenue when it comes to expenses from travel agent commissions and Global Distribution System fees. It consists of having repeat guests book directly at the hotel or through the brand Web site, eliminating commissions and GDS fees while stimulating strong relationships with your repeat clientele and being able to provide personalized service, such as knowing room preferences or special requests. This is as simple as giving out business cards or pointing to the phone number on the guest receipt. All of these are great ways to have your front-desk staff increase revenue, but, of course, the best way for them to do it is by providing exceptional guest service to each and every guest who walks through the door. hmm@questex.com Nathan Stacks is the director of ﬁeld operations for US Franchise Systems/Microtel Inns & Suites and is a member of the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers. CIRCLE NO. 176 http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.TIGglobal.com http://www.TIGglobal.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007 Contents Vista Inns Redefines Business Model Conley Applies Satisfaction Theory to Boutique Hotels Questex Acquires Oxford Publishing Perspective At Your Risk Consultant’s Corner Sales Clinic Travel Trends On Finance Franchise Law Cornell Insights HotelWorld Update Training Trends Satisfaction Trends Management Trends Speakers Named, Registration Open for IH/M&RS Going Green Saves Green Trends & Stats Vacuums Go the Extra Mile Transactions Offsetting Emissions is Newest Sustainability Initiative Minibar Advancements Supplier News People on The Move ADA Compliance Can Be Easier With Programs Business Travelers Interested in Remote Check-In/Out Awards Markets Dictate Renovations vs. New Builds More Development Opportunities Available Top Hotel Companies Survey The Lodging Conference Previews Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007

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