Speaker 1:
Welcome. Today we’re going to take a few minutes to talk about sales. We know that more than ever, every single team member is essential and plays an integral role in the success of their hotel. Now more than ever, our teams are uniting and working together in unique ways. We’ve seen front desk agents pull together with sales with solidarity and strength, and it truly makes all the difference. We all want to help, but we’re all wearing so many hats and don’t have a lot of time. So, today we’re going to take five minutes to talk about five things you can do at the front desk to help increase sales success. Whether you’re working with your Jacaruso regional director of sales or are temporarily paused, it’s essential that our front desk agents are armed with the tools to succeed whatever your sales effort looks like. We at Jacaruso are here to help with that. So let’s get started.
Speaker 1:
We’re going to spend the next five minutes going over the importance of gathering and sharing value packed information with your team. Then we’ll discuss two must ask questions. Then we’ll talk through converting third party guests to direct bookings. And finally, discuss the value of parking lot shops. So grab a cup of coffee, a pen and paper, and join me for five impactful minutes.
Speaker 1:
There are two important steps that must take place to convert a lead into a booking. The first is gather information and share it as fast as humanly possible to ensure that the lead is converted into a booking. If Jacaruso is actively servicing your hotel, you’ll simply gather the name and contact information, phone number, and email, and send to your regional director of sales as soon as humanly possible. If Jacaruso is temporarily paused, you may have to collect more information if the team member handling sales isn’t available. We still want the name, and phone, and email, but there are a few more questions we can ask to help out someone who’s wearing multiple hats like you are. We want to ask for need dates, how many rooms they’re inquiring about, budget, and any special requirements. Then you want to be a great team member and pass that information along, but it doesn’t stop there. Follow up with the person at your hotel that you’re passing it to in order to ensure that the lead is converted in a timely manner. All leads should be responded to within four hours in today’s ultra competitive market.
Speaker 1:
Now let’s talk about the guest that’s in front of you. You may chat at the front desk, or you may need to call the room after check-in to make sure that they are comfortable and then take that opportunity to have a conversation. Say something like, “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. valued guests. Do you have everything that you need to make you comfortable during your stay?” Once you know they’re happy, ask what brings them to the area. Make it a conversation and fun. If it makes sense, ask the follow-up questions like example shown here. Beyond verbal communication, keep your eyes open for company logos on clothing, luggage, credit card or credit card authorization information. Take a look the company logos on the vehicles outside as well, and pass along that information.
Speaker 1:
Our arrivals reports are great lead generating powerhouse. So, run this report and review daily to ensure that we catch any leads. One specific item to look for are third party reservations that we can convert to direct bookings. We want to do this because it’s better for our hotel and the guest experience in several ways. The first, third party bookings come with commission fees, which means that our hotels make less revenue. Secondly, we all know that service can be tough when a guest wants to make a change with a third party reservation. But, with direct bookings, we can easily adjust to any changes that the guest wants to make.
Speaker 1:
Third, the guest pays the same rate booking with a third party. Many people believe that the third parties offer a better rate, but this just isn’t the case. And finally, the guests cannot earn loyalty points with a third party reservation. And, we want to build value and loyal guests using our loyalty programs. Beyond looking for third party bookings, be on the lookout for multiple reservations with one name, stays that have multiple nights, emails that have company names in them, and then pass the lead on.
Speaker 1:
We know from experience that parking lot shops are the best way to find out who’s booking now and shift that business into your hotel. Our entire team shopped over 300 parking lots in a week’s time, and we saw incredible results. We want to pass that success onto you. What worked for us was shopping between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We took pictures of company logos and DOT numbers, and then we passed it on to the regional director of sales in the market. A bonus sales tip is to call the competitor to find out the rate the guest is paying before trying to shift the guest into your hotel. Think of the housekeepers you can hire back or the front desk agents that are on furlough. Each of these leads have the potential to impact your hotel right now.
Speaker 1:
So what are our next steps? Well, start these activities today. Breathe, thank your team and yourself for the hard work that you’ve put in. And then, call your Jacaruso regional director of sales if you have any questions. Thank you so much and good luck.