Hotels across the world rely on sales executives for group bookings.
Hotel sales executives play a key role in helping a hotel achieve and maintain profitability. They work to build relationships with potential clients, highlighting their facilities as optimum for business events of all kinds. They provide all the necessary information to help clients make informed decisions on the purchase of blocks of rooms and production of special events.
Role
A hotel sales executive, sometimes called a sales coordinator, typically assists the director of sales and the sales manager in ensuring consistent usage of hotel facilities. This means not only rooms for lodging, but also for meetings and conferences, conventions, seminars, wedding groups, banquet services and catering services. This position in group sales is a vital part of helping a hotel stay profitable.
Experience
College graduates with one to three years of sales experience are preferred, preferably in hotel sales or other hospitality industries. The typical starting point is entry-level sales executive. With success comes promotion to sales manager, then perhaps director of sales. Many hotel general managers began as sales executives, earning their promotions due to solid sales and leadership skills. Large hotel chains provide additional career advancement opportunities.
Duties
Relationship-building savvy is an important key to the success of a hotel sales executive. This is often the first person to impact potential customers with the hotel's attributes, and should be especially skilled at cold calling and other marketing techniques. Attendance at trade shows and similar events is crucial to make new contacts. Following up with clients is also crucial to address any concerns or disappointments that occurred and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.
Skills
The hotel sales executive will work in conjunction with the director of sales and sales manager to maintain current client relationships and encourage repeat business. This sales professional must be a strong "people person" with excellent communication skills; a positive, persuasive personality; and diligent attention to detail, while ensuring an exemplary experience for all customers. First-class written and presentation abilities are vital, as are competent computer and database skills. The advent of social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter are new avenues for the sales executive to further recruit for group sales.
Administrative
Hotel sales executives and coordinators regularly assist sales managers and directors with administrative duties like creating and distributing sales agreements, event request forms, filing and sending invoices, production of monthly and quarterly sales reports and any variety of general office responsibilities. In larger facilities, responsibility for the event itself will fall to the event manager, with the sales executive only charged with attending or running the event in certain circumstances.
Compensation
The income of a hotel sales executive is performance-based. The average annual salary is $56,177, according to CareerBuilder.com. The lowest percentile earns $41,163; the highest percentile earns $75,623. Sales managers earn an average of $75,869 and as much as $118,556.
Tags: sales executive, sales executives, director sales, hotel sales executive, sales manager, director sales sales