The Norfolk Waterside Marriott is looking for 2 experienced Catering Managers to join our new leadership team and beautifully renovated guest rooms and suites.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Catering Sales Manager is responsible for proactively soliciting and managing catering-related opportunities. The Catering Sales Manager actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenues; achieve personal and team related revenue goals & ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion to operations for proper service delivery. Responsible to learn how to support Marriott's Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience in order to grow share of the account on behalf of Norfolk Waterside Marriott.
Skills and Knowledge:
* Possesses excellent telephone sales skills
* Excellent selling skills and understanding of sales processes; can effectively up-sell products and services; can bring a sale to closure
* Knowledge of operations and associated challenges for all brands
* Knowledge of all Marriott Lodging products, cultures and brand strategies
* Knowledge of contractual agreements and legal implications
* Knowledge of food trends, food and beverage composition and menu planning
* Knowledge of food and beverage forecasting and attrition (Catering focused)
* Knowledge of need time strategy as developed by Revenue Management
* Strong customer and development and relationship management skills
* Knowledge of group, extended stay and transient business
* Understands revenue management functions and account profitability
* Effective decision making skills
* Ability to influence others
* Strong problem-solving skills
* Ability to develop and maintain relationships e.g., associates, customers, vendors
* Good negotiation skills
* Strong presentation and platform skills
* Strong communication skills (verbal, listening, writing)
* Strong organization skills
* Strong customer and associate relation skills
* Knowledge of overall hotel operations as they affect department
* Ability to use standard software applications and hotel systems including CI/TY, SFA, Delphi, etc.
* Knowledge of the next step taken when we experience declining market shares or increasing competition
Sales and Revenue Management :
* Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Global Sales, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
* Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the hotel and opportunities sent to the hotel through CI/TY.
* Proactively identifies, qualifies and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.
* 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 the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs.
* Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
* Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
* Effectively develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
* Effectively manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
* Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.
* Effectively use sales resources and administrative/support staff.
* Conducts site inspections.
* Creates contracts as required.
Customer Service
* Support Marriott's Service and Relationship Strategy by planning and contracting the customer's program/event, managing the success of the program/event and measuring our service effectiveness through Event Satisfaction Survey.
* Executes and supports Marriott's Customer Service Standards, hotel's Brand Standards and the operational aspects of business booked.
* Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.
* Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty be 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 continuing relationship and loyalty to Marriott.
* Gains understanding of the hotel's primary target customer and service expectations; serves customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solutions both prior to and during the program/event.
