Building a Positive Selling Culture The Role of the GM

 Is it knowing your customer?  So, on your seat is a 3x5 card and a pen. Please take a couple minutes to write your name, your Hotel name and your Top 3 Customers and pass the cards to the front. “So What’s Really The Secret Sauce?”

 Know who’s in your competitor’s hotels!  So thank you… My 3 rd Quarter is now complete! Rule #1

About Me:  I’ve been with Hilton Worldwide for 34 years  GM for 20 years  From Hilton SeaTAC (180 rooms) to The Palmer House (1,600 rooms)- all box sizes!  Current GM at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront −#1 in Share Index every year since opening in 2009 −GOP Margin of 45.5% in a Union Hotel

 You get what you pay for- compensation matters! −Are you hiring to a budget number, rather than right person, right place?  Check best-in-class talent in your comp set – who’s outperforming you?  Stay connected with New Hires as their Sales journey begins Recruiting, Hiring and Retention

Recognition and Incentives  Be on hand when those quarterly incentives are distributed – It makes a difference.  “Gentle pressure, relentlessly applied” −Put the process and progress up in lights! Meaning, show who’s producing and who’s not… It does make a difference.

Accountability  Be sure they really understand their goals…  Clear tracking – monthly- be sure they know where they are against those goals, not just at the end of the quarter!  Performance management 1.Targets missed 2 straight quarters… 2.Third- put on PiP 3.Three strikes and you’re out!

Sales travel as a GM  You go to your customers - not the other way around!  Build trust and a connection  Bring other executive committee members! Human Resources, Executive Chef etc.

The Real Secret Sauce  The synergy among:  General Manager  Sales  Finance  Revenue Management  Divided camps can happen if you’re not careful

Vesting all team members in the sales process  Start with on-boarding – at orientation for all Team Members  Explaining the importance of SCOUT

The stages of the “life” of a booking  It all starts with Discovery Visits (Site Inspection). Are we good at the “WHY”? Not just “HOW” to book US!  We all have beds, we all have showers… so WHY book You?  Find that key; Facebook, Linked In, what’s your personal connection to that customer?  We’re good at when “the curtain” is up. What about after the curtain goes down? Here’s one I like…  When was the last time one of your Sales People called a customer “just to check in”, not just at the end of the quarter?

What else would you like to know or ask?