Our profession is at risk. More small meetings, shorter lead times and RFP abuse are on a collision course for commoditizing our industry. It shouldn’t be commoditized! Hotels react by throwing technology and lower-level sales professionals against the problem. The model is not sustainable. Group Meetings Are Big Business Even a small meeting of 25 rooms for three nights can deliver revenue north of $20,000 — hardly chump change. That piece of business shouldn’t be sourced the same way in … [Read more...]
The Big Gamble: Commoditizing Hotel Group Sales
This post is by Dave Lutz, managing director of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting. I spent most of my career running one of the largest site selection companies in the country. I learned a ton about group sales and how customers buy. I had the privilege to work with some of the best and most influential hotel sales professionals in the meeting and convention business. I am saddened to see companies send these sales folks careers off to pasture in favor of a new sales reorganization plan. Group … [Read more...]
