< BACK TO INDEX  |  NEXT ARTICLE >

ISN'T THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP ME?

"I’d like to speak to someone about possibly bringing a conference to your hotel?" "Yes, and what kind of company are you with?" "Well, we are a semi-conductor manufacturing corporation." "Oh, OK. You need to speak with Tim but he is not here right now, let me transfer you to his voice mail."

"Hello, who would I speak to about planning a training program with your hotel?" "Do you have sleeping rooms?" "Yes, we will have 35 rooms for four nights." "OK, um, let’s see, are you a company?" "Well yes, we are incorporated." "OK, OK, um, let’s see. Mary is the person you need to speak with but she is in a meeting right now, can I transfer you to her voice mail?" "Gee, let me ask. Is there anyone else there that might be able to help me?" "No, you’re Mary’s market."

"Yes, I have been assigned the task of selecting the site for our Annual Convention and your city has been selected. Who would I speak to to get the ball rolling?" "Um, that would be our Director of Sales but she is in a meeting right now. I’m going to transfer you to her voice mail and you can leave all of the details there and then she’ll call you back, OK?"

"OK, so you need 225 sleeping rooms in Thursday out Sunday with a welcome cocktail reception on Thursday, General Session Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a Gala Awards Banquet on Saturday night, is that right?" "Yes, perfect." "Ya know, I really shouldn’t have even picked up this call. I just walked in and I haven’t even taken my coat off yet. Could I put you on hold while I grab a cup of coffee?"

Hilarious pranks? Interesting antidotes? Rookie mistakes? Unfortunately no. Each of the preceding scenarios are actual quotes from our live test calls. In fact, of the over 1,000 test calls we conducted over the past year, we were able to speak with a real, live salesperson in only 12% of the calls. That means that 88% of the test calls ended up with either a message being taken or being transferred directly into voice mail. Further, taking into account that only 12% of the time that we were able to speak with a real live salesperson consider the following; Only 8% of the salespeople ever attempted to describe their facility. Only 7% ever asked why the event was coming into their area. Only 12% ever asked when the decision would be made. Only 5% ever asked what the decision making factors would be. Only 21% ever asked who the decision maker was. Only 2% asked if we were considering any other facilities. Only 1% asked if we had any other business. Only 3% asked if we would like to have the space held on a definite basis. Given the preceding statistics the question begs to be asked: Isn’t there anyone out there that can help me?

We submit that there are two cardinal sins that hospitality salespeople must avoid at all costs if they are to genuinely be of assistance to inquiring customers. First, a customer should never be transferred directly into voice mail without having the opportunity to speak with a real, live human being first. Too often we are transferred directly from PBX into a salesperson’s voice mail.

Consider the ramifications. The customer is a first time caller to your hotel or they would have asked for a salesperson by name. The customer needs information. The customer is going to be drawing some early impressions based on the expediency and efficiency of your administrative skills. The customer is interested in your hotel. The customer never has a chance to speak with anyone who can be of assistance. Given that the customer is not allowed to speak with someone that can be of assistance aren’t they likely to then call a competitor?

Cardinal sin number two is when a customer is told that the person they need to speak with is unavailable. Why would you ever prevent a customer from being satisfied? It is not important to the customer that salespeople are deployed into different market segments. You deploy your salespeople into different market segments for your convenience and efficiency, not the customer’s. A customer needs information and if you cannot give it to them they will call a hotel who can.

There must always be someone in your sales office who is available to assist the customer with their inquiry. If you are in a larger sales office, be aware of your peak inquiry times and staff accordingly. If you are in a one person sales office, then your General Manager should cover the phones while you’re out on sales calls.

In those instances when the assigned salesperson is not available, ask your administrators to follow this formula. Ascertain all pertinent information and then offer this, "Mary is the person that is an expert in your area, but she is with a customer currently. May I, 1) see if another salesmanager is available to assist you, 2) take down all of the information so that when Mary calls you back she will have some answers for you or 3) transfer you into her voice mail. If I know the sales manager and have a relationship with them, I prefer to leave a message in voice mail so that the message will be received with the exact words and intonation I intend. Voice mail however is not the desired end result of an inquiry customer.

If you absolutely, positively have to place someone into voice mail, please update your message at least twice a day while you are in your office and daily while you are on the road. The typical voice mail offers the following message: "Hi, I’m either on the phone or away from my desk right now so please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for calling and have a great day." Insulting, thoughtless and ineffective can best describe the word smithing that went into this message.

Good voice mail lists the day of the week, where you are and what time you are most likely to call the customer back. If the customer knows you will call them back by a specific, (hopefully soon), time, then you have eliminated their need to contact a competitor. If you do not give them a time that you will call them back, then you have given them a reason to contact a competitor.

Remember, you need to concentrate on what is convenient for the customer and not what is convenient for you or your office. Every time the phone rings in your sales office you need to project your most professional image. Great hospitality sales offices insure that every business request is met with, "How may I help you!"

Not reprintable without written permission from Steinhart & Associates.