Mr. Boult

Meetings & Conventions

Hotel Visibility - Six Ways to Get More Meetings Business

By Michael Boult, President & CEO, StarCite, Inc.

According to a recent article in Hotels Magazine, when it comes to more meetings business, "Who gets the lion's share of the proceeds will depend largely on two key factors: the right technology and the right read on what meeting planners want." When it comes to technology, there are several aspects that hoteliers need to consider - First and foremost is the quickly growing use of the internet to shop and review hotels by corporate meeting planners along with the need for properties to have an appropriate level of visibility on such channels. The principle of appealing content holds true for a hotel's internal website as much as for web-based group booking channels that meeting planners are using. Second, is the increasing practice of transacting using electronic means -- most notably e-RFPs for the meetings industry and increasingly, the importance of instant access to rates and availability of sleeping, meeting and catering. Finally, it is absolutely critical that a hotel's technology systems - sales and catering systems, lead management and sales management are fully integrated and working together. In today's world, the ability to be proactive, working with real-time inventory information enables sales managers to make better business decisions, react to changing situations quickly and prudently while allowing lightning fast response times for better conversion success ratios.

With these factors in mind I'd like to share six ways that that can help you get and manage more meetings business:

1) Recognize that more planners are using the internet - and its usage continues to grow.

Look within first. Hoteliers should invest time in analyzing and reviewing their own website. Ask the following questions: Am I getting as much group business as I can through my site? If not, how could the site become more appealing to a corporate meeting planner? The paradigm shift is in motion guiding hotel marketing managers away from printed publications and toward increasing their online presence and visibility. Eighty-three percent of the planners surveyed in Conventions (M&C) Magazine's last survey of meeting planners found that of the 460 corporate respondents used the Internet to help plan meetings, up from 71 percent in 2004. By their next survey, the percentage is forecasted to grow to 90 percent. More than 70 percent of these said that individual hotel websites were their first choice. If a hotel wants to maximize its website, the site must be first-rate in delivering the critical information and features that meeting planners are looking for. If not, planners will quickly abandon and check another site. Finally, consider the benefits of search engine marketing to ensure that your web site comes up in the appropriate spot on the major search engines.

2) The internet is now faster and more powerful. Raise your internal bar for website performance and content.

Virtually all corporate Internet users use high-speed broadband connections. Approximately, 75 percent of other active Internet users in the US are now using broadband at home. This means that your customers can search faster and access more sites in a web session, i.e. they can quickly visit your competitors, compare and contrast, and make quicker, more informed purchasing decisions. Hotels can no longer get by with one page dedicated to meetings containing a few banquet room shots. Content is King. In the same M&C survey, 58 percent of corporate planners said meeting space specifications were "extremely useful." More than half of corporate respondents also cited floor plans (55 percent) in the same category. Now, with the increasing power of the web - hotels can offer rich media content that stretched well beyond floor plans. A major development taking place in hotel web marketing is the use of streaming video, e-brochures, e-books and virtual tours that enable planners to tour your property from their desks. Potential clients can view your rooms and suite options, restaurants, amenities, and banquet rooms, all 24x7. Consider the global marketing opportunity that this provides your property. Remember that the key is to be sure that once a meeting planner is on your site they must be kept intrigued and engaged through active, rich content and online tools.

3) Make it easy for them to inquire or purchase online - don't miss out by making them wait for a phone call-back.

The increasing trend lines of the use of online RFPs continues to mirror that of planners increasing use of the internet. In the M&C survey, forty-three percent of corporate planners sent online RFPs, up from 36 percent in 2004 and 31 percent in 2002. If your website doesn't have full e-business functionality, you're potentially losing business. Instead of waiting for your phone call or e-mail response for more information - they'll be checking your competitor's sites where they can view, click and submit their proposal ---| and in some cases, even book a small meeting. Now and in the future, hotels will lose the opportunity before you even get the voicemail or fax. Make sure your website has a fully automated request for proposal. Hotel sales teams can save tons of time and gain enormous efficiencies through the use of a private labeled RFP form. This format feeds right into your systems versus an"eRFP" form that is no more than a pdf or form that must be emailed or faxed back and then logged or re-keyed by a staff person before it is viewable in your sales management system. In addition, the ability exists to view the vast majority of electronic RFPs on one screen, enabling better lead management and potential escalation when leads are not responded to within the hotel's standards. It should be an internal hotel goal to make the RFP process easier - so planners don't get frustrated and drop off before completing the form. Enabling the entire RFP process to be performed online, in a simple, trackable format, will increase a hotel's conversion percentage. Consider the increasing role that procurement departments are playing in the corporate meeting planning process. Recent new regulations in several major industry sectors such as pharmaceutical, finance and insurance are forcing many planners to adhere to new guidelines. Many planners are now mandated to follow a formal rfp process which must follow a competitive bidding process. Get to know these folks and their needs and then make it easy to do business with your hotel by customizing your business process to match their reporting requirements.

4) Integrate your RFP and lead management processes with other systems within your enterprise.

Once a hotel has a fully automated online request for proposal, inquiries can finally be routed and viewable all in place - not various desks, email bins, or fax machines. A Director of Sales can now view all opportunities as they arrive in real-time. This should drive better decisions about which opportunities should be quickly pursued versus those that may not be right for your property. Consider the benefits of connecting a private labeled electronic lead system with your sales and catering system. Adoption of this type of system reduces labor costs in entering data to your sales system and frees up a sales manager's time. One of the biggest factors contributing toward full integration of technology systems is the growing use of web-based software which is licensed versus actually purchasing a full system. Historically, sales, operations, and revenue management systems were all separately purchased and for the most part operated within their own silos. Data sharing occurred when information was downloaded from one silo to another. Accuracy was only as good as the time of the last upload. Now, web-based systems and data standardization are enabling greater integrations and pulling these systems more closely together. Every hotel can be connected and sharing the same database via a log-in. Hotel data can now be automatically passed into other internal systems. This eliminates the cost of dual data entry and gains significant efficiencies so managers can focus on selling versus data entry.

5) Recognize when "nice to have' features become "must haves" to gain meetings business.

Just a few short years ago, internet access in hotels wasn't even a consideration. Now, fifty-eight percent of those surveyed by M&C said high-speed Internet access was a very important factor in site selection for meetings other than group incentive trips. Your hotel customers now demand it. High speed internet access is now a standard. Keep in mind that this provides a tremendous opportunity to market your property (and brand). When an in-house customer accesses the internet in your hotel, ensure that the first thing they see is an offer for a service within your property. Offers to try the restaurants, spa or other hotel services can be very effective. And remember, offering rich, crisp and appealing media content will increase your chances of conversion. .

6) Social responsibility should be addressed in your hotel.

Corporate social responsibility and the recognition that business travel may have some negative impact on the environment is increasing in awareness More companies are concerned with their reducing their environmental footprint and they know business travel and meetings are a major contributor. Soon, being environmentally friendly as a hotel will not be just "nice" but a requirement as firms mandate the use of green suppliers. You can get started now.

Michael Boult is President & Chief Executive Officer of StarCite, Inc. Mr. Boult, joined StarCite in May 2005 with more than 20 years of experience in travel and business strategy. Prior to joining StarCite, Mr. Boult founded eCLIPSE ADVISORS travel procurement solutions, and led the growth of this technology and consulting enterprise as chief operating officer. A frequent speaker at industry events, he has published a variety of White Papers on travel industry issues. He was named on of the top 25 travel executives of 2006 by Business Travel News. Mr. Boult can be contacted at 267-330-0502 or mboult@starcite.com Extended Bio...

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