HOSPITALITY SALES MANAGEMENT

HOSPITALITY SALES MANAGEMENT

HA-400

FIRST HALF COURSE HOMEWORK

SUMMER 2000

FULL TEXT OF SYNTHESIS QUESTIONS

To be able to answer all the synthesis questions, you MUST READ ALL ASSIGNMENTS FOUND IN EACH TOPIC PAGE. This includes text readings and web sites that you have been asked to visit.

P1, S1, T2 Synthesis Question: Overview of Hospitality Industry (WEEK 2)

The new selling profession of Consultative Sales mandates that successful hospitality salespeople intimately understand the nature of their industry and the

characteristics of their customers.

1. Name and describe the "players" who are involved in the world of hospitality sales:

a. Customers

1.What are the main types of meeting planners that hospitality salespeople sell to?

2.Give some major differences between these meeting planners.

3.What kind of meetings do these meeting planners hold? Name and briefly describe.

b. Sellers

1.Name at least five sub-industries of the hospitality industry who sell to these meeting planners.

2.Do these sub-industries have "sales forces?" For each of the above named sub-industries, discuss if the sales force is a group of people or perhaps only

the owner (if small business).

3.Why is it important for hospitality salespeople to know the different kinds of meetings held by meeting planners? After all, aren't all definitions the same?

2. Discuss the importance of the revenue that is generated to the hospitality industry by meeting planners.

a.What is the total estimated revenue generated?

b.Where do Association meeting attendees spend Money in the hospitality industry?

Give current percentages and amounts.

3. Describe your understanding of the "new consultative selling profession" (See Online Lesson). How is it different from the past? Do you think that

"Transactional" Salespeople will eventually be replaced by the Internet/Web? Why? Will "Consultative Salespeople" expand in importance, educational

requirements, and be supported by selling teams? Why?

P1, S1, T3 Synthesis Question: Marketing Concept and Sales (WEEK 3)

The new selling profession of Consultative Sales began early evolution in the early 1970's and has become increasingly sophisticated by adding refinements

(strategic components in the 1980's and partnering concepts in the 1990's). Personal selling is becoming "micro-marketing." As large and complex

products/services become increasingly customized for customers (in this course we are concerned with selling to industry and other businesses), consultative

salespeople are like mini-marketing organizations. Comment on the relationship between consultative salespeople and the marketing concept.

There are four parts to this question.

1. What is the "Marketing Concept" and how does it differ from earlier concepts (seller philosophies of doing business)?.

2. Describe "Quality Management.". How is quality connected to the "Marketing Concept."

3. Fully describe the evolution of ""Sales" " from the "marketing area" (see course pack or Online) to the present.

4. Referring to the Online article by McNeill (also in course pack), briefly relate each of the eight "Steps" of the "Consultative Selling Model" for use in your

Personal and Professional career. For example, you will use the "Art of Persuasion and Influence" to:

(a) Sell your ideas and yourself for obtaining different positions and/or jobs throughout your career and

(b) As a manager, use persuasion and influence to have your employees commit to your company's objectives (the era of AUTOCRATIC "command &

control" is OUT).

P1, S1, T4 Synthesis Question: Sales Management Functions (WEEK 4)

In the Hotel industry, salespeople are commonly called "Sales Managers" (they manage their customer accounts). These hotel salespeople are supervised and

managed by executives called "Directors" (in a hotel' marketing department, these executives go by the names: (a) "Director of Marketing" who manages the

entire department and who delegates the specific management of sales to, (b) "Director of Sales" who is directly responsible for the salespeople but not any

other marketing duties, and (c) "Director of Sales and Marketing" who combines the roles of the previous two positions.

This question deals with the general functions of a "Director of Sales" and the responsibilities associated with this function. FULLY answer the following

questions:

1. What are the functions of a "Director of Sales?" Online text reading for this topic divides these functions into two "primary" areas: "Managing" and "Designing"

the sales force. Name and fully describe the major functions and their component parts. NOTE: To receive full credit you must demonstrate thorough

understanding of the question.

a. Designing the sales force (describe the five components)

b. Managing the sales force (describe the five components)

2. The website, "1999 Cost/Call Survey" gave statistics describing how salespeople spend there time and how much it costs per sales call. Using these

statistics:

a. In your opinion, are salespeople spending enough time with their customers? If not how could a sales manager help them to free up time to be in front of the

customer a greater percentage of the time?

b. Why do you think that the average Travel & Entertainment costs are higher for a "value-added" sales approach versus a "transactional" sales approach?

c. What is your impression of the average compensation statistics for salespeople at each of the three levels presented?

P1, S1, T5 Synthesis Question: Hospitality Salespeople and Organization (WEEK 4)

Regarding the Attributes of a Successful Salesperson (From Web Activity)

a. Why is the art of salesmanship the absence of salesmanship?

b. Fully describe the 4 attributes of great salespeople.

c. Professional Management in the "consultative selling model" encompasses three sets of skills. Describe the skill set areas:

(1) Knowledge

(2) Relationship Building

(3) Communication

2. Professional Management also requires a solid understanding of how a sales force and sales department is organized. Your Course Pack reading, Chapter 7

fully describes the sales department organization in a typical hotel (Note that most hospitality sales departments are similarly organized).

a. What is the difference between "line" and "staff" departments?

b. How is the sales department perceived within the organizational structure of the hotel as a whole?

c. Why is it necessary for the sales department to assume authority over other departments?

d. What three elements are crucial in structuring a sales office and why is each important?

e. Briefly describe each of the job positions typically found in a hotel sales department; do these vary between large and small properties?

P1, S2, T1 Synthesis Question: Personal Management (WEEK 5)

This synthesis question asks you to comment on the career of selling. Its purpose is to have you explore aspects of: (a) selling as a primary career and (b)

selling auxiliary and necessary skill of almost every career that requires the ability to "influence."

1. Fully describe and support with examples the four categories where careers in selling are found:

a. Selling as a Service

b. Selling for a retailer

c. Selling for a wholesaler

d. Selling for a manufacturer

Where does a career in hospitality sales fall in the above categories?

2. Explain why personal selling is an important auxiliary activity in such professional fields as accounting, financial planning, consulting, law firms, etc. Be

specific.

3. How Is A Career Like A Custom Home? (See Web Activity 1 and Online Lesson)

a. Describe in your own words the analogy of building a house to building your career (not cut and pasting allowed from the website).

b. Name the major categories that you should investigate when building your career

4. How does the brief article (Online Activity) suggest that a salesperson and anybody, "Gets Their Act Together?"

P1, S2, T2 Synthesis Question: Essential Personal and Team Skills (WEEK 5)

This synthesis question asks you to comment on the various essential personal development attributes and skills of a successful sales person . Additionally, given

the fact that most consultative salespeople are dependent on working in "teams" you are asked to comment on teamwork and the relationship between personal

skill development and the success of a team's performance.

1. Personal Management (Online text) is a four-dimensional process. Describe the essential components of each of the following.

a. Time Management.

b. Territory Management.

c. Records Management.

d. Stress Management

2. Personal Development (Online Activity) discusses: The Five Essential Skills of Sales and Selling. In your own words (no cut & pasting allowed) briefly

summarize personal development needs in the following areas:

a. Personal development

b. Personal and professional organization

c. Communication and persuasion

d. Relationship building

e. Knowledge of your selling situation (products, problems, people, and processes).

3. Fully explain what is meant by "leading a team as a group as opposed to leading individuals within a group." (See Web Activity 3 for guidance).

P1, S2, T3 Synthesis Question: Ethics (WEEK 6)

This synthesis question asks you to comment on "Ethics." It is specifically focused on "Business Ethics" and makes a case as to why ethics is good business.

There is an absence of moralizing or preaching. You are asked to demonstrate why active management of ethics is an essential ingredient of a successful

business.

1. The article, "Toward a Personal Code of Ethics" (Online Activity) discusses "Ethics" as applied to salespeople In your own words (no cut & pasting

allowed) briefly summarize:

a. Why do salespeople need a code of ethics?

b. Are "ethics" more important in consultative selling where long-term relationships are the necessary competitive advantage? Why or Why not?

c. What is the salesperson's responsibility to practice a "code" if his or her managers are NOT seen as ethical? Comment.

2. The web activities cover important aspects of "business ethics."

a. Define "ethics" as generally understood in its broadest sense.

b. Define "business ethics" as a "management discipline;" as a practical and applied discipline of "managing values."

c. Name and briefly describe 5 of the 10 "Myths" about business ethics (pick out the 5 that either surprise you or are of particular interest).

d. Name and briefly describe 5 of the 10 "benefits" that come from infusing business ethics into the workplace.

P1, S2, T4 Synthesis Question: Audit of Personal Communications Styles (WEEK 6)

This synthesis question asks you to comment on Communication Styles. It is well understood in selling or any other influencing for that matter, that the seller

(person that wants to do the "influencing") must clearly understand the BUYER'S communication style and adjust their own style accordingly. This does not

mean becoming a complete chameleon; radical changes of one's primary communication style is impossible. Adapting to the customer's style is simply a way to

assist the buyer in "hearing" the seller's message. They won't pay attention to the message if the styles are incompatible. The following information can be found

in your online text reading and web activities.

1. Fully explain "Communication-Style Bias." How does it influence the relationship process between seller and buyer?

2. Name and briefly describe the four major communication styles in the "model" found in online text.

3. Compare and contrast the "model" given online with the "model" you studied in your "web activities."

4. Explain the benefits derived from an understanding of communication styles.

HOMEWORK FOR REST OF COURSE CHANGES HERE:

Includes Both: (a) “Synthesis Question and (b) Role-Play “Preparation Work”

CLICK HERE FOR ROLE-PLAY “PREPARATION WORK ASSIGNMENTS

P2, S3, T1 Synthesis Question: Know Yours & Competitor's Product/Service (WEEK 7)

This synthesis question asks you to comment on the nature of Products/Services. It is well understood in selling or any other influencing for that matter, that the

consultative seller (person that wants to do the "influencing") must clearly understand all facets of his/her product/service. The reason for this is that the

consultative salesperson is similar to a doctor. Doctors must know what medicines to prescribe to the patient after learning the patient's needs (ailments). A

consultative salesperson must know the exact "feature/benefit" to prescribe to satisfy the customer's need or problem to be solved. Products/services are

problem-solving tools.

1. From the Online Lesson: McNeill's Article, " and How is it Connected to "Competitive-Advantage?" In your own words, answer both of the questions

asked in the TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: (a) What is a Product/service and (b)How is it Connected toCompetitive-Advantage?

2. From your Course online text reading:

a. In the 5-Gap Model of service quality, explain what causes Gap 1.

b. Describe a time when you personally had a Gap 4 problem.

c. How does good quality increase employee satisfaction?

Preparation Work for Role-Play Ia DUE - Click Here for Assignment Specifications

END OF FIRST HALF OF COURSE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

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