Assistant Reservations Manager - Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town, Sea Point at Marriott International

JOB SUMMARY

• Assists with the soliciting and managing of reservations sales-related opportunities. Manages and provides training and work assignments to Reservations Sales staff.  Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Responsible for driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience. Provides service to our customers in order to grow share of the account on behalf of the company.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 3 year’s experience in sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 1 year experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Understanding Markets & Maximizing Revenue

• Identifies new reservations sales business to achieve personal and property revenue goals.
• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Closes the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and property needs.
• Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control property occupancy.
• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

Conducting Daily Reservations Sales Activities

• Responds to incoming reservations sales opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the EventBooking Center.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff effectively.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• Assists with monitoring accuracy of reservation sales orders within tracking systems.
• Tracks no-show reservations and processes charges.
• Manages wait list and prioritizes order of wait list contacts to be made.
• Prepares work and maintenance orders.

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Supports the company’s service and relationship strategy, driving customer loyalty and satisfaction by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• Services our customers in order to grow share of the account.
• Executes and supports the company’s customer service standards and property’s brand standards.
• Provides excellent customer service consistent with the daily service basics of the brand.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to the company.
• Handles guest complaints and disputes following the instant pacification procedures.

Additional Responsibilities

• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.
• Creates contracts as required.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Adaptability - Maintains performance level under pressure or when experiencing changes or challenges in the workplace.   
• Communication - Conveys information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner through a variety of methods.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; obtains and compares information from different sources to draw conclusions, develop and evaluate alternatives and solutions, solve problems, and choose a course of action.
• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Actively participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of goals.
• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.
• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships. 
• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards.
• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability 

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of own assignments and suggests improvements to work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.
• Talent Management - Provides support and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Learning and Applying Professional Expertise

• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.
• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations.
• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct.
• Revenue Management - Knowledge of total hotel revenue management concepts, processes and strategies (including sales cycles and trends, account management, pricing, and inventory management). 
• Inventory Management - The ability to manage rooms and function space restrictions and thresholds using systems or manually in order to maximize revenue/profit across all segments.
• Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of sales and marketing concepts including principles and methods for showing, promoting and selling products or services as well as marketing strategies and tactics.
• Sales Ability:  Persuasiveness - Using appropriate interpersonal styles and communication methods to gain acceptance of a product, service, or idea from prospects and clients.
• Sales Disposition - Demonstrating the traits, inclinations, and outlooks that characterize successful salespersons; exhibiting behavior styles that facilitate adaptation to the demands of the sales role.
• Supporting Sales Implementations - Supporting customers during the implementation of sales contracts; seeking and taking appropriate actions on customer feedback; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.

• Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
• Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
• Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.