THE THESIS IS ON ITS WAY...

After the tough research on the topic the authors (my group) came to several many conclusions regarding the topic. we have finally made it into a consolidated journal for future reference and information for all those who want to know more about hotel marketing management.

"believe... there is always a better way"

Sales call... All abt it in the hotel industry!!

A sales call might prove to be the single most important way of generating corporate

business. Its is true that the process of the sales call is of prime importance and what

happens during the meeting actually decides the course of future business ties, what

strengthens them and assure the client of a good relationship is how the executive ends

the sales call.

On enquiring the authors found a number of ways in which the sales executives from

different hotels handle closing of a sales call. Business commitment being one of the

highest used methods. The sales executives give the client an attractive offer which may

lead to having a future relationship between the hotel and the company.

The authors also discovered that another very popular way of closing the sales call is

fixing another meeting with the prospective client to give him the assurance that the hotel

is very much keen on building a healthy business relationship with the client. Most sales

executives interviewed felt that an efficient and timely follow up after the first meeting

where client building is initiated is of great importance so that the client is made to feel

that the hotel is interested. A follow up by the executives also helps the executive in

knowing what the client has to feel about the deal offered by the hotel and whether or not

the potential client will become a patron.

Nearly 10 percent of the sales executives feel that a positive end might be a great start to

a positive business relationship in the future with the client. They also believe that what

can really make or mar the reaction of the future client is the impression that the sales

executives leave on the clients. A subtle and impactful impression works wonders when it

comes to converting a prospective client to a patron.

The findings of the research show that sales executives need to build client relationships

and be their best while focusing majorly on the deal. While bargaining comes naturally

to any sales negotiations, it is of prime importance that both the client and the hotel reach

a conclusion that is easily manageable by both the parties. The sales executives manage

to attract their clients only after carefully and strategically offering the client suitable

products and services that are acceptable. It is of prime importance that a sales executive

is quite expressive. A great orator, who has the power and charm to subtly turn things

to his favour is one who succeeds. The executive must effectively communicate to his

client, both his product and his offer so that the client has no qualms or queries.

Of course no sales call would ever be complete without thanking the client for sparing his

valuable time and bringing the entire conversation to a close.

In addition to these basic requirements, the sales executives can also strive to deliver

excellence by recalling the minutes of the meeting, offering excellent product delivery

and of course sending the client a confirmation on the deal.

What exactly are hotel marketing strategies ? ?

Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. A marketing strategy should be centered around the key concept that customer satisfaction is the main goal. It is a method of focusing an organization's energies and resources on a course of action which can lead to increased sales and dominance of a targeted market niche. A marketing strategy combines product development, promotion, distribution, pricing, relationship management and other elements; identifies the firm's marketing goals, and explains how they will be achieved, ideally within a stated timeframe. Marketing strategy determines the choice of target market segments, positioning, marketing mix, and allocation of resources. It is most effective when it is an integral component of overall firm strategy, defining how the organization will successfully engage customers, prospects, and competitors in the market arena.

Markteing strategies in hospitality are the same as in any other industry. They also aim at improving the product ,establishing target markets, positioning , identifing the apt marketing mix and also allocating the resourses for the organisation . As every other marketing strategy is revised even hotel marketing strategies are revised.  After the research was carried out the authors found out that different hotels have different intervals in revising the marketing strategies. Since marketing strategies are long term strategies each of them will be used for a longer period of time.Revising the marketing startegies is not as simple as it looks .It is only carried out after braning storming sessions with the heads of both marketing and sales in a corporate level. A new strategy can be updated or added to all the other old strategies or those strategies which are not contributing to the profit should be revised or changed.

Certain companies follow those strategies that is decided by the corporates of the organisation where as other companies have marketing strategies set for individual units . The statistics on when the marketing strategies are revised hence changes from company to company. Out of the 10 heads of sales and marketing department interviewed, the authors found out that 56% of luxury hotels in mumbai  revise their strategies yearly, 22% revise their strategies half yearly and for the remaining 22% of hotels, the marketing strategy is established and revised by the corporates of the organisation. Some companies revise their marketing strategies as and when required and there is no exact interval in which it has to be revised.

and the research continues..

Well i must tell you people that the managers in Trident and Oberoi hotels are damn smart and damn helpful. Finally the research i am working on has gained some pace. Thanks to the Asst Sales Manager of Trident BKC. Well he helped us understand how the marketing plan and strategy works . How he himself get new clients and how his organisation keep the old. Pretty impressive i must say. anyways so the pace i was talking about is because "sid" thats what he asked us to call him, the Asst Sales Manager of Trident BKC just fixed 3 more appointments with the Sales Managers of  The Leela and Hyatt as well. I m pretty happy that the project or the research  finally has some credible information that we can use in our thesis . credible i must tell you because all the information came from the horses mouth.. The Sales Managers or Marketing Managers.
The only thing that i should work on now is  a detailed pattern and revamp the questionnaire in the most suitable manner so as to improve the information i can get from it..

The Research i am on

A Critical Review And Analysis of Marketing Management in the Luxury Hotels of Mumbai


Well i know it is kind of an interesting topic that we can be working on.I took this up,since i was very passionate about the dept Sales and Marketing . well and on the due course time i found out that its not an easy sail. My intension were pretty simple.All i wanted to find out was that how the marketing is done and how the department work as the most important revenue generating department in a hotel. 
As i mentioned earlier its not an easy sail as none of the organisation want to give out the details which they find is good enough to run marketing successfully . 
Except for some properties like  four seasons and Taj who willing supported us to go ahead with our project i was left with no option and no filled questionnaires . Well we just got an appointment with two more luxury brands namely ITC Grant Central and Trident Bkc to interview their managers and sales and marketing executives. May be its all the magic of IHM Mumbai as an Institute and now i really do understand why it is called the best institute of the country .Lets wait and see what today is going to unfold into......

Taj Management Training Program

Campus placement made me see the tru quality that i have in me.. and i am sure that one day i will be a successful hotelier . for starters i am a Taj Management trainee and i am honored to be one. . and this is like a head start to my career. and i am going to make use of it the best possible way.