Groups & Events Planning Manager

The position is accountable for proactively soliciting and handling sales opportunities. Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Assists in leading all day-to-day activities related to sales with a focus on building long-term, value-based customer relationships that enable achievement of sales objectives. Achieves personal sales goals.

Managing Event Logistics and Operations

• Ensures that events progress seamlessly by following established procedures, collaborating with other employees, and ensuring accuracy.
• Greets customer during the event phase and hands-off to the Event Operations team for the execution of details.
• Adheres to all standards, policies, and procedures.
• Ensures billing accuracy and conducts bill reviews with the clients prior to processing the final bill.
• Manages group room blocks and meeting space for average to large-sized assigned groups.
• Identifies operational challenges associated with his/her group and determines how to best work with the property staff and customer to solve these challenges and/or develop alternative solutions.
• Uses his/her judgment to integrate current trends in event management and event design.
• Acts as liaison between field salesperson and customer throughout the event process (pre-event, event, post-event).
• Participates in customer site inspections and assists with the sales process as necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs.
• Solicits feedback from the property departments to identify areas for improvement to enhance the Event Planner's experience.

Ensuring and Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Delivers excellent customer service throughout the customer experience and encourages the same from other employees.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Coordinates and communicates event details both verbally and in writing to the customer and property operations.
• Makes presence known to customer at all times during this process.
• Oversees his/her customer experiences from file turnover through the post event phase until turnover back to sales.
• Follows up with customer post-event.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Uses personal judgment and expertise to enhance the customer experience.
• Stays available to solve problems and/or suggest alternatives to previous arrangements.
• Works to continually improve customer service by integrating obtained feedback and personal judgment into action plans.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Ensures hourly employees understand expectations and parameters for event activities.

Leading Event Management Teams

• Conducts formal pre- and post-event meetings as required to review/communicate group needs and feedback.
• Leads formal pre-event and post-event meetings for average to large-sized assigned groups.
• Facilitates various meetings as he/she perceives necessary (Banquet Event Order meeting, block review, etc).

Supporting and Coordinating with the Sales and Marketing Function

• Assists in the sales process and revenue forecasting for customer groups.
• Up-sells products and services throughout the event process.
• Forecasts group sleeping rooms and event revenue (catering and audio visual) for his/her groups.

Conducting Human Resources Activities

• Reviews comment cards and guest satisfaction results with employees.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers.
• Assists in the development and implementation of corrective action plans.