Milan Market Account Director

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Milan, renowned for its rich history, stunning architecture, and thriving fashion and design scene, offers an unparalleled backdrop for your professional journey. Our beautiful properties, including the Sheraton Milan Malpensa, Sheraton Milan San Siro, and The Westin Palace, Milan, provide the perfect setting for you to showcase your sales expertise and drive our business forward. 

Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing sales (rooms, group& catering – corporate segment) opportunities. Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Proactively uncovering new prospects for the cluster and maximizing conversion of business in line with the Hotels’ budgetary goals. This position is considered to be an important role within the Sales structure, and requires a high degree of self-motivation and the ability to work unsupervised using own initiative. He/she must be flexible and move to any hotels of the Marriott Milan Cluster (The Westin Palace, Sheraton San Siro, Sheraton Milan Malpensa). Representing Marriott International world-wide, promoting the quality image of the company at every opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Responsible for driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience. Provide service to our customers in order to grow share of the account on behalf of the company. 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.

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

  Education and Experience

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 3 years experience in the sales and marketing or related. Must be proficient in writing, speaking and negotiating in local language and English.

 

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Using Knowledge of Market Trends and Target Customer Information to Maximize Revenue

• Identifies new room/group/catering 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.

• 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 Sales Activities

·  Working closely with the Director of Sales to achieve both personal revenue goals (by working towards an agreed Masters target) and the budgeted goals for the properties.
·  Proactively manage a pre-determined number of key accounts, key prospects and other active accounts to ensure maximum yield in rooms and banqueting revenue in line with budgetary objectives. 
·  Maintain valid call objectives and relevant action plans for each key account/key prospect and ensure all follow up is executed in a timely manner. 
·  Proactively sourcing and prospecting new accounts for the properties, and following the sales process through to convert into ‘producing’ accounts. 
·  To attend any trade fairs as a representative of Marriott International, ensuring that the quality image of the organisation is portrayed, and that every opportunity is taken to promote the Properties. 
·  A sales report is to be completed in a timely manner after attendance of trade shows or missions. 
·  Communicating client requirements in a timely and accurate manner to all internal departments as required, ensuring delivery of superior guest service. · Ensuring accurate follow up and communication both internally to reservations and accounting departments, and confirmation to client. 
·  To actively support and promote Marriott Sales programs to reach established targets and ensure appropriate administration is completed on our website etc for these programs to meet company guidelines
·  Proactively assures implementation of daily sales activities (sales calls, tradeshow attendance, office visits, site inspections etc) in order to acquire new business and/or close on business. 
·  Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the Convention Teams at the hotels.
·  Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
·  Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff effectively.

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Supports the company’s service and relationship strategy, driving customer loyalty 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.

• Partners with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.

• Sets a positive example for guest relations.

• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

• Attends pre- and post-convention meetings to understand group needs, obtain feedback on quality of product (e.g., rooms, meeting facilities and equipment, food and beverage), service levels and overall satisfaction.

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.

• 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.

Building Successful Relationships

• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Event Booking Center, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.

• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.

• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.

• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Provides accurate, complete and effective turnover to Event Management.

Additional Responsibilities

• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.

• Conducts site inspections.

• Creates contracts as required.

• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.

• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.

 

 

Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law.

When you join the Sheraton family, you become a member of its global community. We’ve been a place to gather and connect since 1937. At Sheraton, associates create a sense of belonging in more than 400 communities around the world. We invite, we welcome, and we connect guests through engaging experiences and thoughtful service. If you’re a team player who is excited to deliver a meaningful guest experience, we encourage you to explore your next career opportunity with Sheraton. Join us on our mission to be ‘The World’s Gathering Place’. In joining Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International. Be where you can do your best work,​  begin  your purpose,  belong  to an amazing global​ team, and  become  the best version of you.