Have You Ever Been Fumbled?

One of the greatest opportunities for mistakes or "dropped balls" in a service organization occurs during the handoff or file turnover from one department to another, such as from sales to convention services or catering. Fumbles also have a high potential for occurring when there is employee turnover at a contracted hotel, CVB, hotel national sales department, or other supplier.

High-performing organizations have a documented process or SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for ensuring a smooth transition when handing off relationships from one department or person to another. If you are working with a supplier partner that is going through a staff transition, you can help ensure that the handoff is transparent by reinforcing the following process and expectations. Schedule a turnover meeting or call - Make it clear that you would like to have both the new contact and the person with whom you have established a relationship on the call. Give them time to prepare so that your account history and special arrangements can be shared.  Make sure your files match - Ensure that they have the final copy of the contract (including any terms agreed upon after signature), any post-convention reports from prior years and that both parties are on the same page with your space needs and reservation procedure/process.  Communicate your expectations - Discuss how you will provide meeting details and what you expect in return. Do you prefer to communicate via phone or e-mail? Are there any immediate deliverables that need to be addressed?   Communicate the value of your account - Are you loyal to the chain or supplier? Are you a repeat customer? Who in your organization influences or makes future decisions?  Outline goals and objectives - Highlight the purpose of the meeting, desired outcomes, and your attendee profiles. Share with your new partner information on your Web site or in marketing collateral if it will help increase understanding. Build a trusting relationship - Give your new contact a chance to earn your trust. Request that s/he take the lead on the turnover call. Try to find common ground: industry colleagues you both know and professional organizations to which you may belong. Show an interest in your new contact and inquire about his/her interests. Request follow-up and communication - The only measure of success of a file turnover is your satisfaction. Ask the primary sales person to periodically follow up with you to ensure that you are being serviced properly. Finely tuned organizations will keep sales personnel informed of successes or challenges with regular status updates. A poor handoff from sales to service will drag sales back into the challenge to work things through, losing efficiency, and creating conflict.

In the meetings and convention industry, having trusting and supportive supplier relationships is a major ingredient to creating successful events.