The Perfect Site Visit

Well, you made the short list in the RFP process. Start believing that the site visit is the “proof in the pudding” and everything you divulged in the proposal, telephone conversations and emails now needs to come to fruition.

In the sales process, much of the information you need to conduct an over the top site tour should already be known. How far you can go with creativity is up to you. It also will depend on your staffing and business levels at the time the tour will take place.

You may or may not, be using a site visit forum to communicate about the value of this business on the property level, if not, it should be implemented and shared with every single department. Always share who and why you are touring to your staff. Their creativity is just as important as the contract.

Information to provide internal teams are the total monetary value of the group, number of rooms, meeting space utilized, potential FB and AV needs can come from the sales process.  Specifics like allergies, a personal favorite or two (working out, beverage, candy, snack, or sporting team) also make a difference in letting the client know they are important. Be sure to get a photo of the client also to distribute to your staff so they can address the client by name.

Some unique things to do

• Their company emblem on the dessert plate at lunch/dinner
• Red Carpet Welcome with staff on sides clapping their arrival
• GOBO light of their logo in the lobby or somewhere
• Welcome letters from President/CEO/Mayor/GM, all of them if possible
• Use their commodity during their stay if possible, if they are Coke, put coke in their room, Whole Foods – go get items from there, ect.
• Use private outdoor dining venues, place a flamenco guitarist in the background and have GM or other distinguished guest dine with us

The day has come, are you using a car service to pick them up, are you picking them up personally or did they rent a car. No matter which, some planners try to arrive unannounced to experience the unrehearsed welcome to the planner.

Once the client is checked into their suite, bungalow, or casita; that you have walked them to yourself. Pre-check that everything works, is clean especially the bathroom and the mirrors, items and collateral are positioned correctly.

Meeting space tours pulls the creativity out of all of us and our teams. Front Office, Audiovisual, and Catering/Services can join in and show their ideas and uniqueness. Some unique ideas are to set up the room with your client’s room sets or set half the room to provide the full visual experience. Place their name and logo with hotel logo on a screen and a big “Welcome”. This is a huge photo opportunity to share the set up with them to take back to the office afterward.

Wrap up while sitting with the client in a relaxed atmosphere to have a casual conversation. Ask them open-ended questions about how they see their program flowing through space, what do they like best about the space, and their thoughts on participants enjoying the hotel in whole. Be prepared to answer all objections with solutions. Emphasize with their concern, present solution, ask for agreement of solution.

At departure, key staffers should try to be present, including the General Manager or Operations Director, DOS, DOC. Provide a departure gift for them to remember the venue while they are away planning in  their office and refreshment to go.

At this point, everyone should feel good that the entire team put their best foot forward by participating in closing the business by demonstrating their distinguished level of service and attention to detail. The site visit is the best forum to showcase what makes a venue stand out.