Meeting Planner Pet Peeves

Being the highly successful, well respected, hotel sales manager that I've become, I've learned throughout my years of experience that rarely anything good comes from pissing off a meeting planner. Yes, we all know that it's not the actual problem that counts, as problems will occur, but how quickly and efficiently the problem is handled that makes the difference. Well, that looks great on paper and there is some truth to it, but in my humble opinion, once a planner becomes dissatisfied about something, no matter how big or small, and no matter what was done immediately to resolve the issue, nothing is ever quite the same. They'll hold on to that annoyed feeling, keep it close by, and bring it out when it's needed again. There's something about that first annoyance that lingers and looks for another opportunity rear its ugly face. It is commonly understood in the industry that if there has to be a problem, pray it doesn't happen on the very first day. If it must happen at all, hope it's on the last day. The first impression sets the tone.

I've put together a few thoughts on what seems to really peeve meeting planners the most. I don't just mean Certified Meeting Professionals, either. This is for anyone who works with planners, relies on planners, is a friend of a planner or is a planner in one capacity or another. My hopes are that we can be proactive in certain situations; we can work together and live in a world where we never have to say, "I'm sorry".

Nickel and Dime Tactics

A client of mine was comparing properties for a weekend function and wanted to know how much we charged for ice water and pitchers. Apparently, the other hotel was charging for this. After 15 years in the business, that's a new one to me. I understand every hotel has their own way of making incremental revenues and trying to maximize their resources, but this seemed a little extreme. Nickel and diming just does not fly well with most planners. I suggest packaging those "small" items into one nominal rental charge that covers these costs rather than the a la carte price for ice, pitchers, water, glasses, paper, pens, ink, etc. I've found that Planners don't mind paying for what they need; they just want it to be efficient.

Group Mix

Once in a while a meeting planner will ask the question, "What other groups will be in-house over the same time?" Those that didn't ask that question, sometimes wish they had. Nothing irritates a meeting planner more than being blind sided by a neighboring group that is a little "different" from them. As a venue representative, we have a responsibility, too. We do not block a Prayer Group next door to a marching band. Hotels try to have a mix of business where everyone gets along, but they (we) are running a business and sometimes the chips just don't fall that way. Some of my favorite's scenarios include the hip-hop urban music festival next to the National Stuttering Association, the high school cheerleading competition next to the US Marine Corps Reunion, and the Boy Scouts of America Convention held over Gay Pride Weekend.

Left Out of the Loop

The life of a meeting planner is full of heartache and pain. They have their internal clients who can be indifferent and make slow decisions; and then they have their suppliers who are relentless in their communication, calling several times a day and sometimes making decisions for the group without anyone knowing. It's the meeting planner's job to keep both sides at bay until it's time for the sales process to move forward. And in that sales process, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Yeah...but a lot of us sales managers don't particularly like losing. So every so often, some hotshot sales talent will attempt to go around the meeting planner and go straight to the internal client. Whether the outcome of this tactic comes up successful or (more likely) distressed-ful, it will always be a major pet peeve of our friend and partner - the meeting planner. You want to burn a bridge with a meeting planner, just go right over his or her head.

When in Doubt, Read the Directions

Business has been a little slow the last few months, I've noticed. A receding economy or something. I can tell you first hand, though, that people are still having meetings, they're in guest rooms sleeping, they're eating and drinking, dry cleaning, and valet parking. There just seems to be a lot less lead time these days. It's a fast and furious market. Good planners out there put together very specific Requests for Proposals (RFPs) with specific questions they need answered. Nothing peeves them more than when they receive the standard hotel proposal that does not address specific questions or the requested information is buried in the body of the proposal somewhere. In this current environment, information needs to be clear and concise for the planner. If you want to keep a planner happy, read his/her instructions and do precisely what they ask.

Josh Baker is National Sales Manager for the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. He has a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of South Carolina. Contact him directly at jbaker@sheratonatl.com.