Details
 

July 17, 2024
11:00AM - 1:00PM

OHLA & HSMAI Ohio Lunch & Learn - Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of Revenue Optimization

Sharonville Convention Center

11355 Chester Rd, Sharonville, OH 45246

Please note: This is not an OHLA event. This event is hosted by HSMAI Ohio Chapter. 

Though OHLA supports HSMAI Ohio, these are two different entities. HSMAI Ohio is the Ohio Chapter for the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. It is an organization for individuals in specifically hospitality sales, marketing, & revenue positions that helps with education, networking, and career development. You can find more info here: https://hsmaiohio.org/

Register Online Here!

Content

Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of Revenue Optimization

How often have you seen this at your hotel: Sales managers referring to the revenue management team as ‘the sales prevention department’ because they keep turning away their leads?  Front office complaining about how revenue management keeps selling low opaque rates?  Or event managers showing up to pick-up meetings without the answers to the questions they know they will be asked.  It doesn’t have to be like this.

A little explanation goes a long way in gaining buy-in from those implementing your strategies on the front lines. Learn how our speakers at Athena Hospitality can guide your team to work more efficiently, ask the right questions, speak one another’s language, and how a little communication can go a long way to achieve your common goal - drive revenue and positive reputation for your property.

Preview this article we are using a background of our session -

Inspired by The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

1. Absence of Trust.
2. Fear of Conflict
3. Lack of Commitment.
4. Avoidance of Accountability.
5. Inattention to Results

BACKGROUND: Article by Lynn Zwiback

Revenue Management: It's Not Just for Revenue Managers Anymore - By Lynn Zwibak

How often have you seen this at your hotel: Sales managers referring to the revenue management team as ‘the sales prevention department’ because they keep turning away their leads?  Front office complaining about how revenue management keeps selling low opaque rates?  Or event managers showing up to pick-up meetings without the answers to the questions they know they will be asked.  It doesn’t have to be like this.

During more than ten years of on-property revenue management, I experienced this firsthand.  I would speak with angry front office agents about how they had walked guests the night before.  I would be embroiled in adversarial discussions with sales managers about needing to shift their group’s pattern.  I would sit through painful pick-up meetings with conference managers who resented all of my questions about their group’s room blocks.  But when I explained to the front desk agents that we oversell because we expect cancellations, and doing so saves us from going down with empty (and how these decisions are based on history and estimates, and sometimes more guests show up than we expected), their faces would soften, and they would nod in understanding.   When I explained to the sales managers that we would sell out on the peak nights of the group at a much higher rate, but we could offer availability (at a lower rate!) if we shifted the peak to a night with lower demand, their posture would relax, and the challenge would energize them.  When I explained to event managers how the group pick-up forecast is the foundation of all short- to mid-term hotel decisions, walked them through the STR® report, and started to show them the correlation between high forecast accuracy and high RevPAR indexes, pick-up meetings became celebratory and fun.  A little explanation goes a long way in gaining buy-in from those implementing your strategies on the front lines.

Click here to read more.

Presenters

	Phill Burgess, CHA Phill is the Vice President of Sales and Revenue Optimization for Athena Hospitality Group. Prior to joining Athena, Phill spent 14 years with John Q Hammons Hotels (JQH) and Resorts as Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management. Phill started his career while in college with Winegardner and Hammons (WHI) as a young Assistant General Manager. He would later move to sister company JQH as VP and become part of the executive team that completed a very successful IPO, representing nearly 10,000 employees.   Earlier career roles include National Director of Field Marketing at the corporate brand level and appointments to several national boards including the customer advisory boards for Amadeus/Newmarket and the Corporate Franchisee Marketing advisory boards for Hilton and Marriott.   Phill currently serves as past president of the HSMAI Foundation Board and the Nashville Chapter of HSMAI Board. He is a proud graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and is still married to his college sweetheart of 43 years.
	Meghan McNeill, CRME Meghan is the Corporate Director of Revenue Optimization for Athena Hospitality Group. Prior to joining Athena, she was a Senior Revenue Manager for upscale Choice brand properties as part of the corporate RMS team.   Her previous experience is extensive which has helped Athena to optimize successful RevPar index growth even in the midst of challenging industry supply changes and dynamics. Meghan’s background includes Area Director of Revenue in Louisville for the Galt House with over 1,300 guest rooms including the Embassy Suites and Crowne Plaza. Her experience includes Revenue Manager for the historic upscale Brown Hotel where she started as Catering Sales Manager and Guest Services Manager. She started her career at the Andaz 5th Avenue in New York as Housekeeping Manager followed by the Hyatt Regency Greenwich CT.   She is a proud graduate of Winona State University and Mom to two young sons.
	Leiann Huff, CHBA Leiann is the Corporate Director of Sales for Athena Hospitality Group. She is an experienced sales professional with over 15 years in the hospitality industry including full-service properties such as Marriott and The Graduate Hotel. With Athena she has multi-unit responsibilities for IHG and Choice upscale and select hotels. Leiann started her career as a Sales Assistant before promotion to Catering Sales, and then Group Room Sales.   After joining Athena as a Director of Sales three years ago Leiann has been very successful in helping to write, train and implement for Athena DOS’s the sales disciplines needed to grow year over year sales productivity by double digits.   Leiann is a proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati – Linder College of Business with a BA in Hospitality Management. Leiann Enjoys watching Bengals football, finding new brunch spots, and spending time with her loved ones and fur babies.

Agenda

11:00 am - Arrival & Lunch Available

11:30 am - Presentation 

12:15 pm - Audience Q&A 

12:30 pm - Additional Networking

1:00 pm - Event to Conclude

Registration - More information to Come.

HSMAI & OHLA Members -

Non-Members -

Parking

Parking is complimentary surrounding the venue.

Food & Beverage

Light Lunch will be provided.

Recommended Attire

Business Casual; relating to or denoting a style of clothing that is less formal than traditional business wear, but is still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression.

Cancellation Policy

No refunds after July 12. No shows will be billed.

Thank you to our host property Sharonville Convention Center!

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