Do you prepare for business?
I was in disbelief when encountering the following saga. A known resort accepted business from two conference organizers a year ahead of time. Both conferences were to be well-attended. The arrival date for hundreds of people was to be on a Sunday. The town of this resort cherishes Sunday as most would respect a holiday, and herein lie the problem. Money was accepted upfront from the conference organizers yet the hotel was not able to arrange for staff to be on hand to greet or serve that day.
Most guests arrived about 4:00 p.m. with the expectation of first relaxing and then enjoying a nice leisurely dinner. Instead, as the guests entered the restaurant they were asked to return 45 minutes later. Upon returning, being seated and ordering food, the guests were then required to patiently wait another hour to receive their food. Only one chef and two waitresses were on hand to wait on all of those people. Guests received the marketing message that management did not value their business.
In my opinion, the hotel should have known ahead of time to either not accept Sunday business or do everything in their power to make certain their clientele that day was properly served. There was a clear communication breakdown, management neglected to take a leadership stance and they destroyed any chance of further business development. Although it was a nice resort, there are plenty of others that will provide superior service. The competition will thus be the ones to attract new prospects, clients and more sales.
Whether you are a student, a job-seeker or an entrepreneur, you must research, plan and prepare to make a lasting impression and encourage further interest. When you prepare properly, you will be headed for a Smooth Sale!
