“ It ’ s Important for propertIes to make sure they ’ re not prIcIng thIngs for ego or asset protectIon . you want them to prIce It because that Is the value .”
Special RepoRt : Upselling
“ It ’ s Important for propertIes to make sure they ’ re not prIcIng thIngs for ego or asset protectIon . you want them to prIce It because that Is the value .”
– ElizabEth Cambra , OutriggEr hOtEls and rEsOrts
“ used-car salesmen ” who are aiming to convert any upsell , warns IHG ’ s Taylor . “ If you use the strategy to make more money , you usually get out of character ,” Taylor says . “ The guest needs to be convinced this isn ’ t starting with price , but with their individual needs .”
Cultural mores can be another hurdle to implementing a successful upselling program . Anecdotally , workers from certain Asian and Latin American cultures are more likely to bristle at the idea of asking leading questions and making direct upsell offers . “ In some areas of the world , the workers know what they need to say to the guest and it comes up very naturally ,” Picheca says . “ Workers in other areas find it very uncomfortable to ask about special occasions . Some people go from ‘ Welcome to the hotel ’ straight to ‘ Can I recommend a different room type ,’ and it ’ s because they ’ re not comfortable asking questions .”
Even staff members who are on board with upselling may not always be enthusiastic participants , which is why most successful upsell programs include some type of incentives program . Outrigger , for example , incentivizes front-desk agents with commissions in the form of cash or gift cards .
Encouraging spirited competition between coworkers is another way some hotel managers keep upsell programs robust . If organizing a formal upselling competition , structure it in a way that levels the playing field between part-time and full-time employees , whether that means scoring on a per-hour basis or running parallel competitions .
Taylor prefers properties take a team approach to the competitive incentives dynamic , with staffs rewarded for collectively meeting target upselling goals . This strategy fosters a spirit of teamwork , in which the more successful front-desk agents support and mentor their colleagues , Taylor says .
Automated sales-reporting software makes it simple to track upsell performance for teams , individual front-desk agents and across portfolios and markets . Fairmont Raffles uses a proprietary system to show managers which agents are doing the best job at upselling particular room types relative to their peers . The managers can then consult with the successful agents to determine what strategies they are employing to be successful and may have them mentor their colleagues . Getting hotel managers on board with upselling is not always as easy as it should be , either . When upselling directives come from owners or management companies , property-level managers can perceive the program as a hassle or even a threat . An underlying goal for TSA Solutions consultants is to help hotel managers understand how they personally can benefit from heading up a successful upselling program — how it can be an asset on their resume and future career advancement , and how it can shore up their near-term employment by strengthening the hotel ’ s fiscal health . As trainers in any field will attest , learner motivation is critical to knowledge transfer and eventual workplace application . Thus , upsell trainers invariably emphasize the combination of employee incentives and simple guest hospitality to find the message that appeals to each individual hotel worker . “ We have incentive-driven ones , we have career-driven ones and we have servicedriven ones ,” Picheca says . “ You ’ re trying to convince everyone that this is good , that we all win .”
26 HOTELS April 2014 www . hotelsmag . com