Why knowledge is power when it comes to hospitality sales

When it comes to working in hospitality, everyone is part of the sales team. Monica Or FIH, who brings experience of working for The Ritz, Radisson Edwardian Hotels and Hilton Group, argues that it’s all about knowledge: of your customers, of your own proposition and of your competitors.

Customers

If I asked ‘who are your customers?’ the majority would answer: ‘our guests.’ You would be partially correct, as when we look at our customers, we need to look at both our internal and external customers.

Our internal customers are people that work inside the organisation, maybe directly with you or in another department, so this means your managers, your staff, your colleagues. It also includes your suppliers. Often we tend to overlook just how important our internal customers are.

We need to work with one another and treat each other as a customer so our operation can run smoothly. Classic partnerships are between the restaurant and the kitchen, or housekeeping and reception. Although whichever department you manage or work in, all of your staff and suppliers need to work together and respect each other as you do with your external customer.

We tend to hold our external customers with higher regard as they are paying for what we deliver to them. It is great that we respect these customers, although we must remember that both our internal and external customers deserve the same level of respect and fair treatment.

Product knowledge

All of your staff should be trained on the products and services that your organisation has to offer, from the number and types of bedrooms you have down to smallest details such as the ingredients of the dishes on the menu.

Having this knowledge shows that you are passionate about your organisation. It helps to build a relationship with your guest as the more knowledgeable you are, the more they can feel they can trust you and your judgement. By showing you are confident and have belief in what you are selling, your guest is not only more likely to buy from you, they are also more likely to buy even more. This makes it easier for you to up-sell and cross-sell. The more they like what they buy, the more they will return.

The real key to having excellent product knowledge is being able to match your products and services to the needs of your customers and then exceed their expectations by going the extra mile and doing something they are not expecting. This gesture should genuinely come from the heart and show to your customer that you care about them.

Competition

It is important for smaller operators to be able to differentiate themselves from their competitors and one way to do this, for example, is through offering something different. A good example would be the selection of beers and ales available. In order to offer something more unique, it is well worth considering looking at the variety of craft ales that are now available.

Do you work in a sales role or have responsibility for hospitality sales?  

If so, take a look at these events, which form just part of our 2019 events programme. You can book places for you and your colleagues right now.