GF Mgmt. Selects Signature To Increase Transient Bookings

COLUMBUS, OH— GF Management enlisted Signature Inc., a provider of sales, customer service and reinforcement programs, to boost the companys RevPAR 5% in the transient market segment, Chris Papas, GFs COO told HOTEL BUSINESS®. To do this, Signatures Transient Edge training program was rolled out at each of GF Managements 32 hotels over the past three months— and already a substantial increase in “the quality of reservation taking” is being realized, according to Papas. The initial training involves a two-day program featuring interactive sessions to motivate employees and teach them how to satisfy both customer and company needs. The two-day session is then followed by a series of 10 calls per month to each property in which a Signature staff member pretends to be a potential guest and at the end of the conversation, evaluates and critiques the employees performance. The ultimate goal, according to Papas, is to teach employees how to capture more business— or to increase the conversion ratio, meaning that a higher percentage of calls coming into the hotel are being turned into booked room nights. “Normally, when a potential guest calls a reservation system, he or she will take the lead and guide the reservationist through the conversation. The guest will either accept or decline based on the price of the room night. With this program, our employees are learning to identify guest preferences and needs and to explain how our particular property can fulfill those needs,” said Papas. In addition to the critiqued phone calls, Mystery Calls will also periodically be conducted and taped without employee notification. These calls will be accessible to hotel general managers on-line and are to be used as an evaluation tool as well as to be shared with employees to facilitate additional training in problem areas. While Signature is providing intensive training and follow-up programs for GF Management employees, Papas maintains that the true scope of the program lies in the hands of the general managers. “Despite what Signature does, the key to the success of the program is the dedication of the individual general manager. If the GMs dont get involved and provide support and encouragement, it will be obvious and the end results will not be nearly as significant,” said Papas.