n spite of valiant efforts to refurbish and rebrand restaurants, as well as other hotel outlets, ownership and management too often fail to take advantage of the sales force right at their fingertips. By not training everyone from bellmen to front desk staff how to sell, thousands of dollars, even millions, are left on the table. When was the last time you heard a bellman give an engaging rundown of a three-meal or specialty restaurant? “Over here is our breakfast, lunch, and dinner outlet, which is open between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. And, to your left, is our fine-dining restaurant, closed on Mondays,” is the unfortunate in-one-ear and out the- other patter that leaves guests happily wedded to BlackBerries, Treos, and iPods.

1 START WITH A VISION
“We wanted each manager and associate to become a concierge—a resort expert,” says GM Alex Ahluwalia of JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. “We didn’t want guests to have to go on a treasure hunt to discover the galaxy of unique offerings, from our saltwater Hashani Spa pool, to Salud, our tequila bar, to Primo, our Italian-themed culinary gem. We wanted to transform associates into connoisseurs, not only of our outlets but also of the heart and soul of Starr Pass—its sense of spirit, place, and people.”

2 BUILD THE FOUNDATION
First, we created a team of subject matter experts called “sales champions” from each outlet, along with a well-cast group of creative writers to build and fine-tune the content, design, and rollout strategy of an experiential sales excellence class.

3 CREATE A GLOBAL OVERVIEW
Director of Sales Steve Conklin shared his big picture kickoff presentation for the class. Along with pictures of the groundbreaking, there was a photo of the sixth hole of the Coyote Golf Course where, allegedly, hotel namesake Richard Starr drove tourists in his stagecoach over the pass into Tucson. Also included was the eco-friendly practice of planting three saguaro cactus trees for every one damaged. Another piece focused on the natural wash in the middle of the resort that provides a path for the javelinas (wild pig-like animals), mountain lions, ringtails (cat-like creatures from the raccoon family), and coyotes to move to and from the mountain. Conklin also explained the 10 degree cooler temperature advantage over the Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and Scottsdale markets.

4 PROVIDE BASIC INFORMATION
Next, the team created a simple information document detailing each outlet’s location, hours of operation, and products and services offered.

5 CRAFT SALES DIALOGUE
The recipe then called for sales verbiage that didn’t sound like brochure flower fluff. And, since there’s a big difference between the spoken and written word, we wanted to write dialogue that would create an emotional connection by containing elements of surprise, humor, and whimsy. Phrases like “cooked to perfection” and “serving the finest seafood, steaks, and chops” are tired turn-offs.

For the bellmen we wrote: “Right below us to your right is our Signature Grill, where our buffet chef, Ana, will make your favorite omelet or her ‘hangover special’ chilaquiles, a tortilla tossed in a spicy enchilada sauce with poached eggs. Or, for lunch or dinner, you can enjoy tableside guacamole or a Sterling Silver filet with a Fat Tire Ale or glass of Duckhorn Merlot.

“Right below us is Salud, a 110-strong tequila bar where you can savor a snifter of Chinaco Añejo while sitting by a firepit overlooking our 20-mile city light vista. By the outdoor walkway past Hashani Spa is Primo, an all-organic Italian, French, and Mediterranean themed restaurant. Don’t miss the pork saltimbocca, accented with fresh rosemary and sage straight from the herb garden, and a house-made vanilla gelato. And, by the way, many guests are disappointed because they wait until their last night to eat at Primo only to discover that it’s not stuffy fine dining but is, hands down, the best restaurant in Tucson.”

6 CONDUCT THE CLASS & GIVE A TOUR
In Salon J, about 35 associates and managers assembled while Alex, the GM, gave a class overview. After Steve gave his kickoff global presentation, attendees broke into groups and rotated round-robin style to Primo, Salud, Signature Grill, Hashani Spa, the Shops, Plunge, the pool bar, and a guestroom. Sales champions not only led tours but used creative ways to help participants experience their outlets. For example, Brian Jaymont, Primo’s manager, took his groups into the herb garden. “As you can see, here are the remnants of squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and sunflowers. They were scarfed up by javelinas that broke through this fence made of ocotillo plants,” explained Brian. Then he ripped up a handful of aromatic fresh mint and passed it around. “Everything you see here is based on James Beard award-winning Chef/Owner Melissa Kelly’s vision of serving only organic local foods. We also get produce from Agua Farms just a few miles up the road. We pay up front for their weekly harvest of tasty whole produce from pumpkins, squash, and arugula to turnips and fresh flowers. A majority of our chefs and servers even buy shares so they can get their own fresh salad mix as well as other fruits and veggies.”

7 DEBRIEF THE FINDINGS
Once back in Salon J, everyone was asked to write three things they learned about each outlet. “Wow, I’ve been working here for more than a year and had no idea Hashani Spa has three floors and 24 treatment rooms and a saltwater Jacuzzi,” exclaimed one participant. One of the front desk associates, Sarah, said, “I guess I need to stop calling Primo our fine dining restaurant.” Next, we reviewed the basic information sheets along with the sales dialogue. Then, we had participants in their groups practice using the dialogue on each other.

When participants left, there was a sense of gratitude in the air. Many shook our hands and thanked us. In the end, by experiencing the resort and all of its amazing wonder and complexity, they felt a renewed sense of belonging. With their newfound pride and knowledge, they were able to engage, educate, and entertain guests while bringing more dollars to the bottom line.

Recently, while riding through the rolling hills of Marriott’s Hanbury Manor Hotel & Country Club (25 miles north of London) on my way to conduct a Sales Excellence© program, I was struck by an amazing tree that was hundreds of feet tall with branches stretching out over the front lawn like something from a Harry Potter movie. I sensed there was much exciting work to be done in hotels and resorts around the world.