Groups and M&E Reservations Agent - Milton Keynes

Groups and M&E Reservations Agent - Milton Keynes

Welcome to Corus & Laura Ashley Hotels

Join an exceptional team at Corus and Laura Ashley Hotels! We are passionate about ensuring a memorable stay for our guests, and strive to ensure personal service, commitment, and individuality are at the heart of all we do.

Corus Hotels offer 8 unique venues across England, each boasting originality and character, and a sense of home-away-from-home for valued guests. Laura Ashley Hotels strive to provide the ultimate luxurious experience with first-class service in two stunning boutique hotels.

Job Description

As Groups and M&E Reservations Agent you will you will be tasked with professionally dealing with a variety of pro-active and reactive sales enquiries, in order to maximise occupancy, revenue and yield in line with company procedure. You will be able to demonstrate first class customer service skills, have the ability to adapt and multi task whilst having that keen eye for detail. Your key responsibility is to ensure that all enquiries are answered as soon as possible in order to ensure that we gain maximum market share from all customers and gain their loyalty, in leisure and corporate groups and meetings and events markets.

• To ensure that all sales enquiries for M&E/Groups are dealt with in a proactive manner, and converted to confirmed bookings, to the agreed company core standards using the Company Sales Conversation techniques.
• Ensure follow up calls are made after all significant bookings gaining valuable feedback and with a view to confirming repeat business
• Contact all group business from previous year to ask for repeat bookings 6 months prior to expected arrival
• Prepare proposals / quotations and written confirmation to required clients
• Promote packages and promotions to the clients for whom you manage reservations as well as promote / communicate internally to ensure all staff are fully aware
• Have a full understanding of hotel amenities and services and confidently communicate this to your clients via telephone and in site-visits
• Ensure that relevant guest and company profiles are up to date in Front Office System (Rezlynx) ensuring other hotel staff can see historic information / notes regarding guest / company preferences
• To ensure that the Meeting and Events database and Groups chase system is updated, actioned daily and utilised for all live enquiries, existing clients and potential new business.
• Ensure team is aware of referral procedures, when denying enquiries.
• To grow and develop, existing customers through follow up calls, etc.
• Ensure that both rooms and conference business is being logged daily, weekly and monthly.
• Carry out sales calls / sales activities to generate new M&E revenue.
• Ensure the Groups enquiry are dealt with and response times kept with 24 hours.
• Groups & Meeting contracts are sent as per company standard and cancellation policies are adhered too.

• To ensure that all Meeting and Events organisers, and any VIP guests are flagged appropriately in the system, in order to ensure good customer relations and establish future business opportunities.
• To be aware of seasonal peaks and business trends. Therefore, maximising yield, and achieving room’s budget.
• To be aware of market trends and co-ordinate sales activities accordingly, with the Revenue Manager.
• To ensure that a professional manner, is shown to all customers, resulting in positive PR both internally and externally.
• To ensure that all group and M&E bookings are input in Rezlynx to the required standards.
• To maintain an efficient chase system for groups and M&E
• To be in a position to assist Reservations if and when necessary
• To ensure all rooming lists are received no later than one week prior to arrival and are correctly entered into Rezlynx
• To handover all groups and M&E enquiries are handed over effectively to the hotels and in line with company agreed procedure.

What We Can Offer

Enjoy a range of benefits when you join our team, including:

• A competitive salary
• Discounted rate at all Corus and Laura Ashley Hotels
• A positive working environment

Our Expectations

Our ideal colleague is an industrious and genuine person with warmth and enthusiasm, who will bring a positive can-do attitude to work every day. A genuine passion for hospitality and customer service is essential, as well as excellent interpersonal skills. We are looking for someone who can raise the bar and encourage others to do the same, going above and beyond to ensure our guests have a wonderful experience, time and time again.