Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour

MarketJeffrey L. Mills, CTP

Mills Marketing GroupJeff-mmg@bellsouth.net

Who is the customer?

Where do they come from?

How can I find them?

How do I get more of them?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

Is our facility really ready for this market? Do we have “what it takes?”

Is our staff “in tune” with real hospitality?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

DMO, TO, GL, CTP, CTAS, NTA, ABA, UMA, Bank Travel Management, Going on Faith, ITT, SATO Travel, MWR, Travel South, GMOA, AMA, MCASC, TNMA, NCMA◦ Say what???

◦ What is this alphabet soup?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

How do I price my services?

What is tiered-pricing?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

What is a profile sheet?

What should be included on this document?

How effective is this?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

Where can I get help?

Who are my friends? Where are they when I need them the most?

Capturing, Servicing and Maintaining the Group Tour Market

DMO

Destination Marketing Organization◦ Your Convention & Visitors Bureau/Authority◦ Sometimes a sales arm to the Chamber of Commerce◦ May be membership based or a service to the

industry◦ DMO’s are one of the most effective arms to your

sales department. Keep them informed◦ Report to the bureau; share the wealth and get more!

Alphabet Soup – Tourism Style

TO

Tour Operator◦ Licensed and insured tour company. Many

different kinds; could be local and regional or long distance

◦ May own their own coaches or charter directly from a motor coach company

◦ Should offer them a preferred rate

Alphabet Soup – Tourism Style

Motorcoach Owner/Operator◦ Could own one coach or a fleet◦ May have a tour office within their company◦ May only do charters/transportation◦ Fully licensed and insured at much higher limits

than a tour operator as they have much more to lose with the coaches

◦ Could also have limousines, school buses, taxis, mini-buses or trolleys

Alphabet Soup – Tourism Style

GL

Group Leader◦ Usually a volunteer or designated person within

a group or club that arranges trips/excursions/fun times for members

◦ May “work off the kitchen table”◦ Not licensed or insured◦ Should receive a higher rate from you

Alphabet Soup – Tourism Style

Alabama Motorcoach Association (AMA)

Your state motorcoach association www.alabamamotorcoach.org Has an annual convention and marketplace GET INVOLVED! Your state needs you. Database on website These operators are licensed and insured!

Regional/State Motorcoach Friends

www.alabamamotorcoach.org

Who is a member?

What are the dues?

When are the opportunities to get in front of the buyers/operators?

Let’s review the website

Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association (GMOA)

www.gamotorcoachoperators.org Has an annual convention and marketplace GET INVOLVED! They need you. Database on website These operators are licensed and insured!

Regional/State Motorcoach Friends

North Carolina Motorcoach Association (NCMA)

www.ncmotorcoach.org Has an annual convention and marketplace GET INVOLVED! They need you. Database on website These operators are licensed and insured!

Regional/State Motorcoach Friends

Motor Coach Association of South Carolina (MCASC)

www.scmotorcoach.org Has an annual convention and marketplace GET INVOLVED! They need you. Database on website These operators are licensed and insured!

Regional/State Motorcoach Friends

Tennessee Motor Coach Association (TNMCA)

www.tnmca.org Has an annual convention and marketplace GET INVOLVED! They need you. Database on website These operators are licensed and insured!

Regional/State Motorcoach Friends

ABA

American Bus Association Headquartered in Washington, DC Motorcoach owners and tour operators www.buses.org Annual convention and marketplace

Larger Group Travel Associations

NTA

National Tour Association Headquartered in Lexington, KY Tour operators network www.ntaonline.com Annual convention and marketplace

Larger Group Travel Associations

UMA

United Motorcoach Association Headquartered in Alexandria, VA Motorcoach owners/operators www.uma.org Hosts an annual convention/expo

Larger Group Travel Associations

GLAMER

Group Leaders of America Has nothing to do with beauty or a magazine! Network of group leaders than coordinate

travel Host a huge number of gatherings in select

cities across the nation every month

Larger Group Travel Associations

Travel South USA

Travel South Headquartered in Atlanta, GA Network of tour operators, travel agents,

international travel operators Where is this convention in 2010?

Larger Group Travel Associations

An overview of the services you offer One page – should be front and back Color is more eye-catching, but use black-and-

white until you perfect it

Let’s discuss what should be on this sheet

PROFILE SHEET

Think like a brochure All information regarding your company Contact name 800 numbers Direct line numbers to group sales office Email address(es) Photos of your facility INCLUDE A MOTORCOACH & PASSENGERS!

PROFILE SHEET

Use BULLET POINTS. No one is going to read a lot of descriptions. If they have questions, they’ll call you. This is not the place to exaggerate and embellish.

Perks or special features for groups What constitutes a group? Motorcoach parking? Is there a charge Restroom facilities?

PROFILE SHEET

Is there a gate fee for entrance of a motorcoach, mini-bus, etc?

Do you offer food service? Can you handle a banquet? For how many? Do you offer an on-board greeting upon arrival? Do you offer a send-off? Door prize? Any perks for drivers? Escorts?

PROFILE SHEET

What else should be included?

Where is the closest dump station to your facility?

Where can the driver have the coach serviced, washed or filled with diesel fuel?

PROFILE SHEET

Perhaps you know this, but does management realize the importance of this? Your success, as well as your facility, depends upon it.

Tiered pricing is a must!

Retail/gate price/general room rate Group leader price Tour operator price Receptive/wholesaler price

Tiered pricing

If you don’t take away anything today, please review tiered pricing with management, revenue managers, yield management personnel, group sales directors and anyone else that helps you determine a price for a tour group.

If you facility “gets caught” offering a lower price to a group leader and an operator finds out, the operator will not do business with you in the future. Worse yet, they tell other operators!

Tiered pricing

You have XYZ group and they use Cross County Tours coaches.

All of a sudden, you see Cross County Tours coaches at your competitor!

WHY?

Loyalty of Group Tour Customers

People do business with people they like.

People do business with people they trust.

People do business with people they know will take good care of them.

People do business with people with higher rates because they like you, trust you and know you will take good care of them!

Loyalty of Group Tour Customers

There is no need to think group tour business is low-rated business.

Sometimes businesses don’t want tour groups until they see the coach in the competitor’s parking lot.

Give a fair rate. There is no need to prostitute your house with

a low rate. There’s room for everyone. Some low rates discourage operators.

Rates/Competition

Think. Think often.

RATE INTEGRITY!

It‘s paramount in your city or everyone suffers.

Rates/Competition

If you want to get more than your market share, THINK and have management think with you.

Rates/Competition

◦There is probably a marketing plan completed every year for your company.

Rates/Competition

◦Your company has records for years and projections are made annually for the next year based on past performance.

Rates/Competition

◦ What day/night is your weakest?

◦ What are doing to prevent this from continually happening?

◦ Has it been this way for years?

◦ Has there been any focus on strengthening the weakest day/night/month?

◦ Which MONTH is the weakest? Can you offer a special deal to operators?

Rates/Competition

Challenge your management

Request a group tour rate that will capture more business during your weakest times.

Are your turnstiles not turning? Are your bedrooms not being occupied? Is your restaurant empty?

Rates/Competition

Think of it this way:

◦ If you are not busy, the motorcoaches aren’t rolling either!

◦ If those coaches are sitting on the lot, there is no money being made. They only make money when they are rolling with passengers! THEY NEED YOU AND YOU NEED THEM.

Rates/Competition

Is a motorcoach going to have difficulty getting on your property?

Have an overhang at front door? What is the height?

Are we really ready?

Do you offer complimentary motorcoach parking?

Is it secure?

Are we really ready?

Do you have a group entrance that will eliminate fifty (50+) people from entering your facility along with the general public?

Chattanooga Aquarium

Are we really ready?

Do you have adequate restroom facilities to handle the group?

Do you have a café, restaurant or “quick service” station for coffee, beverages, snacks?

Are we really ready?

Do you have wireless Internet capabilities for guests in your lobby?

Is there adequate seating when there is a lot of walking required?

Are we really ready?

Is your staff aware of what to expect and what is expected?

Is your staff hospitable? Do we need to have a crash course?

Are we really ready?

FACT: Tour operators will call for rates and availability.

FACT: Tour operators have very little time to await an answer. Call back immediately if you discover a message.

Sales Opportunities

If you are continually on the phone and miss phone calls regularly, a “hot line” would be most appreciated. This line should ring directly to you at your desk and avoid a switchboard and “ghost operators.”

Sales Opportunities

Eliminate phone calls, capture the groups and make friends.

◦ OFFER YOUR TOUR OPERATORS A YEAR-LONG RATE, based upon availability.

Sales Opportunities

An operator having a YEAR-LONG rate allows them the freedom to sell your hotel ALWAYS without having to call every time they need rooms in your area. IT WORKS!

Sales Opportunities

What sets you apart from your competitor?

Why would someone choose your facility over another?

Sales Opportunities

What is your COMP policy?◦ Be specific!

Sales Opportunities

◦ Do you offer anything special for the motorcoach driver?

◦ Should you?

Sales Opportunities

What sets YOU apart from your competitor?

What captures the imagination and excellence of your service?

What can you do to make them remember YOU?

Sales Opportunities