Chapter 10
The Service
Function
Convention Management
and Service
Eighth Edition
(478TXT or 478CIN)
© 2011, Educational Institute
Competencies for
The Service Function
1. Describe the importance of serving convention groups
well, and discuss who should coordinate hotel service
to groups.
2. Describe the duties and responsibilities of a
convention service manager.
3. Describe the duties and responsibilities of various
convention service staff positions, and outline the
responsibilities of convention service managers at
convention and visitors bureaus.
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Competencies for
The Service Function
(continued)
4. Identify issues related to the transfer of responsibility
for servicing a group account from a hotel salesperson
to the convention service manager.
5. Describe the role of the convention service manager
in meeting planning, execution, and evaluation.
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Critical Importance of the
Service Function
• Once business has been booked, it is essential to
deliver what was promised
• Satisfied meeting planners and delegates are the
best and most economical advertising medium
• Satisfied meeting planners are obviously more
likely to provide repeat business
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Servicing Small Meetings
• Marriott’s research found the majority of its
properties relied on small meetings
• Planners of small meetings look for a single
hotel contact
• Marriott created a one-stop source for these
planners—Executive Meeting Manager
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Servicing Small Meetings
(continued)
• Other chains followed suit:
Hyatt: Hyatt Meeting Connection Manager
Hilton: Hilton Direct
Sheraton: Sheraton’s One-Stop Program
Renaissance: Meetings Express
Westin: Westin’s One Call
Omni: Omni Express
Wyndham: Wyndham One
•
This is an ideal entry position for college graduates
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© 2011, Educational Institute
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Considerations for Deciding
Who Should Service
• Efficient use of sales staff’s time
• Adequate attention to the service needs of groups
• Clear lines of communication between meeting
planner and hotel staff
• Service function must be able to deliver what sales
function promises
• Best to separate sales and service if size of hotel
justifies hiring a CSM
• Sales function must know capabilities of service
function
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Convention Service Manager (CSM)
• Other titles: conference coordinator, convention
coordinator, convention manager, service manager
• Handles meeting group’s planned and unforeseen needs
• The one person who can make or break a conference
• The main communication link between meeting planner
and hotel
• Should not only have the responsibility but also the
authority for getting the job done
• Reports to GM, director of convention service, or
director of sales
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Convention Service Manager (CSM)
(continued)
• Increasingly being given hotel executive
committee status
• May oversee line departments
• Works long hours
• May receive gratuities or perks
• Becoming a CSM: through banquet or front
office departments
• May advance to convention sales or to resident
manager
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Industry Recognition for CSMs
• Successful Meetings magazine annually awards
“The Convention Service Manager of the Year”
• CSMs have their own organization: the
Association of Convention Operations
Management (ACOM)
• CSMs may join PCMA and many are Certified
Meeting Professionals (CMPs)
• Loews Hotels have given all of their CSMs
executive committee status
• Most chains now have corporate directors of
convention services
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Convention Service Staff
Director of convention services
• Reports to director of sales or GM
• Oversees, trains, and assists all others in department
Convention service manager
• Main link between meeting planner and hotel
Convention coordinator
• Entry-level in convention services
• Services small meetings and assists CSM(s)
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Convention Service Staff
(continued)
Floor manager
• Oversees housepersons
• Responsible for service and setup of function
rooms and F&B functions
Housepersons (setup crew)
Director of exhibit service
Function book clerk
• Works with CSM, sales staff, and catering
Convention service secretary
• Performs secretarial duties for convention
service department
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CSMs at Convention Bureaus
• Acts as an extension of the meeting staff in the host city
• Works throughout the community to coordinate
services needed by meeting planners
• Most of the work is completed before the convention
checks into the city
• After the meeting, the bureau’s CSM prepares a postconvention evaluation and a hotel guestroom pickup
report
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Factors in Deciding When to Transfer
Responsibility for Planner
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Meeting planner’s preference
•
Size of meeting
•
Type of meeting
•
Amount of lead time
•
Trust
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The Four Common Times
for the Transfer
1. During site inspection
2. Right before the contract is signed
3. Immediately after the point of sale
4. One year before the meeting
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Overview of CSM’s Role
Step 1: File review
Step 2: Letter of introduction sent; first details to CSM
Step 3: Tracing
Step 4: Personal interview between CSM and planner
Step 5: Monthly preconvention meetings
Step 6: Precon meeting 2–3 days before event;
includes planner
Step 7: During event, CSM reviews setups before
each function
Step 8: Post-convention meeting
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