W I N T E R 2 0 0 6 • C A N A D I A N H O T E L M A R K E T I N G & S A L E S E X E C U T I V E S • T H E H O S P I T A L I T Y N E W S L E T T E R

Monika NowakSales Manager,

Courtyard by Marriott– Downtown Toronto

President, CHMSE

president’s message

Every hospitality

sales & marketingprofessional

should join CHMSE.Here’s why:1. To ensure ongoing professional growth.

2. To network with top hospitality, sales and marketing professionals.

3. To contribute to the growth of a meaningful and fulfilling profession.

If we all join together,we can create more satisfiedcustomers, greater salesand profits and a brighter futurefor everyone.

CHMSE is proud to ensure professional growththrough offering information and intelligence. Bybecoming a member or staying a member, you willgain access to our website that will link you withindustry leaders and experts. Sometimes you need toreach out to fellow salespeople for advice or industry-specific issues, and other times, you need someone totalk with that really understands what you’re upagainst. All CHMSE members receive access to themember-only directory on our website, so you can findpeople within your industry, in your local area, or evenat a potential partner company. Knowing you need toreach out for someone, and having the ability to do so,are two different challenges. With CHMSE, we facilitateaccess to the areas most important to you. In additionto our website and member directory, yourmembership includes a free subscription publicationKey Access which is circulated three times per year.Members tell us they read the newsletter cover-to-cover for its timely, industry-specific content andadvertisements, featuring new products from keysuppliers. Back issues of this informative newsletterare also available. Last but not least, CHMSE helps yougrow by offering monthly training sessions and specialevents. We partner with only the best industry speakers

mark your calendars:General Managers Night – January 18th, 2007 • Executive Development Day – March 29th, 2007

this issue:Hospitality 2010 Forecast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2WHI Update from the CTC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Time well spent! Review of Linda Richard’s Book “Sales Coaching” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

and professionals to bring you tools and practices thatwill take you over the top. The benefits of attendingone of our training sessions or special events includethe opportunity to share in the learning experiencewith participants from other companies. In addition,many potential customers attend our events. Ourtraining sessions are generally smaller in sizeproviding a first-class educational experience.

Networking is a big part ofbecoming successful.

When was the last time you had the opportunityto tap into the networks and experience of otherhospitality sales & marketing professionals in asupportive, career-enhancing environment? WithCHMSE, you’ll be welcomed and encouraged byothers who share the desire to upgrade the sales &marketing profession, help you exceed your goals,and help keep you motivated and focused on whatmatters most in your career. Whether you’re justgetting started, a seasoned veteran, or somewhere inbetween, I am confident you will benefit frommembership with CHMSE.

Become a true leader throughvolunteering.

When people give their time, energy, and heart, itis much more than just volunteering. It is aninspiration to others, and it makes an impact on anyProfession. We are looking for help, leadership andtalent from every profession in hospitality sales &marketing. When people give with pure intentions andan open heart, they truly share a part of themselves.This gift becomes much more than an instrument forthe profession, it becomes an inspiration. CHMSEprovides opportunities for volunteers to give freely,their time and talents in order to become true sales &marketing leaders. When all of these things are puttogether, it cultivates a spirit of camaraderie and givingrarely seen in the profession and long overdue. Get intouch and explore various options suitable for you!

I look forward to the continued positive growthof our association, and to seeing new faces with us thisyear. If you are interested in becoming a member orvolunteering on the Board of Directors, please visit ourwebsite at www.chmse.com or email us atinfo@chmse.com.

2

CHMSE 2006 TRAINING PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Hospitality2010Forecast

Brand: The way forward Research shows that brand innovation is a key CEO

priority into the future. As most gateway cities reachproduct saturation, brand, long held as the mostimportant value driver in consumer business, isreceiving the industry’s full attention. Changes in guestlifestyle demanding experiential stay will mean thatbrand choice, as opposed to location choice, will leadthe way in the future.

Customer loyalty will depend on the hotelier’sability to deliver the brand promise consistently at everytouch point, from reservation to post-stay. Getting it rightwill deliver sustained returns and a brand premium.Action is needed to operationalise the brand response tothe customer at every touch point, including a virtual, aswell as physical CRM strategy, and further investment inloyalty programs that recognize guest needs.

The chart below illustrates the drivers of brandvalue and its increasing sophistication into 2010.

Emerging Markets:The next big thing

The emerging markets of China, India and the GulfStates are on the radar, offering major growthopportunities for industry development. Entry andgrowth strategies should be developed that reflect theunique business, real estate and tax environments ofeach market. Given that China and India present hugepotential markets for domestic tourism, investment inproduct innovation and adaptation to local preferenceswill be necessary.

Canada hosted 117,500 Chinese tourists in 2005, a15% increase over previous years. If Canada is grantedApproved Destination Status, a tenfold increase ofChinese tourists is expected. Hotels will need to ensuretheir F&B and entertainment offerings cater to these newtravelers. Are your hotels ready to receive an influx ofChinese visitors?

Human Assets:The generation game

Baby boomers (aged 42-60) are living longer andenjoying a more active and younger outlook. Theseconsumers are brand wise, travel more and desire newexperiences in cultural and event based tourism. By2050 the world’s population will grow to around 9billion, with less than 6% of that growth coming fromdeveloped countries. The percentage of the populationaged 65 and over in Europe will increase from 15% in

2000 to nearly 25% by 2015 and increased travel by theBoomer segment will keep Europe as the number onetourism exporting region, delivering some 730 milliontravelers by 2020.

Innovation in products and market segmentationmust meet the diverse needs of the four generations. The‘one size fits all’ approach will no longer work. Thebrand persona should be defined to reflect theexpectations of the target generation, and will varyacross different regions. Operations, sales andmarketing, and service delivery must be adapted to thedifferent needs of each generational segment.

With a turnover rate of 50%, the industry needs todo a better job in attracting and retaining employees. Theageing population in many of the developed economiesmeans that, increasingly, human assets will be sourcedfrom developing countries and the industry will need toadopt new standards in HR management. The hotel of thefuture will be a micro-cosmos of generational, religious,nationality and cultural integration.

Attracting and retaining employees will require agreater focus on generational values, while performancemetrics will need to reflect the transition from assetmanager to brand owner. HR will need to reflect 2010values – including flexible working, on-site and work-from-home arrangements, and ethnic and religious integration.

Recruitment of trained talent is a challenge in theemerging markets of China, India and the Gulf States andaction is required to develop local and internationaltraining to meet the demand. With the number ofChinese tourists rising rapidly, Mandarin language skillswill be in strong demand worldwide.

Technology: Playing catch-upThe industry recognizes the need for greater

investment in technology, particularly in customerrelationship management (CRM) systems, as a means ofinfluencing customer behaviour. The airline industryleads the way, with travellers showing greater preferencefor airline miles than hotel points and making consciousdecisions to fly with the same carrier despiteinconvenient schedules. There is an opportunity to learnfrom other industries and also innovate by extendingcustomer touch-points with the brand well beyond thephysical stay.

Also key to the industry’s success will be increasedinvestment in distribution channels. Due to investment inonline business to consumer systems, a moretransparent pricing structure (with rate guarantees) andincreased penetration of Internet usage is leading to theindustry winning a greater share of the online market.With up to 23.1% of room revenue at stake inintermediary commissions, there is a lot to go for. ITinvestments must be rigorously evaluated to ensurespending is matched by greater efficiency and/orincreased RevPAR.

Deloitte’s global Tourism Hospitality & Leisure practice andNew York University have developed a joint “Vision 2010” ofthe global hospitality industry. Supported by researchincluding interviews and leading CEO’s, this vision focuseson the strategic implications of several mega-trends that areshaping the future of the hotel industry, including: brand,emerging markets, human assets and technology. RyanBrain was the presenter at CHMSE’s November 16, 2006training program.

Ryan Brain, Partner,National PracticeLeader–Tourism,

Hospitality & Leisure

2006 2010Image

Global vs. International Personality Investment Equity Valuation

Experience consistently delivered Innovation Extension / Leverage

Source: Deloitte & Touche LLP

Chart 1: Brand value drivers

C H M S E • K E Y A C C E S S • W I N T E R 2 0 0 6

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Marketing.

What this guy knows couldmean a lot to your business.

www.PoolNoodle.ca

Possibly the biggest problem in business today is thattoo many organizations have copied too many otherorganization’s best practices. That – in my never-too-humbleopinion – is a direct, non-stop, one-way route to mediocrity.

Put on your consumer hat for a second. How doyou feel when you’re on the receiving end of mediocrity?Would you be rushing back for more? Would you refer itto your colleagues, your friends or your family?

There’s an argument that says that mediocre productsand services are better than poor ones – but that doesn’tsound like an overly convincing case when it comes to theconsumer in me. Mediocrity is simply mediocre! It’sabsolutely forgettable. It’s remarkably unremarkable!

Now…take a look at your property. Take a look atyour department. Take a look at your sales andmarketing. Take a look at yourself. Is mediocrity what’son the menu at your hotel?

Want to know the future of hotels? I believe it’s avery big, very bright, very bold sign that reads “there’sno room for mediocrity around here”.

Wait…what’s that I hear? “Delivering theremarkable costs a lot of money!”

“Poppycock” I say! Listen – you’re going to buy pages of advertising in

’07 – aren’t you? It’s not going to cost a cent more foryour media space if you run a remarkable ad…right?!

And, predictably you’re going to occupy a positionin cyberspace; send out direct marketing campaigns;have meetings with your clients; host special events; anddo trade shows in ’07 too. For these efforts as well, it’snot going to cost a cent more for you to create the spaceto be remarkable…right?!

At the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel there is noroom for mediocrity. Sure, sure – you must be thinking– “with the Peninsula chain’s resources – it must beeasy to be innovative”. Let me give you a quick exampleof how the hotel is creating rooms with remarkableservice – built around unconventional ideas.

In 2002, Cornell University’s renowned School ofHotel Administration dubbed the Peninsula BeverleyHills Hotel (PBH) the Overall Best Practice Championfor an innovation that they say didn’t cost them a dime!

We’ve all suffered through the conventionalapproach to checking into a hotel after spending 10 or12 or more hours on an overseas flight. You land inyour destination at 8:00 am – desperate for a showerand some space to get horizontal.Ooops…sorry…check in isn’t until 1:00 pm. Not at thePBH. International travelers are given their room themoment they arrive – whatever time of day.

But – surely it must have been a nightmare toimplement…

My friends, there are hassles with everything. Tome, the question is, “can you build systems and changeways to eliminate the hassles and delight your guests?”For the PBH some of the maids had to come in earlier inthe morning…and leave earlier too. They also had toswitch to handheld vacuums – and not bring out the 747driven models until after 10:00 am. Other than that –PBH implemented the innovation and told the story inthe same media space…in the same trade showspace…in the same amount of cyberspace…

Work with your team – work with your agency –and deliver the remarkable. Remarkable is memorable.Remarkable is a sixth sense. You can’t quite describeit…but you know it when you experience it. Remarkableis also a culture. You can’t teach it. But – you can lead itby providing fertile ground so that remarkable cangrow…for your guests, for your teams and for yourindustry.

Step out of doing the same old things, the same oldways. Step into the remarkable.

theadlibgroup has been developing results-oriented, award-winning marketing and communications since 1985.Michael Abramson is president of theadlibgroup.theadlibgroup@theadlibgroup.comPhone: 416-447-9686, Toll Free: 1-800-467-7531,Fax: 416-447-4034

No room for mediocrity By Michael Abramson

4

Are you too busy to be

productive?Why customers shouldn’t be your first priorityInfluence with Ease Column by Jeff Mowatt

Let’s be frank – if you work for a company, thenyour primary goal is to make money. Period. You mayhave secondary goals to serve the interests of yourcustomers, employees, and be a good corporate citizen,but your number one priority is strictly return oninvestment. Profit.

When I speak at conventions and meetings on howto boost profits through customer retention, I often findthat business owners and managers don’t have theirpriorities straight. The result is they lose customerloyalty, face increasing operating costs, scramble toreplace staff turnover, and struggle just to keep up to thecompetition. They may work hard and think positively,but their impact is marginal.

On the other hand, by simply realigning theirpriorities managers can lead their company ordepartment in a way that builds customer and staffloyalty, reduces operating costs, makes more money, andserves as a model corporate citizen. You won’t have towork any harder; just smarter. To find out how, answerthe following questions according to your currentpractices. Then read the accompanying suggestion forthe best way to optimize your time and effectiveness.

What is normally your first task ofthe day?

a) returning phone calls b) administrative paperwork c) work on strategic projects d) dealing with customers e) responding to employee requests Your first priority of the day should be c) working

on strategic projects designed to prevent problems andincrease profits. Typically however, managers put offstrategic work to do other work that has a deadline.They confuse urgency with importance.

It’s always easy to put off work that’s strategic innature because the deadline is usually non-existent ornot urgent, and strategic work requires something manyof us prefer to avoid – thinking. The problem is that ifyou continually put off projects designed to increaseprofits or reduce problems, then you end up havingmore crises to deal with. So you get caught in the viciouscycle of crisis management.

“A lot of managers and business-owners secretlylove putting out fires because it makes them feel likeheroes. In fact, they live in a fools paradise; treatingsymptoms every day rather than curing the disease.”

Doing strategic project for the first 1 to 1.5 hoursof your day puts you in proactive mindset. Even thoughcrises may spring up during the day, at least you have thecomfort of knowing you’re doing something to preventthese problems from reoccurring. In other words, doingstrategic project work gives you a sense control and afeeling that that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I speak at seminars about the hour and ahalf of uninterrupted strategic project work, I often heara chorus of protests from the audience. People talkabout the emergencies that require their attention. Thetruth is, unless you work in emergencyservices, there is almost noproblem or “crisis” or customerrequest that can’t be handled bysomeone else in the organization,or wait a mere hour and a half foryour personal attention. Realistically,you’ll accomplish more in that hour and a half ofstrategic project work than the other 7 hours of crisismanagement combined.

Jeff Mowatt,International Speakerand Customer Service

Strategist

Of your major project work, which doyou typically work on first?

a) the one with the most pressing deadline b) the one that’s the easiest to do quickly c) the one that will generate the most profits over

the long term Obviously, you should work on c) the project that

will generate the most profits over the long term. That’swhat you’re in business for. Ironically, most managersdon’t do it. They react to deadlines – submitting to thetyranny of the urgent. It’s fine to work on projects withurgent deadlines, but at least spend the first hour on thelong term profit project, then work on the other projectswith the urgent deadlines.

Administrative activities are some ofthe most important tasks as amanager.

a) true b) false Answer: b) false. Adminis-trivia is the day-to-day

organizing of money (cash flow), manpower(scheduling) and machinery (inventory). It’s thetedious, mindless reporting and paperwork that simplyhas to be done. And it’s the lowest form of work for anymanager. It should be automated, delegated or

outsourced. If you are doing this work yourself, you area clerk – not a leader.

The path of least resistanceThe problem is that adminis-trivia is seductive

because it’s easy to do and it usually has a deadline.Ditto for dealing with customer requests that should behandled by your employees. They are paths of leastresistance. Long term strategic project work, on theother hand, requires concentration, vision, and rarelyhas an immediate deadline. A classic example isdeveloping an ongoing staff-training program. You canput it off indefinitely and still look busy doingpaperwork. The consequences are that the rest of yourday is spent in crises management because your frontline staff isn’t properly trained.

The bottom line is that to be an effective manager,you don’t have to be the most intelligent, the mostenthusiastic, or even the hardest worker. You simpleneed to learn how to organize your working day so thatyou’re less busy and more productive.

This article is based on the critically acclaimed bookBecoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, byinternational speaker and customer service strategist,Jeff Mowatt. To obtain your own copy of his book or toinquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visitwww.jeffmowatt.com or call 1.800.JMowatt (566.9288).

C H M S E • K E Y A C C E S S • W I N T E R 2 0 0 6

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By the staff at The Canadian Tourism Commission

When the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative(WHTI) is fully implemented by the Government of theUnited States, Americans returning home from anyinternational destination including Canada will need toshow a passport or a yet-to-be-fully-defined secure traveldocument. Studies show this legislation will have animpact on tourism from the US to Canada; a recent studyby the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) shows thatonly 34% of the US population has a passport.

The impact on tourism could be severe, given thatthe US is our biggest international tourism market. Arecently released Industry Canada study projects theWHTI could result in a loss of over 14 million inboundtrips from the US and a loss of $3.6 billion in tourismreceipts between 2005 and 2010.

There are mitigating factors. Market researchshows that many Americans see Canada as a dreamdestination. “Every year, more than 14 million Americanschoose Canada as their preferred place for overnighttravel,” says CTC president and CEO Michele McKenzie.“Canada is a place where travellers can createextraordinary personal experiences, and getting apassport might well be understood by many visitors –particularly high-yield travellers from longer-haul USmarkets - as part of the excitement of coming here.”

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) hasbeen actively preparing the US market for the WHTI, andwas the first Canadian organization to commission a

study into its potential impacts. Like the one publishedrecently by Industry Canada, it points to some heavylosses for Canadian tourism through and beyond theimplementation stages of WHTI. To mitigate theseimpacts, the CTC is ramping up its strategy to attracthigh-yield travellers, targeting US consumers who willgenerate the greatest return on investment for Canada.

In addition, an informal partnership with theUnited States Postal Service (USPS) focuses on customerservice to help Americans apply for a passport. The CTCworks with USPS to provide US consumers attendingtravel shows with information about the passportapplication process and the opportunity to have theirpassport pictures taken.

“We are applying an integrated marketing strategyto target US consumers,” says McKenzie, “ The U.S.customer we focus on is more likely to carry apassport.” The core of the current US campaign focusesprimarily on high-yield markets like Boston, New Yorkand Los Angeles, along with niche markets like ski andluxury lifestyle. “We are refining our US approach tomaximize our reach with partners for 2007, based onour CTC and industry research intelligence.”

About the author: TOURISM publications are a serviceprovided by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Tosubscribe to TOURISM Daily News, access TOURISM Online,or to receive the print version of TOURISM magazine,contact tourism@ctc-cct.ca .

Some currentborder facts:• Americans and permanent residents of the US

do not currently require a passport or visa toenter Canada. All that is needed are traveldocuments proving identity, and proving UScitizenship or permanent residency.

• After January 8, 2007, the US government willrequire all US citizens and permanentresidents leaving the country or returning tothe US by air to carry a valid US passport (orother secure travel document such as aNEXUS Air card when used at a NEXUS Airkiosk).

• It is anticipated that - as of January 1, 2008 -US citizens travelling between the US andCanada by land or sea (including ferries),may be required to present a valid USpassport or other documents as determinedby the Department of Homeland Security.

• When WHTI is fully implemented, Americansreturning home from any internationaldestination will need to show a passport orother secure travel document.

WHTIwill changehow we do

business!

6

Michael Agema – Georgian College, Bryan Hunt – Georgian Collegeand Helen Lightfoot – Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Toronto.

Vinita Borrison– CN Tower.

Wendy Chant – Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown andPaul Araujo – George Brown College. Robert Babcock – AV-Canada and Adam Robinson – Robinson Sow Services.

Thanks to the Meeting and Travel Group, CHMSE enjoyed the opportunity to have a booth at IncentiveWorks in August2006. Immediate Past President Linda Stott is speaking about the benefits of having a CHMSE membership.

CHMSE would also like to thank AV Canada and Freeman for display support.

CHMSE ev

C H M S E • K E Y A C C E S S • W I N T E R 2 0 0 6

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Andrea Wallace – Meeting & Incentive Travel Magazine andMary Ann Gamboa – Radisson Admiral Hotel, Toronto Harbourfront.

Mila Campian and Robert Francis – Town Inn Suites. Florence Liberski, Catering Sales Manager – Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Toronto andSpeaker Beverly Beuermann-King.

Tanjia Neri, Sales manager – Marriott Canadian Sales Office and NehaSingh, Sales Manager – Marriott Canadian Sales Office.

Former CHMSE VP ofCommunications. Julie Wigginsmeets Justin Trudeau atIncentiveWorks.

vents 2006

8

The difficulty behind the negative attitudes andbehaviors of our customers is that they are highly“toxic” to our staff. Dealing with these type of customerscan make us feel grouchy, out-of-control and can rattlestaff to the point where they may quit.

It takes a lot of energy to be positive, to keepthings in perspective and to actively fend off this toxiceffect. As a leader there are several steps that you cantake to ensure that your staff can effectively handle thebest and the worst of these customers.

Follow these tips to reduce theimpact of negative attitudes andensure a healthy, happy staff:1. Discuss the types of customers that you may

encounter ahead of time. What are some of thecommon complaints that your staff may face? Sharepast experiences and horror stories with each otherand prepare answers/solutions ahead of time.Preparation allows your staff to feel more confident indealing with these difficult customers so they do notabsorb the negativity.

2. Teach your staff how to keep their composure, beassertive and know exactly what it is they want tocommunicate. Help them to get comfortable withthose customers who need to vent and expressthemselves, without tolerating abuse.

3. Help your customer feel more in control. Start withyour body language. Have you ever been in a hurryand talked without looking directly at the otherperson? What message does that convey? Talk to yourstaff about the importance of facing the person,making eye contact and being in the moment. Treateach person as if they are all that matters and helpthem problem solve their difficulties. Remind yourstaff that the disgruntled will find it hard lash out atsomeone who makes them feel special.

4. Take a walk. What does the atmosphere convey?Is it comfortable, peaceful and engaging or chaotic,noisy and crowded? Though the “extras” may seemunnecessary in accomplishing the business of theday, to mitigate the incidence of difficult behaviorsand negative attitudes, make your workplace avisual, auditory and aromatic haven in the customer’shectic day.

5. Dealing with difficult people requires extra energyand focus. It is essential that your staff take care ofthemselves. Ensure that they are taking frequent andadequate breaks. Encourage them to eat properly tocontrol mood swings and to feel more energetic, aswell as cut out caffeine, which heightens ourresponses and makes us more sensitive to thosearound us. Help them to lighten up and have fun.Create an environment that your staff wants to return

to, not one that they are dreading or a place wherethey are just putting in time.

As a leader, you play a very important role inpreventing customer negativity from rattling your staff.Empower your staff by helping them problem solvevarious scenarios, provide a calming and respectfulenvironment for your customer and your staff,encourage healthy practices in the workplace anddevelop a sense of fun. By using these simple tips,you may be able to diminish the difficult behaviorspresented by your customers and reduce the toxicimpact on your staff.

Stress and wellness specialist, Beverly Beuermann-Kingtranslates current research and best practices informationinto a realistic, accessible and practical approach throughher dynamic stress and wellness workshops, on-line articles,e-newsletters and media interviews and most recentlythrough a recently published collaboration called AwakeningThe Workplace. Visit www.WorkSmartLiveSmart.com formore on Beverly and her wellness work. Beverly Beuermann-King was a recent guest speaker at the CHMSE Toronto AGM.Her Stress Busters keynote was described as ‘Awesome’, ‘Agreat reality check’, and a ‘Reminder of what is importantin life’. Beverly offers all CHMSE members a freesubscription to her e-newsletter on best practices inemployee wellness and a free magazine called ‘Speaking OfIMPACT’ sponsored by the Canadian Association OfProfessional Speakers. For more information on these,please email Beverly at info@WorkSmartLiveSmart.com.

With the busyChristmas season

fast approachinghow can I ensure that

irate customers don’t

rattle my staffin a detrimental way?

Negative attitudes and behaviors are usually expressed when our customers are

stressed out or they just don’t have the energy to use better communication skills,

judgment and manners. Being stressed out is chronic in today’s society, especially

during the busy Christmas season. We often have too much to do, too many

decisions to make and are usually running behind schedule.

BeverlyBeuermann-King

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10

CHMSE Student Membership for a year = $50

Monthly CHMSE Training and Dinner Events = $18

TheOpportunitiesfor students

who join CHMSE =Priceless

Andrew MieleDirector of Students,

CHMSE

Networking to moststudents is a foreignactivity. Be it sheernerves of having toshake hands with a GMor manager, logistics ofgetting to the meetingsor being on a studentbudget, networking isnot on the top of mostHospitality Students’lists these days.

into the group and from there on I would take a veryproactive approach to my career, and involvement with theinner working of the association.

A short three months of being a member ofCHMSE, my career would take an unexpected move forthe better. A CHMSE presentation by Ryan Brain, Leaderof Deloitte & Touche’s Tourism Consulting Practice onthe Tourism Trends impacting the Canadian industry leftme wondering, how could I get into that business?Knowing I enjoyed consulting, I gave Ryan a call a fewweeks after his presentation, and sure enough this pastsummer, I spent my co-op as an analyst under Ryan inCanada’s biggest professional services firm. Already onlya few months into my membership, not only have I metgreat people but I landed a great job by networking withthis high level speaker. I surely thought it could not beany more rewarding than this…of course I was wrong.In January of 2006, I expressed interest in wanting to

help the association and board of directors with theoperations of the association. As luck would have it, Iended up having this conversation with the nowPresident and at the time president elect of CHMSE, atthe “General Manager’s Night”. The opportunitiesliterally seemed endless! As a result of that conversation,this past September I was nominated to the Board asDirector of Students.

To any student wishing to pursue a career in theTourism and Hospitality Industry, I strongly encourageyou to consider affiliating yourself with an associationsuch as CHMSE. It may seem intimidating, or you maythink you cannot afford it, when the fact of the matteris… you can’t afford not to! If you have any questionsabout student membership opportunities or would justlike some advice on networking and the kinds ofopportunities you have available, please do not hesitateto contact me at Andrew_miele@sympatico.ca.

A year ago this past October,my relationship with CHMSE began.When I look back at the path ofgetting there to where I am today, I can only shake myhead in astonishment at how life takes you down somany different roads in such a short period of time.

I was in the shoes of most hospitality studentsbefore joining the association. In my third year of theHospitality Degree at Niagara College, and still with no ideawhat path I wanted my career to go in, I had a chat with aformer colleague that would take my personal andprofessional career on a road trip. This former colleague,a graduate of Ryerson’s Tourism program, mentioned anassociation out of Toronto called CHMSE. With enoughinterest sparked from that conversation I decided to hopon the internet for a deeper investigation. With someinteresting events planned, and a very reasonable price forstudents ($50 for the year, and $18 for eachtraining/dinner event) I decided to take a shot and registermyself with the association, with the thought in mind, thatif nothing else I would walk away with a great meal once amonth for only $18! I was skeptical at first, be it nerves orthe hour and a half drive I had to make from Niagara, but Iquickly felt welcome by a great group of Hotel Sales andMarketing professionals from various hotels across theGTA. Admittedly intimated, it did not take long for me to fit

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Sales Coaching Linda Richardson (McGraw-Hill:125 pages)

timewellspent

reviews of books, CD’s and DVD’s that canhelp make you

a more effective sales person

“Sales Coaching” is a business text and reference tool that will provide managerswith the detailed guidelines required for setting up a sales coaching program. Here iswhere you’ll find sales-specific case studies, scripts and checklists.

Linda Richardson teaches sales management at the prestigious Wharton ExecutiveDevelopment Centre at the University of Pennsylvania. She has authored a series ofmanagement texts including “Selling by Phone”, “Stop Telling”, “Start Selling andWinning Group Sales Presentations”. While references to her personal businessexperiences in the book are limited to her tenure as a principal in the New Yorkschool system, this is misleading as her consulting and research backgroundcontribute to her status as an expert in the field of sales. She draws on this experience,providing case studies and examples that clearly illustrate each element she presents.

Richardson takes the role of the traditional boss/manager with a top down,manager-as-expert approach and contrasts it with the coaching approach used bysuccessful leaders today. She identifies the primary objective of coaching as creating awork force that has the confidence, knowledge and skills necessary to identifyproblems and develop appropriate solutions without having to receive instructionsfrom their manager. If old leadership focused on control, new leadership is directedtowards empowering.

Despite the fact that “employee empowerment” is so overused that it has becomewhite noise in the corporate environment, it can not be denied that companies witheffective coaching programs have a significant advantage over their competitors. “SalesCoaching” will guide managers towards inspiring employees rather than instructingthem. This book covers one-on-one coaching, coaching during meetings, self-coaching and team coaching. The case studies look at conversations that have beenwitnessed during team sales calls, and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of thesecalls. Suggested scripts are put forward that will help the reader identify keyapproaches that will enhance his or her own coaching program. Richardson dealshead on with the issue of coaching in an environment where coaching is notformalized and is possibly not even recognized or encouraged; a situation all toofamiliar in corporate Canada. Her message is that anyone can be a coach and anyonecan be coached. The defining factor that contributes to success is the attitude of thoseinvolved.

The coaching tools at the back of the book are an excellent resource. Theyinclude a Coach’s Self–Critique, Consultative Coaching Model, Coaching Planner andSales Critique Checklist, to name a few. This book is a thorough primer for anyone whowants to make the move from sales manager to sales coach.

Leslie Anne Palamar, Principal of BTE Marketing and Sales Solutions, provides customizedsales training for tourism organizations. Please visit www.btemarketing.com for furtherinformation.

L.A. Palamar,Principal of BTE

Marketing and SalesSolutions

12

Winter 2006 IssueKey Access is produced three times yearly

by the Canadian Hotel Marketing

and Sales Executives,

26 Avonhurst Rd.,

Toronto, Ontario M9A 2G8

Telephone: (416) 252-9800

E-mail: info@chmse.com

Editor: Amanda Zappia

Layout/Production: theadlibgroup

We reserve the right to edit for space.

C H M S E • K E Y A C C E S S • W I N T E R 2 0 0 6

welcome

newmembers

hotel membersMary Grace FranchinoDelta Chelsea Hotel

Robert FrancisTown Inn Suites

Stephanie HofmannAtlific Hotels & Resorts

Sudheer JoshiDelta Toronto East

Allen MorganSpencer Leadership Centre

Katherine TorresDelta Hotels

Susan ShackletonDays Hotel & Conference Centre

Toronto Downtown

Caroline TomHilton Garden Inn Toronto/Mississauga

affiliate membersHeather HeagneyMariposa Cruises

We have had an

incredible startto our year of

trainingprograms!

As a new member of CHMSE, and the Director of Programs for 2006/2007, it has beena whirlwind of a ride. We have had terrific speakers, fantastic host locations and a lotof fun. As we start a new year, I will be busy finding new and exciting things to offerto you, our members for the 2007/2008 year.

Below you will find a recap of our training programs for September, October and November 2006. See you atour next event: General Managers Night at the Sheraton Centre Toronto!!

September 2006 – Four Points by Sheraton Toronto AirportWe started our year with our Annual General Meeting and learned how to keep a cool head in times of stress.

Our members learned ways to relax and stretch our minds and bodies to deal with the stress that we are dealt withon a daily basis in our workplace.

October 2006 – Medieval TimesNext we focused on ways to keep our team morale high in times of trouble. Our members learned that positive

actions reap positive results. Our guest speaker took us through ways to sell positively to gain positive results. Weenjoyed a humorous and educational morale boost that will carry us through our lowest seasons.

November 2006 – Novotel Toronto CentreOur last program of 2006 centered on the trends impacting the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. Our guest

speaker showed us how our industry is changing in very dramatic ways and what it will look like in 2010. Ourmembers learned about the changing demographics of travelers, the impact of brand imaging, as well as the up andcoming competitive destinations.

Leanne NichollSales Manager,

Radisson AdmiralHotel Director of

Programs, CHMSE

CHMSE’sGeneral Managers Night 2007…Sponsorship

Opportunity!General Managers Night remains the best live opportunity to reach hotel decision-makers with a message,

while also sending a message to the industry about your support of this professional association.The benefits of sponsorship are tangible and substantial. No other industry association can offer the profilethat CHMSE can. Sponsors are exposed to over 500 hospitality industry professionals in key target markets,

through promotional materials and advertising. The return on investment has never been better!

The event will take place on Thursday, January 18, 2007at the renowned Sheraton Toronto Centre Hotel.

For more information on the event or becoming a sponsor, please visitwww.chmse.com or contact us at info@chmse.com.