I am lucky that I get to do exactly what I want to do as my job. Great fortune and a ton of hard work has allowed me the opportunity to work with some amazingly talented people. My great team lets me lead them, or at least keeps me on the straight and narrow as we attempt to serve many of the most progressive entertainment facilities in North America.
In conjunction with all of that luck and fortune, I continue to study leadership daily. None of us can know everything. Every day, every person, every opportunity is new. The story that I’m itching to tell this week is one that comes from a super star sales gal that we get to work with from Kalamazoo, MI. It is such a joy to watch people grow.
I hope you’ll enjoy Marcy’s ability to notice opportunity and take advantage of each minute (even when the day has come to an end!).
Here’s a little story in the life of a party planner.
Last week, I was waiting on the company that bought us out to bring their banners to me and explain where they would like them hung. I just so happened to need to leave at 5:30 pm due to childcare and told the representative so, but she arrived at 5:27pm and we went over things. It was 5:55 pm and I was literally running out of my office when two gentlemen wearing baseball jerseys came into my office, “hey, do you have a minute?” It was all I could do from stopping my eyes roll back in my head but I said, “I was about to leave but OF COURSE I have a minute. How can I help you?”
They proceeded to tell me that they were with a youth baseball team staying at a hotel down the street and wanted to see what we had to offer. With my babysitter calling on my cellphone, I said, “let me tell my babysitter I need a few minutes and I’ll show ya around.” After I showed them around, and gave them our catering menu- they were convinced. They sent the Team Dad in the next morning and he told me that they had $50 per kid that the league had given them. I sold them a taco bar and 3 hour wristband with go karts for $50 per kid!! (20 kids) And then I sold them 28 taco bar only for the parents and siblings at $11.25 per person including tax and tip. That extra minute ended up being worth over $1200.00 !!! I got home at 6:30 pm but was dancing on clouds – and lucky my babysitter was my friend and could give me a few extra minutes 🙂
Then, I went to several hotels on Friday to speak with the front desk and make sure they had our rack cards, etc and asked them to refer us to their guests. Jessica told me that a baseball team with 30 people came in right after the Getman party was over, and this was a DIFFERENT group than the scheduled baseball team!! Woo-hoo!
The Courtyard at Marriott asked about sending parties of 10, 15, and 20 over for just dinner reservations as they get lots of groups in that don’t want to wait at Applebee’s or Bennigan’s or can’t get sat all together at other restaurants. So I am working on a referral system with this hotel.
Marcy Killduff
We want to celebrate with you too!
