The Sales and Marketing Division

     The sales and marketing staff in a hotel can vary from one part-time person to a dozen or more full-time employees.  These personnel typically have four functions : sales, convention services, advertising, and public relations.  The marketing arm of the division researches the marketplace, competing products, guest needs and expectations, and than develops sales action plans by which to attract guests to the property.  The primary goal of the divisions is to sell the products and services offered by the hotel.

     Housekeeping's important contribution to the primary goal of the sales and marketing division often goes unrecognized.  Successful sales departments maintain high percentages of repeat business. Exhibit 1.4 provides some data on the reasons guests have for returning to a hotel.  Note that the single most important reason a traveler returns to a hotel is the cleanliness and appearance of the property.  The data also indicate that good service is second in importance. Housekeeping staff are among the most visible hotel representatives in this regard. Therefore , an important contribution of the housekeeping staff to hotel sales is the repeat business obtained by providing the level of cleanliness and service the meets or exceeds guest expectations.