Delaying the automation of your sales and catering operations might seem harmless, but it could be a costly mistake in the fast-paced Hospitality Sales industry. Waiting now means risking falling behind and struggling to catch up later. Early adopters of Sales & Catering systems are already reaping the benefits, gaining a significant edge over their manual counterparts. They effectively manage sales tasks and understand their clients better, a crucial factor for crafting well-timed, personalized interactions. In the end, they build and manage their sales strategies more intelligently, creating robust defenses against competitors that could reshape the market in their favor.
Envision a scenario where routine tasks are automated, freeing up your time and resources. According to the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), almost one-third of sales and sales operations tasks can be automated with current technology. This underscores the extensive opportunities that automation offers to hospitality group sales.
Will future sales departments be fully automated? MGI’s research suggests otherwise, particularly in the sales domain. Instead, the future will involve a blend of human and machine collaboration for exceptional customer service. Companies should view automation not as a replacement for their sales teams but as a potent tool to alleviate the burden of low-value tasks, enhancing the productivity of their sales force.
So, the burning question is—will hotel sales jobs be fully automated in the future? Absolutely not. The future of sales resides in the synergy between humans and technology, working together to serve guests optimally. Automation should not be seen as a replacement for skilled sales professionals but as a valuable asset that eliminates low-value tasks and boosts efficiency.
Research indicates that sales professionals only spend 28% of their workweek genuinely engaging in sales. The rest of their time is consumed by necessary but time-consuming tasks like sorting leads, understanding prospect information, and logging sales data. Employing sales automation for these tasks while gathering essential client data enables sellers to focus more on engagement selling.
Every interaction with a customer generates valuable data, including emails, discussions, and pending contracts. Instead of manually recording these details, sales automation does it for you. It collects vital data, such as suggested meeting times, pricing details, and new contacts, and updates customer records automatically. This ensures that every time you access a customer’s record, the data is current and reliable.
Concerned about data scattered across multiple software? Sales automation effortlessly synchronizes information across various platforms, saving representatives the tedious task of updating each application separately. If a customer interacts with you on one platform, their updates are captured across all others, preventing communication gaps.
Why we need to automate sales
Implementing sales automation tools allows staff to close more deals without losing the personal touch provided by human interaction.
A study by McKinsey supports this, showing a strong link between a sales rep’s time with customers and their productivity. The study found that top-performing reps spend 20 to 25 percent more time with customers than their less successful peers. Automating tasks not directly related to customer interaction frees up valuable time for reps. This includes duties like identifying potential deals, preparing for negotiations, and, most importantly, interacting with customers.
It’s notable that only 34% of a typical salesperson’s working hours are dedicated to actual sales, with the rest occupied by administrative tasks such as:
- Inputting data
- Attending internal meetings
- Composing emails
- Onboarding and training
- Scheduling meetings
- Finding and researching leads
- Studying sales techniques and staying updated with industry news
The human and the machine
Global consultancy firm Gartner’s research found that companies using sales automation technology could boost their deal-closing rates by 25%, increase sales personnel productivity by 50%, and cut sales costs by 20%.
The key advantages for hotels group sales include:
- Time-saving: Automation handles routine tasks like data entry and lead follow-ups, allowing your sales team to focus more on closing deals.
- Better Customer Interaction: Automated follow-ups and personalized marketing enable more effective customer engagement.
- Informed Decision-making: Sales automation provides valuable data and analytical tools, aiding in making more informed business decisions.
- Brand Consistency: Automation ensures that all customer interactions follow consistent processes, maintaining a high service standard.
In an industry where expectations are high and resources are often stretched, using sales and catering technology with automation is essential. Automating routine tasks, improving customer interactions, helping in decision-making, and ensuring uniformity across operations allows your team to focus on what truly matters—delivering great service and closing deals. The right sales and catering solution with powerful automation capabilities becomes a tool that streamlines workflow and opens new growth opportunities. As you think about the future of your hospitality sales strategy, adopting these technologies could be the key to staying ahead in a tough market.
Are you ready to explore a more cost-effective option with no worries about extra fees or yearly rate increases? Visit salesandcatering.com to find out why so many hoteliers like you are switching to STS Cloud.
