Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Manager - Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile

As a Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Manager at Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, your primary responsibilities include managing local and national business travel accounts, exceeding revenue goals through strategic relationships, and ensuring flawless service delivery. You will also build meaningful connections with clients, leverage your extensive property knowledge, and implement initiatives aimed at driving market share and revenue growth.

To qualify for the Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Manager position at Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, candidates should have at least three years of experience in a luxury hotel environment, particularly within the dynamic Chicago market. Strong communication, negotiation, and time management skills, as well as a proven ability to anticipate client needs and build strategic relationships, are essential for success in this role.

Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile supports its Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Managers through a culture of collaboration and empowerment. You will be part of a dedicated team that values individual contributions, offers extensive career development opportunities within Accor, and provides competitive benefits including comprehensive health coverage, a retirement savings program, paid time off, and employee perks that include exclusive room rate discounts at all Accor properties.

Essential skills for a successful Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Manager at Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile include excellent communication to engage clients, strong negotiation abilities to close deals, strategic thinking to identify business opportunities, and exceptional time management to balance multiple accounts and initiatives while ensuring an outstanding customer experience.

The Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile offers a unique workplace for a Senior Business Travel & Leisure Sales Manager due to its luxurious environment that reflects the French 'art de vivre'. The hotel's stunning architecture and its location in the heart of Chicago create an inspiring backdrop for your work while the emphasis on individuality and teamwork fosters a supportive and enriching atmosphere.

In answering this question, outline a specific business strategy you used, the goals you aimed for, and the steps you took to implement it. Highlight the positive results and any feedback received from clients, emphasizing your strategic thinking and initiative.

When answering, focus on your methods for establishing trust and understanding client needs. Provide examples of how you’ve built relationships and how those connections turned into successful business opportunities.

Share specific negotiation techniques you’ve employed, such as understanding the other party's needs, creating win-win scenarios, and maintaining open communication. Discuss how these techniques have led to successful outcomes in previous roles.

Explain your organizational strategies, tools, and time management techniques that help you keep track of various accounts. Providing examples of past successes will reinforce your capabilities and attention to detail.

Describe a specific scenario where you successfully exceeded revenue expectations. Highlight the strategies you employed to achieve this and the impact it had on your team and the company.

Discuss your proactive approach to understanding client preferences and the importance of regular communication. Provide an example of how your anticipation positively affected a client's experience.

Talk about your conflict resolution style, focusing on empathy, active listening, and collaboration. Sharing an instance where you successfully resolved a conflict will demonstrate your approach in action.

Discuss the trends you’ve observed, such as the increasing importance of sustainable travel and technology integration in the booking process. Offer your insights on how these could impact your role and strategies at Sofitel.

Explain the metrics you use to measure success, such as revenue growth, client retention rates, and satisfaction surveys. Discuss how you adapt your strategies based on this feedback.

Articulate your passion for the luxury hospitality industry and how Sofitel’s brand values resonate with you. Discuss your excitement about contributing to the team’s success and creating memorable experiences for guests.