McKibbon Relies on Business Ethics and an Award-Winning Sales Team to Fill 65 Properties
Centralized Cloud-based Sales System Conveys Best Practices, Coordinates Cross-Market Strategies, Keeps Sales Team Performing to Plan
April 5, 2012 - McKibbon Hotel Management Inc. owner-operates or manages more than 65 properties carrying Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, and Hyatt flags. Its properties and teams are frequently recognized as industry leaders by the brands it represents. McKibbon instills and communicates its company values across a multi-state portfolio with the help of a centralized hotel sales software system that coordinates its corporate relationships.
“McKibbon bases its business on the principles of integrity, trust, and loyalty. Our relationships in our markets are founded on these ideals,” said Lynn Prater, corporate vice president of sales and marketing for McKibbon Hotel Management. “Our corporate staff and the teams at each property are instilled with these qualities.”
Since McKibbon operates numerous brands, Prater's executive team frequently identifies best practices and applies them across its entire enterprise. “Our corporate automated sales system enables us to maintain high standards at each of our properties. We use the hotel SalesPro system to standardize our accounts and coordinate processes across our hotel clusters to drive more business,” said Prater. “We develop solid corporate partnerships in all our markets and centralize each account's information in the system to deliver consistent professional service throughout our brands.”
McKibbon is a sales-driven organization whose teams spend most of their time out of the office working with accounts. “The only way to coordinate our salespeople in eight states and develop a cohesive team was to centralize our sales processes,” Prater said. “We are careful to keep leads within each flag. By managing sales centrally, there is more opportunity for success because we access availability in multiple properties for greater flexibility within our market clusters.” Prater noted that the hotel system is cloud-based so McKibbon's sales people access their accounts remotely to save time. “They always have current property availability and client account histories so they can prepare for client meetings without returning to the office. It is like having the filing cabinet in their car so they can maximize their productivity.”
McKibbon's team found that a client's corporate decision-maker in one market was often responsible for events in other markets. “Our central account profiles allow us to share leads across markets,” said Prater. “We close new business faster when we show a prior corporate relationship.”
“One reason we are successful is that we have accountability throughout our sales organization,” Prater said. “We track sales performance in real-time and have a clear understanding of goal attainment and account status. Our corporate team has the ability to review the field sales team's appointment schedules so I can verify where they are against plan to offer support.”
McKibbon worked with hotel SystemsPro to enhance its sales system's scope as the company grew its cluster strategy in multiple states. “We suggested ways to adapt the system to the sales processes we use within our clusters,” Prater said. “They upgraded their database format to meet our requirements and recently created a 'lost business' tracking tab that enables us to follow up with accounts in all our markets.”
About McKibbon
McKibbon Hotel Group, Inc., based in Gainesville, Georgia and McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc., of Tampa, Florida comprise an award-winning, privately-held company that lives and breathes the core values of integrity, trust and loyalty in the daily operations of their business. For over 50 years, its business focus has been hospitality, and McKibbon takes pride in the outstanding working relationships it has with Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Its portfolio of over 60 properties throughout the Southeastern United States includes over 40 hotels that are managed for third-party owners. McKibbon specializes in select-service brand properties, including: Courtyard by Marriott; Residence Inn by Marriott; Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott; SpringHill Suites by Marriott; TownePlace Suites by Marriott; Hilton Garden Inn; Homewood Suites by Hilton; Hampton Inn and Suites; Four Points by Sheraton; Aloft, A Vision of W Hotels; and Hyatt Place.
If you are attending the 2012 AAHOA Annual Convention and Tradeshow at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta May 2 - 5, you can meet the hotel SystemsPro team at booth 924.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
