Collaborating with Conferences

By Kevin Reading and Merrill

MarkerMay 31, 2015

Overview

• Where we were• Establishment of a Hospitality Services

Department• Building the right Conference Service

Team• Establishing Partnerships•Campus Connections•External• Hospitality Marketing• Where we are now

Where we were: Summer 2010

Housing Revenue $-

$0.43

$0.85

$1.28

$1.70

$2.13

$1.66

$1.39

$1.11 200820092010

Bed Nights0

9000

18000

27000

36000

45000

3545433870

28210

200820092010

In Millions

Establishment of Hospitality Services

• Establishing of Hospitality Services within Auxiliary Services

• Conference Services (Student Affairs)• USD Catering (Business Services)• La Gran Terraza Restaurant (Business Services)

• Hiring New Positions• Director of Hospitality Services• Catering Sales Coordinator*

- USD Catering- La Gran Terraza Restaurant

Why Hospitality Services

By combining Conference Services and Catering we are able to make business decision based on the overall value of a program to the University as opposed to individual departments. This applies beyond Conference Services and Catering.

Goal of Hospitality Services:

• Drive Revenue unrelated to Students

Building the Right Team: Conference Services

• Build a Sales Focused Team•“One stop” experience for the guest•Sales through service

• Management•Director of Conference Services (FT)•Operations Manager (FT)•Office Manager (Dining Manager Summer Only)

• Student Staff (Seasonal)•20-25 Staff•Specific Job responsibility•Housing•Dining•Billing•Meeting

Establishing Partnerships: Campus Connections

• Partner with non-sales people•Attend trade shows/conferences together•Assist with staffing trade show booths•Offer to host a pre-planning meeting•Assist with Campus Tours

• Assist Independent Venues in Selling Space•Understand their needs•Respect the efforts they have made•Initiate the concept of compromise•Everyone gives a little

•Offer Sales and Marketing Support

Establishing Partnerships: Campus Connections

• Offer centralized billing•Convenient for clients•Convenient for campus

• Work with central scheduling to relocate internal programs freeing up conference space

• Become known on campus•Volunteer for Committees and Special Projects•Ensure campus knows the overall value of Conference Services•Impacts more than housing and dining

•Do favors where you can

Establishing Partnerships: Campus Connections

• Enlist the aid of non-traditional partners•Public Safety•Facilities•The Immaculata

Establishing Partnerships: Campus Connections

• Specific Department Connections• Athletics• Professional and Continuing Education

• Partner to develop programs with an educational component

• KIPJ – Prior to 2012 space at the KIPJ was not available to Conference Services in 2014 an additional $24,753 was generated in facility fees.

Establishing Partnerships: External

• US Sports Camps/Nike•Act as liaison between client and campus•Act as liaison between client and outside facilities•Set goals as partners and assist each in getting to those goals• Since 2012 went from (1) Sport to (10) • 569% percent increase in participants (170 to 870)

• Additional Partnership Opportunities•Developed an incentive to drive bed nights•Volunteering at a conference

Hospitality Marketing

• Weekly Conference Marketing Meeting•Discuss new sales leads•Discuss current and new marketing opportunities

• Annual Hospitality Fair•Introduce campus to services•Campus Offerings•Off Campus Partners

• Unique Venues• Print Advertising•Targeted for specific market segments•Religious•Sports Camps

Hospitality Marketing

• Tradeshows (reverse)•Rejuvenate (Religious)•Collaborate (Corporate)•SYTA (Student Youth Travel Assn)

• Developed a web-site separate from the University

• Maintain a social media presence• Participate in meeting planning and other

industry associations• Join the local CVB/Tourism Board

Where we are: Summer 2014

Connected Revenue for other USD Departments

2011 2013 2014

Dining Services $ 529,381

$ 795,324 $ 918,777

Catering $ 122,634

$ 409,915 $ 423,242

Sub Total $652,015

$ 1,205,239 $1,342,019

Athletics $ 69,410 $ 80,594

Parking $ 30,695 $ 16,657

Room Rental $ 26,875 $ 38,903

Public Safety $ 9,071 $ 7,978

Trams $ 2,604 $ 1,838

Sub Total $ 74,503 $ 138,655 $ 145,970

Total Revenue $726,518

$ 1,343,894 $ 1,487,989

Where we are: Summer 2014

Housing Rev... $-

$0.45

$0.90

$1.35

$1.80

$2.25

$1.29

$1.58

$1.79

201220132014

Bed Nights0

12000

24000

36000

48000

60000

35413

40934

46007

201220132014

In Millions

Q&A Session