Chapter 18 Convention Billing and Postconvention Review

1. Chapter 18 Convention Billing and Postconvention Review Convention Management and ServiceEighth Edition (478TXT or 478CIN)

2. Competencies forConvention Billing and Postconvention Review • Explain how hospitality properties handle billing for conventions and meetings. • Describe typical procedures for conducting a post-convention review.

3. Convention Billing • All billing instructions must be detailed in the resume • Avoid surprise billing charges by communicating early and openly on billing arrangements • Two key forms for communicating billing charges: • Master Account Billing Authorization Form—provides instructions on the types of folios to be used, limits of financial liability, and names and signatures of personnel authorized to sign for group charges. • Rates and Changes Bulletin—communicates to the convention attendees the specific rates for rooms, meals, incidental charges, and gratuities, as agreed to by the convening group and the hotel. 

6. Folios for Meeting Groups • Master account folio • Individual guest folio • Split folio

8. Master Account • Meeting planners are increasingly asking hotels to divide the overall bill into sub-master accounts. • Authorized signers should be noted in the resume. • A rates and charges bulletin communicates to attendees what charges they are responsible for. • Meeting planners often request a meeting with the accounting office prior to the start of the convention. • Daily meeting debriefings are often held to review itemized charges. • All charges posted to the master account must have backup, including invoices, signed checks, and BEOs.

9. Time of Payment Payment Schedule • Depends on property, credit and reputation of group, group’s history, frequency of business • Delayed payment can hurt hotel’s cash flow Usual Payment Schedule • Deposit when contract is signed • Pre-convention payment on agreed-upon date • Payment during convention • Final payment after event

10. Gratuities and Service Charges Pointers • Gratuities/tips are voluntary • Service charges are mandatory • Present planners with policy • Include clause in contract (continued)

11. Gratuities and Service Charges (continued) Four Categories • Gratuities for hourly employees: bellpersons, food servers, room attendants, door attendants • Service charges for group functions and banquets: hotel adds them to bill; fixed and mandatory • Blanket service charges • Added to room charge • Total is distributed to service personnel • Attendees tip only once • Gratuities for managers (never GM) and area heads; strictly voluntary

13. Surcharges and Resort Fees • Surcharges—charges added to guestrooms for such items as energy and Internet access; and to meeting rooms for products and services from electricity to additional charges for labor. • Resort fees—charges added by a hotel for services such as in-room amenities, use of recreational facilities, spa access, and newspapers. • These charges are generally mandatory but are not popular with meeting planners. • Hotels should fully disclose fees.

14. Example of Resort Fees

15. Postconvention Review Two Review Sessions • Intra-staff review with hotel staff • Postconvention review with meeting planner and hotel staff Comparison with Projections • Guestroom pickup: number and type • No-shows and overbooking problems • Early and late departures • Compare figures with those from past meetings (continued)

16. Post-convention Review (continued) Function Attendance • Many hotels now use the Post-Event Report (PER) Feedback on Special Services • Room service, restaurants, athletic facilities, elevator service, telephone operators, front desk clerks Comments from Individual Guests and Hotel Staff Final Appraisal • Prevent problems from recurring