This report explores the challenges facing hotels sales today, including the way organizations and individuals think about the sales process, sales management and the sales professionals, and highlights the need for the hospitality industry to change perspective.

The HSMAI Foundation is proud to announce the publication of The Evolution of Sales: Perspectives and Realities Defining the Modern Sales Professional, by Dr. Lalia Rach, Ed. D.

FOREWORD
Dr. Lalia Rach wrote this special report at the request of the HSMAI Foundation. She is eminently qualified for this project, not just from her esteemed academic career as a long time professor and Divisional Dean at the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration at New York University and Dean of School of Hospitality at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, but
as a lifelong professional in the hospitality industry, having also been a hotel sales professional herself for over 8 years.

This report is the result of three years of research sponsored by the HSMAI Foundation and conducted by Dr. Rach. Her research and writing were supported by interviews and HSMAI Executive Roundtable feedback, which made it clear that today’s business leaders need to review more than just the changing skills required for today’s successful sales professionals.

Identifying the new skill sets really should just start this important conversation. While this report supports the need for sales professionals to have stronger business acumen, more divergent thinking, stronger analytical skills, and better revenue management knowledge, it also should introduce some bigger questions and discussion beyond the needed skill sets.

Going forward, industry professionals need to consider how to find the new training that can support this required new knowledge, how to make the investment to fund the changes and training needed for our sales teams to perform at a different and higher performance level, and how to join together to really create a true evolution of hospitality sales for what some will argue is the most important role in our business â€" the role of driving our hotel revenues.

We welcome your feedback and ideas.
Fran Brasseux - Executive Director, HSMAI Foundation

Read the full report here.