Many individuals are excited to attend in-person events this year, and it will be a busy one! Not only are annual events and conferences returning, but many special events and weddings that were postponed over the last two years are getting added to the already packed schedules of many event venues, conference centers, hotels and resorts. As these properties and the third parties who support them work to rebuild their staff numbers to meet the increasing demand for events, technology providers have created solutions to prepare them to take on these groups and events with success.

Today there are technology solutions that are flexible enough to easily integrate with existing property management systems (PMS) and scalable enough to work with properties and events of all sizes. These solutions help venues optimize their staff, improve productivity, put many selections into the hands of guests and planners, and provide real-time access to event and guest information as the planning process evolves. Experienced technology providers are the partners these event venues need today to meet the demand for returning and new in-person events, and exceed the guest, planner and attendee expectation with enhanced guest service and personalized experiences.

Sales and Catering, Meeting Planning and Events Management

Sales and catering systems have evolved to provide powerful tools for properties and events of all sizes. By providing real-time updates, planners and event managers have a full view of their upcoming event and its attendees on the device of their choice. Internally, these solutions promote efficiency, accuracy and productivity, by providing seamless collaboration between sales, conference and banquet teams. Event planners and sales team members have more time to sell, manage and work directly with their clients.

Managing room blocks is a breeze with easy-to-read screens, simple drag-and-drop capability and detailed folio management. Properties can increase event revenue by analyzing yield management insights for group services. Additionally, by automating many time-consuming tasks, staff members are available to focus on the attendees and the success of the event itself.

Complimenting the Property’s Other Existing Systems to Produce Amazing Events

Solutions like these for sales and catering management support integration with existing PMS solutions, and provide real-time inventory and rate updates to manage group room availability. Contracts and all company, group and attendee information can be managed in the hotel's database for easy access by the group manager or event planner. They can manage all reservations, activities and special requests, to provide personalized service and a successful event experience for all attendees and guests. Feature-rich contract and event order functionality helps meeting planners customize contracts, banquet event orders (BEOs), and flexible deposit and payment options – all from the device of their choice.

By integrating sales and catering or meeting and event planning solutions with the property's existing point-of-sale (POS) system, catering teams can provide menus plus real-time pricing and availability. Additionally, by integrating a sales and event management solution with a robust, direct channel booking solution, properties can move guests seamlessly through the reservations process, and provide them with access to additional services, activities and amenities at the time they book their room. Guests can also access room upgrades, real-time availability and rates, while the property sees an increase in revenue property wide.

With the right solutions to support your sales, events and catering teams, your property is setting them up for success and your guests for an amazing experience. By providing real-time access to the event itself, planners have the tools to view all attendees or guests, budget food costs, manage room blocks, and provide access to additional services on property to further personalize their guests' event experience.

Whether corporate events or life events, hotels and event venues have access to technology today to help create and execute successful and exceptional events. With these tools, properties have a deep understanding of events and the guests who attend them. Knowing their preferences and expectations, your property can provide a high level of guest service, boost loyalty, and increase revenue by predicting behavior and giving guests the ability to select from the many activities and services your property provides. Now is the time to make sure your property is ready!