USFS Revamps Hotel Sales Force

U.S. Franchise Systems, parent company of the extended stay Hawthorn Suites and economy Microtel Inns & Suites brands, has reorganized its national sales force by moving the department in-house in hopes of better facilitating the request-for-proposals process and expanding its business among corporate travelers.

Under the new structure, the sales department is divided into two groups: business travel sales and group and tour sales. The groups will provide Hawthorn Suites and Microtel franchisees with account assistance both on a global and national level, particularly focusing on both transient and extended stay national accounts as well as government, travel agency, transportation and group/tour accounts.

The business travel sales team includes a director to head each of four regions—Midwest, Western, Northeast and Southeast—as well as a representative focusing on acquiring business from airline crews, restaurants and store-opening crews and a manager to oversee consortia and travel agency sales. The team also has assigned a national account team member to each Microtel and Hawthorn Suites property to help facilitate the RFP process once the season begins later this year.

On the group and tour side, specific team leaders include a director focusing on key accounts needing 10 or more rooms, a liaison to help provide group travel buyers with group rates and blocks and a coordinator to handle group sales through the phone and Internet. The latter also will handle Spanish-language reservations and inquiries.

Other initiatives planned through the new organization include a new corporate national rate, increased cross selling between Microtel and Hawthorn Suites and gaining more business from the government business travel segment.