Going Backwards...

When I started at the GPCVB five weeks ago, the Housing Department was making reservations for two groups, one of which got canceled as I mentioned in my previous blog. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners was scheduled for shutdown on June 8th, roughly three weeks from my start date. Shutdown is the day in which the Housing Bureau closes their participation as the housing bureau for the particular group, and all reservations are sent to the respective hotels. After shutdown, any email, voicemail, or what not gets forwarded to the hotel that the person is staying at where it is then the hotel's responsibility.

Within the next several days after shutdown, reports need to be run, printed, and organized. This was my job. I made a binder for us to keep and one for the meeting planner to have so she was informed about everything as well. The binder was filled with fifteen sections, including the rooming list, revenue, commission, cancellations.

On the opposite end of shutdown, is when the bureau sends out leads in order to attract the attention of groups who are planning their conference. When a group becomes interested in holding their conference in Phoenix and in using the GPCVB as their housing bureau, they respond to the lead with details about their conference and a time is set up for us to meet with them and give them site visits, along with a discussion about whether or not they will be holding their conference in Phoenix. On Wednesday, my supervisor and her immediate boss met with clients for lunch to discuss the GPCVB housing service. I got to prepare their packets for their meeting, which was basically filled with information about Passkey, the reservations system used by the GPCVB. It was a very exciting day because my supervisor came back from her luncheon with the clients to inform us that a group signed on to do their housing through us!

Now it is time to start preparing for the five groups that will be here within the next eight months. Meaning, we are currently preparing for groups up through February of 2011. It is crazy how far in advance conferences must be planned. So far I have only made the binders for the new groups, which have seven sections and include communications, event resumes, contracts, and agreements. My supervisor mentioned that she would like me to observe her and assist her with some of the other aspects of setting up a group, but details on that will have to be in a different blog considering I have not actually done it yet.

Due to shutdown having been on June 8th and the fact that it is/was the only group open, the past week has been somewhat quiet and has given us to get organized and ready for the new groups. In fact, on Monday, June 21st, there is a group, the School Equipment Show, opening for reservations, so business will be picking up soon!

As it is plain to see, I am experiencing the group housing process backwards. However, I am just thankful that I get to see a group at the very beginning as well as at the very end, even though I will not be witnessing one all the way through due to the short time frame I am there. It will be intriguing to see what the next steps are for setting up and opening a group.