College Athletic Groups

College Athletic Groups

COLLEGE ATHLET IC GROUPS

SPORTS ASSURED

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

HOT E L COMMUN I C AT I ON P ROTOCOL

q Sales to coordinate-Going the Extra Mile q If the school sends shir ts and hats for the event team to wear at the meal functions, we will be happy to wear them. q The front desk team will wear referee shir ts with black pants to be neutral for all hotel guests, or colors of the team they have in house. q All manager staff and associates par ticipating in the arrival suppor t of the team will wear a team hat and/or colors of the team. q A group resume will be created by the sales manager/ESM handling the group business.This document will be circulated at least one week in advance to the following depar tments: GM, Accounting, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Banquets, Executive Chef, Restaurant and Security q The group resume will provide details for each depar tment from reservations to billing to special requests for housekeeping. Team resumes should be reviewed by hotel team at weekly resume meetings or staff meetings to ensure attendance by as many of the depar tment heads as possible. Precons q Confirm one-two weeks prior to arrival with a calendar invite for the location and time of the Precon and place in bold at the top of the Resume. q Typically, a boardroom or meeting room the team is using will be used for this and will take place on the Friday morning of the team arrival. Have appropriate light snacks for time of day and drinks. q Invited and in attendance should be the GM, DSE, ESM, Chef, Banquet Captain and Front Office Manager or point person. q All Hotel staff invited should arrive 15 minutes before the star t time and remain standing until the client(s) arrive. q DSE/ESM should welcome everyone and begin with introductions going around the table stating name, position and focus of what you will do for the team while the are here. “My name is Tori Bush, Group Rooms Coordinator, welcome back or we are proud to have you with us the next few days. I will be your point of contact for any guest room changes as needed during your stay. q A printed resume and BEO set for the team should be at each place setting for those attending to mark up new information and changes. q Now is the time to answer any lingering questions/confirmations and/or do a walk through of the space after the Precon.

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

F RONT DE S K

q Rooming lists are due the Tuesday prior to arrival and will be put in on proper ty by the SESM (Sales & Event Service Manager or equivalent) and attached to the Group Resume. q Team arrival ETA and proper ty location of entrance. q Pre-block and pre-key all team rooms prior to arrival based on specific guest room floors or tower(s). A helpful practice set-up a banquet table in the lobby (or specific to teams arrival location ) and use address labels for individual key packets for each player. If two or more to a room, each will get their own key packet (we used manila coin folders). Labels have last name/first name & room number (Wi Fi code if needed). Place on table in alphabetical order, several rooming lists printed for the coaches in alphabetical order as well. q For player floors have a staff member at each elevator landing to direct confused players to their rooms; also, to make sure there were no guest room key issues. q Have movies and phones turned off in assigned rooms. q If you aren’t sold out the night prior, pre block the rooms so they are VR the next day or put on priority clean first thing. q “Do not move” placed on any coaches’ rooms that may have amenity delivered prior to check-in. q When assigning coaches rooms upgrade when possible. q Coordinate with housekeeping on any special instructions i.e. extra towels, shampoo, pillows etc. q Confirm contact/chaperone/Director of Ops cell phone number to ensure communication on noise complaints and or disruptions. q Ensure applicable wake up calls are in order. Wi-Fi q Teams will request Wi-Fi in the meeting space and guest rooms during their stay. Please have instructions for logging onto the wireless network included in the inside of the key packets.TIP: change the guest room and event space internet to the team name or mascot. Key Cards q A lot of teams use Plasti-Card for their hotel key cards.Typically, the Event Service Manager or Sales Manager will be contacted by a member of Plasti-Card to coordinate the functionality of the room keys. These will be shipped to the Hotel a week prior to arrival. Instructions that require that you test the keys as soon as possible and confirm with the football operations staff that they work. Some teams have gotten away from this, something to confirm.

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

HOUS K E E P I NG

q Assign the rooms to multiple housekeepers if the group is due in earlier in the day. q If all request stay over service, same thing to spread out the workload. q Anticipate the stay with putting extra towels, shampoo etc. in the rooms prior to arrival. q If the group will be using the sofa bed, you can pre-make the sofa bed. q Offer incentives to coach or chaperone to pick up garbage in their own room and give pizza on one night for their effor ts.This reduces Houseman time in one room. q Ensure laundry is staffed and pool towel inventory levels are sufficient. q Additional Housemen/Lobby attendant hours may be required during large tournaments.

D I N I NG OUT L E T S

q Ensure the Suite Shoppe is fully stocked-candy bars, sodas, energy drinks, Starbucks, aspirin-don’t lose an oppor tunity for additional revenue

COMP S E RV I CE S

q Ensure breakfast and managers reception adequately staffed and prepped for large groups. Is there a need to open a second breakfast area or earlier based on game/competition times. q Large batch cocktail for the bar to promote for team colors. q Posts any instructions or regulations for Atrium use. ACCOUNT I NG q Most Collegiate Universities will be set-up or request to be set-up with direct bill or send a purchase order. q At the conclusion of the event, back-up with signed BEO’s and banquet checks should be sent to the directed person/people for payment.

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

B E L LMAN q Instructions should be given to bellman as to time of arrival of coaches or bus, so they can maintain a clear drive for unloading. q Please have confirmed parking space for buses and communicate to drivers so busses can be moved as quickly as possible after unloading. S ECUR I TY q Should teams require security personnel to assist with their stay, assist in coordinating with local law enforcement or security companies to obtain security help if needed. TIP: confirm what type of security you have, most teams take this on themselves, as well as travel with their own from their state. q No guests will be allowed on players floors. Players may only visit with their families in the hotel lobby. q The team will set a curfew and your contact will perform a bed check at a specific time. q Under no circumstances should a copy of our rooming list be given to anyone unless your contact grants approval. In addition to the team rooming list, the teams itinerary must also remain confidential. q Players and coaches should not receive phone calls. Messages should be taken in the event that the hotel receives a call for a player or staff member. In the event of an emergency, all calls should be forwarded to your main contact room or cell phone.

K I TCHEN

q Be aware of heavy consumption items on the menus. In the Precon the Nutrionist/Team Chef will point out items on consumption and what will be the least impacted like omelet station or smoothie bar. q Confirm they will need a blender, microwave & trashcan available at every meal. q Set food line in order of the menu hot button. q Confirm no half pans on the buffet line. For some meals this will work for the team. q It’s helpful to have canned chicken noodle or chicken & rice soups, ginger ales, and club crackers on hand in the back. q Teams may send you a specific recipe to make for them. q Please ensure that all sauce bottles are replaced/replenished before each meal.

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

B ANQUE T S

Walk Through Room Some teams will ask for a walk-through room that’s on average 2,500 sq. ft. of empty space. If your hotel does not have the extra space to offer, highlight a large open atrium you have, covered well-lit parking garage or grass lot on the property. q Each sport/team will have their own specifics for you to review and ensure everything is accounted for. Tailer this to the sports team specifically as track teams, baseball, gymnastics, etc. all use event space for different purposes. q Teams travel and will send their own Powerade or Gatorade and will confirm where these go in the event spaces, as well if a cooler should be placed on each player floor and arrival/departure area. q One of the most important services a hotel can provide for a team is meeting space. Set the temperature in each room to the specified degrees (or whatever specifics are requested) and have them ready for coaches upon arrival of the team. q There should be no music playing in the meeting rooms, meal rooms, or foyers surrounding the meeting space. q TIP: for football if you have pipe & drape to place in front of the entrance of the meeting rooms, suggest putting it up for them. This usually makes them feel more secluded and private. Do not post any events to the reader boards. q Meals are a focused, quiet occasion. There is to be no unnecessary exchange of conversation, and any hotel staff member that will be in the banquet room should have all cell phones, pagers, and handheld radios turned off including house music until everyone has left the banquet room. q Confirm the time to bus tables. Example: after everyone has left the room or during the meal. Confirm in the precon. q It is the hotel’s responsibility to note any itinerary changes and have meals prepared to serve 20 minutes before the designated mealtime. q Have plenty of food and keep it refreshed. q From a dining standpoint, it is critically important that there be plenty of food. No chaffing dish should ever be less than 25% full. Teams will ask that hotels go to great lengths to ensure that food quantities are adequate. If any dish should happen to run out, or a protein is not cooked as ordered, a team could refuse payment of the meal. q Check all diagrams for the room and each meal setup. All presets are listed on the menus. q Ensure that silverware is pre-set for each meal, rolled. Please include a steak knife for each meal. Please have extra plates and silverware on hand as needed. q Please ensure that there is Hand Sanitizer in the front of each line at every meal & snack. q Sneeze Guard needed for all buffet service. q Label all food, steak temperatures, and food allergies hot button. q Extra hydration will be needed by meeting rooms, by the exits as team comes, and goes.

C O L L E G E A T H L E T I C G R O U P S

SAMP L E S E T UP S