Business Analyst
Resume:
LIPIKA DASH
Bethesda, MD
***********@*****.***
SUMMARY Sales / Guest Relations
Hospitality . . . Customer Focused . . . Relationship Builder Sales / Guest Relations professional with a proven track record of success in the Hospitality industry. Broad background in planning and managing conventions, meetings, weddings, catering and exhibitions. Consistently exceeded sales goals; building new business while maintaining existing client accounts. Reputation for exemplary customer service. Excellent communication and listening skills with proven successes interacting at all levels. Areas of strength include:
• Sales
• Budget Management
• Market Research
• Interpersonal Skills
• Account Management
• Process Improvement
EXPERIENCE
Jun 07 – Aug 09
Capital Hilton and Hilton Washington, Washington, DC
(544 rooms, 30,000 sq ft function space and 1,119 Rooms with, 100,000 sq ft respectively ) Most Recent - Sales Manager- Group
• Represent the two properties via appropriate proposals as well as external sales presentations to prospective customers in order to solicit, explain, negotiate and close group business involving over 100 guest rooms.
• Develop Corporate, Pharmaceutical and ConferenceDirect market segments. Solicit new customer relationships while maintain existing accounts in the market segment
• Consistently striving to maximize revenue by optimum utilization of guest rooms and meeting space, often by cross-selling between the two properties.
• Engage in sales activities to meet with and entertain customers and prospective customers to promote hotels and maintain client relationships
• Joined the team as Conference Center Sales Manager for groups involving 10 – 100 rooms per night, with a focus on Pharmaceutical segment. After exceeding sales quotas successfully, promoted to Group Sales position for 100 plus rooms per night Nov 03 – Jan 05
Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Mumbai, India - 5 Star Deluxe Lifestyle Complex
(547 Rooms, 147 Residences, over 30,000 sq ft Meeting Space) Sales Manager - MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) / Groups
• Pre-qualify to target Key Accounts in Corporate, Industry Associations & Individuals and develop appropriate and effective sales solicitation strategies to increase hotel’s market share in Domestic & International Residential Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions
• Handled several key accounts successfully, which included Unilever (HLL), Confederation of Indian Industries (Apex Association), and British High Commission etc.
• Part of the pre-opening team that helped to identify and implement target accounts, databases, revenues and processes for the department that was responsible for over 30,000 square feet of flexible function space and 20,000 square feet of exhibition ground off-premises
• Part of the team that outperformed its goal of Rs. 383M in revenue and 33 rooms per night in the first three quarters of hotel operation, which included the lean and shoulder seasons Dec 99 – Oct 03
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel & Towers, Mumbai, India – 5 Star Deluxe Historic Property Member of The Leading Hotels of the World
(565 Rooms, 22,000 sq ft Meeting Space, extensive off-premises catering) Banquet Sales Manager
• Soliciting and servicing Banquet Business from major accounts of the Hotel that included Corporate clients, Consulates, Industry Associations and the Diamond Industry segment
• Duties also entailed Event Designing, Menu Planning and all details related to the events for Conferences, Meetings, Weddings, Gala Dinners, Socials, Exhibitions and other seminars
• Joined the team as Assistant Manager Banquet Office, promoted to Banquet Sales Manager within a year as a result of excellent customer relations and feedback, and a keen understanding of the market
• Instrumental in implementing processes to maximize revenues and focus on excellent customer experience in dealing with the department, which received over 1000 calls per day during work hours and had annual revenues of Rs. 2200M. May 98 – June 99
Maurya Sheraton Hotel & Towers, New Delhi, India – 5 Star Deluxe Property
(442 Rooms)
Guest Relations Executive
• Relationship management for extended stay guests, VIPs, Delegations. Duties also included resolving hotel related issues on a day to day basis
• Customer profile included Diplomats, Business Heads, Delegation Heads, Senior Company Executives, High Net Worth individuals
Jul 97 – Apr 98
HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India – Grand Heritage Hotels Public Relations Executive
• Responsible for Public Relations and selected guest stay liaison for 6 properties in the south east of the state including Shiv Niwas Palace, Jag Mandir Island, Shikarbadi Resort
• Guests included journalists, photo journalists, travel writers, documentary/film makers, diplomats, Business Heads, International Incentive Groups
• Duties also included planning and servicing events such as Incentive Dinners, Weddings, and Theme Parties, either as Public Relations activities or for guests within group properties. EDUCATION
1997 Degree in Hotel Management
Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (Bhubaneswar, India) Curriculum included a 6 month internship at The Taj President, Mumbai, a 5 Star hotel property 1997 One Year Advanced Diploma in Sales & Marketing National Institute of Sales (Bhubaneswar, India)
Curriculum included a 1 month internship at Sterling Timeshare Resorts OTHER SKILLS Worked on Microsoft Office, Fidelio, Delphi
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