tiffany de la cruz

Managing catering sales for the local banquet market.

* Handle catering inquiries and phone leads; qualifying leads and gathering details * Manage small meetings by selling and servicing all market segments under 25 guests * Generate proposals, contracts, event orders, diagrams, invoices and send post follow-ups * Oversee all in-house meetings while assisting two Catering Managers in various tasks * Communicate client hot buttons or Gold Keys internally

* Welcomed guests arrival and departure, while managing service express phones * Multi-tasked with managing Starguest, addressing guest needs and requests * Built relationships through guest interactions that drove guest experience * Reviewed weekly group resumes for details concerning the Front Office team * Ensured information from group resumes correlated to the reservations within the group block * Relayed key details and events of the groups to the team

* Developed leadership abilities and skills * Assisted Conventions Services team with daily operations * Explored an area of interest by observing the daily duties and attending daily/weekly meetings * Learned the ISAC operating system * ADP Project: Conducted a market analysis comparing the market matrix to update catering menus

* Staffed for various conventions and events * Assigned to a variety of assignments and positions- directional support and check-in services * Assisted with any client needs and/or guest (attendee) questions on-site

Shadowed varies employees in the Housekeeping department (room attendants, housemen, supervisors, managers and director) -Assisted the manager with daily tasks like organizing the room attendant room sheets, supervisor sheets and rooms board -Answered the phones for the housekeeping desk for guests and room attendants -Did “Do-Outs”, walked the hotel floor by floor double checking that rooms are Vacant Clean, Vacant Dirty, Occupied Clean, Occupied Dirty or Stay Over

* Viewed The Westin Charlotte’s Guest Experience Index (GEI) portal- GEI is a system that analyzes the information taken from all the surveys received from guest’s experience during their stay (from arrival to departure) at the hotel * Analyzed the features of the GEI portal (Loyalty Composite, Overview, Guests, Trends, Explore, Monitor, Resources) * Obtained data from the information provided by guest surveys (i.e. experience during stay, overall cleanliness, any problems encountered, etc.) * Calculating the information from the surveys into data that is represented in a numerical value, to compare and identify internal flaws through a systematic process * Constructed an Excel spreadsheet that isolated specific problem areas (plumbing, housekeeping, a specific associate, specific room, etc.)

* Referenced detailed event worksheets from Event Management System (EMS) of day’s meetings and events to ensure proper set-up of equipment * Set a wide range of audio and visual equipment- stages and projection screens * Saw to daily client requests and needs and last minute requests

* Supported multiple onsite and remote Sales Managers, who manage diverse markets * Responsible for creating proposals, merging contracts, and correspondence to and from clients * Assisted with inquiries, processing and submitting the necessary paperwork * Organized site inspections/alerts; internally relaying necessary information to the appropriate departments * Facilitated the handover process turning signed contracts definite

With an Emphasis in Meetings & Events Operations and Management Activities and Societies: National Society of Minorities in Hospitality - NSHM; Mount Miguel High School Mentoring Program; Hilltop High School Mentoring Program; Meetings and Events Student Association - MESA; American Hotel & Lodging Association - AH&LA