If you have ever worked or are still working as a sales rep in Timeshare you will either love or hate the OPC’s (Off Premises Canvassers) or (Outside People Catchers) as I like to call them.
Either way, whether you like it or not they have always been and still remain a fundamental part to your marketing strategy when running a Timeshare cold line.
Without the OPC’s getting clients to attend a presentation on your resort you wouldn’t have any body to sell to, so before you start moaning about the latest blag or quality of the UP you have just had to tour and try to get a deal out of, lets take a closer look at the role the OPC’s play in marketing Timeshare and the qualities they possess to be able to do what they do.
Let’s look first at how the OPC’s work and the things they have to put up with on a daily basis:
It helps to be young and fairly good looking but it’s not essential. A chirpy happy go lucky attitude and the ability to accept rejection without it getting you down are far more important.
Once you have found your patch or stand you must be prepared to approach every couple that passes you by and in a split second make an instant friend. You need to be able to qualify that your clients fall into certain brackets i.e.: are they married, do they own their home or rent it and is one of them in full time employment. There will be other qualifications like ages and income brackets etc, but these you can start to get out once you have created some sort of rapport with your couple.
You are now going to talk this couple into getting into a strangers car or taxi in a foreign country where they probably don’t speak the language, not knowing where you are taking them on the promise of some sort of free gift or duty free pack in return for attending a short presentation on your resort.
And all in the matter of around five minutes!
Now forgive me for saying, but what the OPC’s manage to achieve in such a short time just doesn’t make logical sense to me.
They really have to be the best closers in the world!
They have managed to: Meet and greet, warm up, make a friend, fact find, sell the dream and create enough fear of loss to close this couple into doing whatever they want the couple to do, even down to lying about their ages if necessary, “just to get the poor kid on the street paid.”
I repeat……
They have to be the best closers in the world!
So next time you want to moan about the “Bag of Sh…t” the OPC just sent in, just stop and think about how many “No’s” the OPC had to get through to get that couple to say yes. And remember what they achieved in five minutes, you now have at least an hour and a half to achieve the same results with the help of a beautiful resort and all the company credibility to help you sell the dream and close the deal!
Next week I want to continue with some tips for OPC’s. If there’s a particular sales skill or closing technique that you would like me to cover in future articles, or an objection that you are having a problem overcoming, leave me a comment below or drop me an e-mail.
Remember: there is no such thing as a foolish question, only a fool who doesn’t ask questions.
See you next week.
OPC's - You Either Love Them Or Hate Them
The Desert Rose Resort, Las Vegas - Honored With Shell Vacations Hospitality’s Management Team Appreciation Award
Shell Vacations Hospitality recently named the winner of its annual competition for the top management team within its company.
Under the leadership of Chris Breed, CHA, RRP and General Manager, the Desert Rose Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, was honored with Shell Vacations Hospitality’s Management Team Appreciation Award, the most prestigious recognition given to any of the management teams at the 19 resorts managed by the leading management organization.
According to Susan C. Kelley, CHA and President of Shell Vacations Hospitality, “In 2007, the Desert Rose Resort ended the year close to a million dollars over budgeted rental revenue! The resort’s overall improvement in every aspect of its operation - to include levels of cleanliness and customer service - has been nothing short of phenomenal, even though they were in the midst of construction for most of the year! Chris Breed has done an amazing job of selecting the right managers for each department, which has had an impact on all criteria used to judge for this award.”
The winning management team is chosen based on internal comment card scores, exchange company ratings, results from employee surveys, and compliance with internal Shell Vacations Hospitality standards. The Desert Rose Resort is a RCI Gold Crown property and was honored with an award from ARDA for its conversion work in transforming an existing hotel property to vacation ownership units.
Breed, who has been with the Desert Rose Resort since 2005, previously served as General Manager for five years at the Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii s. She has been with Shell Vacations for 20 years and represents her property with the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association. Breed manages a team of nearly 100 full and part-time resort professionals at the property, located on Duke Ellington Way in Las Vegas.
Added Breed, “It was extremely challenging to run a hospitality property undergoing renovation. That makes us even more proud to have been recognized with this award. Everyone working together made this happen. One of the things I most enjoy about working with Shell Vacations Hospitality is that it is truly a team environment. When we opened this resort, we had a lot of support from our sister properties. If we need any kind of help or advice, we have the staff of 19 properties who are always glad to come and assist us.”
Breed’s management team includes: Greg Torres, Assistant General Manager; Viki Van Guilder, Controller; Denise Polsfut, Director of Sales; Sarah Marie Vergara, Sales Manager; Nema Vibbard, Human Resources Manager; Tom Price, Guest Services Manager; James Platt, Chief Engineer; Kelly Gilchrist, Revenue Manager; and Tricia Fears, Owner Services and Revenue Manager, New members to the team include Esther Hayes, Executive Housekeeper and Quintin Ward, Director of Safety and Security.
Michael Miller, Regional VP of Shell Vacations Hospitality added more praise. “This is a resort team with real heart. They are a group of caring, committed, dedicated professional hoteliers who strive for success everyday and care deeply about every employee and resort guest.”
Known as the Hawthorn Suites when Shell Vacations initially acquired the hotel in 2004, the three-story property contained hotel rooms in four buildings.
In January 2005, Shell Vacations Hospitality took over the management and renovations to the first building were completed that June. By the end of 2007, the final building had been totally renovated, resulting in 284 one- and two-bedroom luxury suites with full kitchens, plus a total lobby renovation, a new state-of-the-art fitness center and a new pool area. Supported by more than 1,600 hospitality professionals and consistently rated in the nation’s Top 50 Management companies, Shell Vacations Hospitality is the management arm for Shell Vacations and handles all resort management responsibilities.
The company has been recognized in the resort and hotel industry as a premier hospitality organization. http://www.shellvacationshospitality.com/
You may view the latest post at http://www.thetimeshareblog.com/2008/02/04/shell-vacations-hospitality-selects-las-vegas-property-for-companys-top-resort-management-team-award/
