What the job is, what they do, and what it pays. For Kareem.
From Ace. June 29, 2026.
Here is what I want. One person whose main job is selling rooms to companies and groups. Not a front desk person who sells on the side, a salesperson who also works the front desk. We have a lot of company guests staying with us already (SLB, NOV, Bechtel, Linde, Air Liquide and more), and we now have a tool that gives this person a ready list of companies to go after. Read this over and tell me what you would change.
What this job is
Their main job is sales: get companies and groups to book rooms with us. They also work the front desk during the busy afternoon and evening check-in, when our company guests arrive. Two jobs, one person, in one shift. Early on, lean their hours toward sales to build up the list of companies. As that grows, add more front desk time. They can also fill in at the desk when someone is out.
Build their day around the afternoon check-in rush, on purpose. Company and business guests check in in the late afternoon and early evening, so that is when we want our salesperson at the front desk: meeting our regular and new company guests in person, the same people they call and email. A good shape is noon to 8, sales in the early hours and then the front desk from 3pm check-in time to 8pm, when the check-in rush slows. It may mean changing who works those hours now. That is on purpose. The sales job is the priority.
What we expect each day
10 to 15
Sales calls a day
10 to 15
Emails a day
Same day
Answer every lead
These are targets for the sales part of their day, the early hours. In the afternoon the selling is in person at check-in. Calls and emails get written down in a shared sheet you can see, not just remembered. Every lead and bid gets a real answer the same business day.
What their day looks like
A good shape is one shift, noon to 8: sales first, then the front desk for the check-in rush.
Noon to 3pm: Sales
Answer new leads and bids first.
Work the company list in our sales tool: find the right person at each company, then call and email them.
Line up the yearly company bids and follow up on open deals.
Write down every call and email.
3pm to 8pm: Front desk (check-in rush)
On the desk for the company check-in rush. Still selling, just in person.
Meet our company guests at check-in and build the relationship.
Write down each guest's company at check-in. Every time. "Here for vacation" is fine, blank is not. This feeds the sales list.
Head home at 8pm, once the check-in rush has slowed.
When we are very busy, they can jump on the desk before 3 to help. Otherwise the early hours stay protected for selling.
What they do
Turn our company guests into signed deals. This is the main thing.
Offer the free discount first. IHG has a free discount program for smaller companies. Start there. Only give a company its own special price if they really book a lot of rooms.
Answer every lead and bid the same day. Nothing gets dropped or sent in late.
Keep their list up to date in our sales tool so we always know who they are working.
Help with the once-a-year company bids (RFPs). They line up the companies, you give the final yes.
Meet weekly with you to go over what they signed, what went cold, and who to chase.
The kind of person we want
Shows up on time, every time. A front desk shift with nobody there is the worst thing that can happen.
Warm and easy to talk to. The friendly "what brings you to town?" is how they learn who a guest works for, and that is how they get the sale.
Stays calm when it is busy. Can check in a line of guests while the phone rings.
Can hold a price. Comfortable offering the free discount instead of caving to every ask for a deal.
Good with numbers and organized. Writes things down and follows up. Nothing slips.
Clear on the phone and in email.
Takes coaching. This job will grow and change.
Questions Kareem can ask
"Listen for" is what a good answer sounds like.
Tell me about a time you won over a new customer or company. How did you do it?Listen for: they go after it and follow up, they do not wait to be handed business.
A company guest is checking in at the desk. How would you start a conversation that could turn into a booking?Listen for: easy and friendly, asks what brings them to town, gets the company name.
A guest asks for a lower rate than we offer. What do you say?Listen for: stays friendly but holds the rate, offers the free program or value instead of just caving.
This job needs you here on time for every shift, including evenings. Tell me about your attendance at your last job.Listen for: dependable, owns their record, no red flags.
Tell me about a really busy moment at a desk or service job. How did you keep your cool?Listen for: calm under pressure, takes care of the guest in front of them.
You have a list of companies to call and emails to answer, and then the desk gets busy. How do you keep track so nothing slips?Listen for: a real system, writes things down, follows up.
Tell me about feedback that was hard to hear. What did you do with it?Listen for: takes it well and changes something, no blaming.
This is mainly a sales job that also covers the front desk at check-in. Which part excites you more, and why?Listen for: they actually want the sales side, not just a desk job.
The hours are noon to 8, including evenings. Does that work for you, and what pay are you looking for?Listen for: an honest fit on the hours and a number that works for us.
How we will know it is working
New companies signed, and the rooms and money they bring in.
More leads turn into bookings, and we answer faster than before.
The prices they sign stay healthy, not too cheap.
Every guest's company gets written down at check-in. You check this daily.
What has to be true for this to work
Sales comes first in the day, then the desk. The early hours are protected for selling. Only a very busy house pulls them onto the desk early. If the desk creeps into the sales hours every day, the selling quietly disappears.
Someone is named to watch for leads in the morning and on their days off, since they start at noon. That keeps the same-day promise.
Everything goes in the computer, not just their head, so a sick day or a quit does not wipe it out.
They learn the front desk first, then the sales work, then run shifts on their own.
Who they report to
They report to you (Kareem). Jose keeps helping with finding companies and the yearly bids for now, and hands this person the list. We will decide on Jose later, once the new hire is up to speed.
Pay
Hourly
$14 to $15 an hour aiming under $15
One rate for both the sales and front desk hours. Hours grow toward full time as the front desk part of their day grows.
Bonus
$4,000 to $7,000 a year at goal more if they beat it
Paid monthly and every few months for hitting sales and revenue goals. We will set the exact goals from this year's budget.