Groups360 blog
Find out what’s on our mind and get the latest on group travel, industry news and our product info.
Direct Booking Has Finally Arrived
Since the earliest days of our company, we’ve had the goal of being the first to provide direct booking to the hospitality industry. Well, that day has finally arrived. Groups360 is proud to introduce GroupSync Engage. Now, for the first time in the hospitality industry, hotels can allow event planners to book guest rooms, meeting space or both in a secure, convenient, online transaction.
Take Advantage of Holiday Gifting to Drive Revenue
GroupSync Vouchers is an e-commerce solution that enables you to create, sell and manage the redemption of gift voucher packages for instant cash flow. Create packages including F&B, staycations, spa services, activities, cash value gift cards and more that you can sell on a hotel-branded website.
Closing Secrets Every Hotel Sales Manager Needs to Know
Modern corporate event planners and other meeting professionals are savvy buyers and aren’t easily swayed by standard sales tactics. So, don’t stop viewing the close as a "make it or break it" moment. Provide value, grounded advice, and the right tools and reinforce your hotel’s unique assets, amenities and service culture throughout the ENTIRE sales process.
Planner Pain Points: Ditch Low-Tech Tools and Legacy Sourcing Systems
In early 2020, Groups360 commissioned interviews with meeting planners from corporations and associations across the U.S. to better understand their sourcing journeys. Below are the top five pain points when dealing with low-tech tools and legacy sourcing systems, according to your industry peers, along with the empowering alternative you’ll find in GroupSync.
Pandemic Pivot: Tech Companies Recognize New Opportunities
During the last week of September 2020, Matthew Howden, SVP, attendee management solutions, was a featured speaker at WiT Experience Week, a unique global travel conference live-streamed from Singapore. Matthew joined Dylan Tan, CEO of Split, the 2018 WiT Startup of the Year winner, to revisit their companies’ trajectories since their wins and how they’ve been faring through the pandemic.
Insights into the Future of Hotel and Event Technology
Groups360 CEO Kemp Gallineau participated in a panel discussion and Q&A hosted by hotel and event tech firm Event Temple. The webinar featured conversation about hotel and event technology, as well as strategies hoteliers can implement to win more group business and improve the guest experience as hotels across the globe transition into recovery.
GroupSync: The Empowering Alternative to Legacy Sourcing Systems
Join us for our next webinar — GroupSync: The Empowering Alternative to Legacy Sourcing Systems. In this free 30-minute presentation, discover a powerful alternative to legacy sourcing systems that creates a simpler, more effective RFP for post-pandemic event planning.
How to Track Reopenings by Country, State and Venue
Even though most events originally planned for 2020 have been canceled, event planners are actively sourcing and booking events for later this year and into 2021. Groups360 is as ready as the rest of our industry peers to resume meetings and events. To assist with planning efforts, we’ve compiled a list of resources for how countries and U.S. states are reopening for business, travel and in-person gatherings.
Most In-Person Meetings Will Resume, Eventually
According to Groups360’s most recent research into the shopping and buying experiences of part-time meeting planners, these administrative professionals stated that nearly all of their meeting types will return to the face-to-face format as soon as it’s safe to do so. They can’t wait for virtual meetings to be a thing of the past, which is good news to hotels who can accommodate their needs.
Groups360 Expands into the APAC Region
Groups360, a platform that simplifies bringing people together for meetings and events, recently announced the acquisition of IDEM Hospitality and the addition of senior leadership based in Singapore. Steven Hopkinson will join the company as senior vice president, EMEA & APAC sales and Matthew Howden will become senior vice president, attendee management product development.
The Part-time Planner Is an Underserved Market
As a follow-up to our spring 2020 research, Groups360 initiated a second double-blind research study, this time focusing on part-time meeting planners from associations, small businesses and large corporations. Our biggest takeaway is that this group of administrative professionals represents an underserved market for hotels and suppliers.
The Future of Meeting: A Conversation with Andrew Messick, Part 2
Group360 founder Dave Kloeppel welcomes a cross section of industry leaders for an ongoing conversation series, The Future of Meeting. In part 2 of Dave’s conversation with Andrew Messick, CEO of the IRONMAN Group, Messick discusses how his 26 global offices have continued to successfully conduct business during the new normal.
A More Efficient Way to Manage Room Blocks
It would be far simpler if meeting attendees were able to input their own details into an online booking site that communicates the details directly to the hotel or event planner. Consider the ways transient travelers book their hotel lodging—they simply visit an online travel agent, choose a hotel and room rate, and confirm their stay. Why can’t it be this convenient for delegates who need to book a reservation in a room block?
Groups360 Expands Senior Sales Leadership
Groups360 recently announced the addition of two senior executives as part of an ongoing global expansion. Wendy Blaney will lead sales teams in the Northeast region of the U.S., and Dan Humby will lead the European region and oversee the launch of the company's London office.
The Future of Meeting: A Conversation with Andrew Messick, Part 1
In this edition of The Future of Meeting, Groups360 founder Dave Kloeppel talks to Andrew Messick, CEO of the IRONMAN Group, operator of the iconic triathlon series and other multisport races around the world.