January 2020 Where We Were Advisory Working Group Recommendations - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

January 2020

➢ Where We Were ➢ Advisory Working Group Recommendations ➢ Where We Are ➢ Where We Are Going 2

➢ Booking Strategy/Pricing Discipline ➢ Tired Facilities/Deferred Maintenance ➢ Marketing Strategy ➢ Revenue and Reservations ➢ Staffing Allocation ➢ Data Collection 3

➢ Unable to sell events because District was exploring divesting itself of NTEC operations ➢ Take what came philosophy ➢ Prime dates not aggressively booked • Low margin customers • Ceremony-only, ½ day rentals • Non-profit fundraisers • Leaving revenue on the table ➢ No policy on serving alcohol ➢ Self-catering ➢ Out-of-date rates ➢ No consistency in rates charged ➢ Limited verification of concessionaire sales ➢ Liberal cancellation policy 4

➢ HVAC ➢ Service ware ➢ Carpet ➢ Tables and chairs ➢ Ceiling tiles ➢ Dance floor ➢ Painting interior/exterior ➢ Linens ➢ Lakeview windows ➢ Audio/Visual ➢ Exterior doors ➢ Furnishings ➢ Restrooms ➢ Rental amenities ➢ Kitchen exhaust ➢ Reservation software ➢ Roof ➢ Outdated technology Venue’s reputation has been impacted by this 5

➢ Limited advertising ➢ No standards for tours ➢ Outdated reviews ➢ No follow-up ➢ Outdated website • Post events • Leads ➢ Limited social media ➢ No collateral material ➢ No mobile apps ➢ No channel strategy ➢ No current photos ➢ Limited networking ➢ No one actively selling Without an ongoing marketing campaign we will not reach high margin clients 6

➢ Accounts Receivable (AR) management ➢ Reservation software challenges Current reservation software not intended for Events • No mobile platform • Limited training • Not user-friendly • No post event collection tracking • Audit findings repeatedly not addressed • Payment reminders not supported • Old reservations still in system • Uncertain future at Event Center • 7

➢ 1 F/T Coordinator, 1 P/T seasonal office staff, 2 F/T maintenance personnel ➢ Limited support from Finance Department • This support is vital to the financial health of the Event Center ➢ Part time/seasonal office help • Under-valued, under-utilized position; limited to answering phone and data entry • Limited training for position • High turnover/no consistency • Limited hours ➢ Lack of management with current industry expertise 8

➢ Revenue tracking challenges ➢ Sales tracking information is not captured with current software ➢ No protocols in place to manage or track leads ➢ Limited data collection on customers ➢ Limited “past events” information ➢ Limited inventory of equipment ➢ Limited organization in files • No regular purging of files 9

Presented in Report to NTPUD Board at November 2018 Board Meeting: ➢ Hire Appropriate, Qualified Staff ➢ Allocate and Track Use by Silos ➢ Ensure Sufficient Community Use ➢ Increase Investment into Facility ➢ Improve Marketing Efforts 10

Where We Are Number of Events Revenue by Event Type Corporate Private Corporate 23 11 $20,942 (4%) (7%) (16%) Community Neutral Government 60 46 Community Neutral (19%) (15%) $10,000 Private (8%) $68,120 Recreation $3,544 (52%) (3%) Government Recreation $27,236 171 (21%) (55%) July - November 2019 (311 Events) 11

➢ Booking Strategy • Contract rewritten and approved by District’s Attorney • Updated payment schedules • Added security deposit of credit card on file • Strengthen cancellation language • Modified refund language • Updated Event Center alcohol requirements • Rate Sheets updated • Established Prime & Opportunity dates • Set sales expectations 12

➢ Marketing • Updated ads with District PIO • New Reservation Software with client portal for • Marketing expense allocation payments and channels • Renewed partnerships • Joined NACE & TWIG • Update & schedule Facebook • Set-up web-based marketing posts • WeddingWire Create social media pages • The Knot • • Here Comes the Guide • Pinterest • Instagram • Established tour protocol • Created email sales brochure • Working with District’s web designer 13

➢ Facility • Establishing Evergreen as Board • Lakeview & Evergreen walls and Meeting room painted • Updated rental equipment, • Ceiling tiles in Lakeview painted umbrellas, lights, stanchions • Doors repaired & re-keyed • Rack cards & newspaper stands • Organized facility storage areas moved to enhance client’s first impression • Deep cleaned bathrooms • Reapplied foam roof and repaired • Establishing linen service cracks • Researched pricing for tables, • Replaced HVAC unit for office and chairs, skirting, service ware lobby and serviced rest of the • Kitchen equipment serviced and units set-up on maintenance schedule • Assets inventoried • Repaired window coverings 14

➢ Revenue • Created packet collateral • Finance Department Re-org • SurveyMonkey in place to collect • Working w/CFO on $57,000 in AR Post tour insights • • Manual systems in place Post event reviews • Payments due • ➢ Technology Accounts receivable • Revenue tracking • • Updated Wi-Fi routers, firewall & radios ➢ Data Collection • Installed fiber connection adding • Old records purged premium public meeting connection • Working on brand presence • Existing computers replaced 15

➢ Challenges Software driven revenue issues (ActiveNet) • Audit findings (carryover year-to-year) • New reservation software transition • Historic bookings/booking window • Staffing • New staff still settling in • Part-time position turn-over • Managed 434 events from May - Nov 16

➢ 2018-19: 724 events • 39 Private • 19 Weddings • 20 Other • 32 Corporate • 82 Government • 62 Community Neutral • 509 Recreation ➢ July - November 2019: 311 Events • 23 Private • 15 Weddings • 8 Other • 11 Corporate • 46 Government • 60 Community Neutral • 171 Recreation 17

➢ Celebration of Life ➢ Holiday Parties ➢ Quinceaneras ➢ Baby Showers ➢ Anniversaries ➢ Birthdays ➢ Reunions ➢ Weddings 18

➢ Retreats ➢ Universities ➢ Church Groups ➢ Utility Companies ➢ Real Estate Brokers ➢ Homeowner Associations ➢ Local Businesses Meetings ➢ Team Building & Development ➢ Destination Management Companies 19

➢ County Library ➢ Schools ➢ Non-profit Fundraising ➢ Partnership Events ➢ Leadership Groups ➢ Wilderness Groups ➢ Youth Organizations ➢ Emergency Trainings ➢ Lake Sporting Events ➢ Conservation Groups 20

➢ Yoga ➢ Zumba ➢ Fit Camp ➢ Jazzercise ➢ Movie Nights ➢ More to come… New Recreation and Community Event Supervisor 21

➢ Wedding couples book their venue out the furthest of all events • Most book 9-18 months out (avg 14.3 months) ➢ 62% of engagements happen: • Thanksgiving - Valentines Day ➢ Corporate booking window: 6-12 months ➢ Private non-wedding events: 3-6 months ➢ Community Neutral: 2-9 months ➢ Government booking window: 1-3 months 22

Booking Opportunities ➢ Prime dates - high demand, high margin dates • 18 Saturdays 3 Sundays on Holiday weekends •  Memorial Day  Labor Day  Indigenous Peoples/Columbus Day ➢ Opportunity dates • Approximately 30 days (Primarily Fridays and Sundays surrounding Prime dates) • Based on number of tours and leads, the dates we should sell when facility is brought up to industry standard ➢ Open inventory • Non-prime weekends and Monday-Thursday. Targeted for Corporate, Government, Community Neutral, and Recreation 23