Sales Final Definitions

Front 1

Attrition Clause

Back 1

Allow the hotel to impose damages if the actual guestrooms used are significantly less than the rooms blacked. Can also apply to food and beverage and meeting room rental.

Front 2

Request for Proposal

Back 2

Action initiated by the meeting planner for an offer or bid for hotel services.

Front 3

Proposal Letter

Back 3

A letter sent by the hotel before the letter of agreement or contract that spells out exactly what the customer will receive.

Front 4

Letter of Introduction

Back 4

Letter sent by the CSM to the meeting planner. Specifies whom the group will be dealing with while in the hotel.

Front 5

Cut-off Date

Back 5

The deadline for holding the number of guestrooms booked by a group.

Front 6

Housing Bureau

Back 6

Provided by a city's convention bureau, housing bureaus help place delegates into the city's hotel when a large convention is booked.

Front 7

Run of the House Rate

Back 7

An agreed-upon rate for all available rooms except suites. Generally priced at an average figure for group accommodations. Also called a flat rate.

Front 8

Banquet Event Order

Back 8

A form that provides a detailed breakdown of a single event. The banquet event order generally serves as a contract for the client and as a work order for the hotel's departments. Also called a function sheet.

Front 9

Event Specification Guide

Back 9

A concise document, prepared, and authorized by the meeting planner detailing the specifics of a meeting or other event.

Front 10

Resume

Back 10

A form providing a comprehensive overview of the entire convention program.

Front 11

Release Date

Back 11

Date when the hotel or conference facility will require the meeting planner to designate final space needs and release any unneeded space back to the facility.

Front 12

Open Sale Period

Back 12

Period of time during which catering is free to sell function space due to projected slow convention business.

Front 13

Hold All Function Space

Back 13

Blanket hold on all available space in a facility without specific meeting or function rooms named.

Front 14

Host Bar

Back 14

Beverage plan for banquets or other functions in which the guests do not pay for drinks, the host is charged either by the drink or by bottle.

Front 15

Uniserve

Back 15

A meeting service system in which the meeting planner makes arrangements for both function space and food and beverage events through one service contract.

Front 16

American Service

Back 16

Food is arranged on plates in the kitchen and brought to the guests.

Front 17

Exclusives

Back 17

Agreements that limit who may provide specific products or services.

Front 18

Ancillary Services

Back 18

All event-related support services, including stewards, technicians, interpreters, and tour guides.

Front 19

Hospitality Suite

Back 19

Suite or room for the convenience, comfort, and socialization of attendees and/or guests.

Front 20

Area Exhibit

Back 20

Exhibitors are assigned specific floor space for displaying equipment and other displays.

Front 21

Drayage

Back 21

Form of transportation.

Front 22

Auxiliary Business

Back 22

affiliates and subgroups, such as exhibitors, who contribute the overall value of the meeting.

Front 23

Pick-up Report

Back 23

A post-meeting document detailing the number of hotel rooms used each day of an event.

Front 24

Master Account

Back 24

The group's primary record of transaction to be paid by the event's sponsoring organization.

Front 25

Service Charge

Back 25

An automatic and mandatory amount added to standard food and beverage charges or other hotel services.