The convention bureau in a large and popular convention destination has jurisdiction over the convention center. A seasoned convention sales manager, who has worked for the bureau for seven years and produces more sales than any other sales manager, has rebooked a 2,000-person group for a three-day exposition in the convention center. The exposition is to take place two years from the booking date. The client has a fifteen-year history of holding conventions, meetings, and expositions in this convention center and has always used the bureau to contract all space and services. In fact, the sales manager handling the account has worked with the client for seven of the fifteen years. The bureau considers this client a "preferred customer." The convention group meeting planner also appears in a magazine ad giving a testimony of praise for the convention bureau, this particular sales manager, and the city as a destination for conventions. Shortly after the meeting planner rebooks this convention with the bureau, the bureau changes sales administration personnel, not once, but three times.This creates a challenge for the sales manager in terms of producing contracts, client files, and event profiles, and in the recording and distribution of information. The preferred customer who rebooked has a contract, purchase orders for vendor services, a move-in and setup agenda, and an event profile, all supplied by the sales manager. The sales manager has copies of these documents as well.The two hotels where the group will be staying also have contracts for the VIP group. As is the nature of this particular bureau, other sales managers have been booking and contracting space for the same time period as the group that rebooked.ln fact,the exhibit hall has been double-booked, as have the break-out rooms for seminars, workshops, and food and beverage service. The groups that were contracted later are all first-time users of the facility. This situation remains undetected until ten days prior to the groups'arrival. It is brought to the attention ofthe bureau and convention center only when the sales manager distributes a memo to schedule a precon¬ vention meeting with the meeting planner and all convention center staff. Because of the administrative personnel changes, necessary information was not disseminated to key departments and key personnel.The convention center was never notified that space has been contracted for the preferred customer.The preferred customer has been told about this potentially catastrophic situa¬ tion. Now there is a major problem to rectify.

Discussion Questions

a. Ultimately, who is responsible for decision making with regard to this situation?

b. What steps should be taken to remedy this situation?

c. Are there fair and ethical procedures to follow to provide space for the preferred customer? If so, what are they?

d. What measures, if any, should be taken in handling the seasoned sales manager?

e. What leverage does the meeting planner have to secure this and future business with the bureau? f What might the preferred customer do if it is denied space and usage of the convention center? g. How can this situation be avoided in the future?