Laura Steele

• Greeted customers and helped with product questions, selections, and purchases.
• Maintained clean sales floor and straightened and faced merchandise.
• Offered each customer top-notch, personal service to boost sales and customer satisfaction.
• Monitored sales floor and merchandise displays for presentable condition, taking corrective action such as restocking or reorganizing products.
• Handled returns and exchanges professionally, resolving customer issues while adhering to company policies.
• Managed efficient cash register operations.
• Helped customers complete purchases, locate items, and join reward programs.
• Provided exceptional services and pleasant shopping experiences to retail customers.

• 4 Diamond Preferred Hotel - Upscale luxury hotel attached to the Riverchase Galleria with 32,000 square feet of meeting space and 329 guestrooms.
• Managed the corporate market segment for the Southeast and Southwest regions as well as local key accounts.
• Responsible for meeting and exceeding monthly sales quotas and budgets
• Achieved sales goals in excess of $1.5 million annually.
• Held meetings with director to identify techniques to overcome sales obstacles.
• Built relationships with customers and community to establish long-term business growth.
• Prospected for leads through networking, referrals, and cold calling.
• Gained strong leadership skills by managing projects from start to finish.
• Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
• Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.

• Managed and directed a sales and catering staff of 6 people providing guidance, coaching and support
• Set departmental goals and budgets
• Developed and implemented the hotel's Marketing Plan
• Handled advertising development and placement for the hotel
• Directed outside selling efforts, promotions, and direct mail pieces for the hotel
• Managed hotel operations in the General Managers absence
• Received the Industry's highest honor from the Alabama Hospitality Association

"Alabama's 2001 Hospitality Department Manager of the Year"

• Set annual budges and sales incentive plans for sales department
• Wrote, developed and implemented hotel marketing plan and monthly action plans to meet monthly revenue goals
• Established ambitious sales targets, managed deployment strategies, and developed go-to-market plans to capitalize on every revenue opportunity.
• Resolved problems with high-profile customers to maintain relationships and increase return customer base.
• Managed accounts to retain existing relationships and grow share of business.
• Connected with prospects through trade shows, cold calling and local-area networking.

• Responsible for territory sales selling food and foodservice related products to restaurants, hotels, clubs and medical institutions.
• Responsible for meeting and exceeding monthly sales goals, while increasing territory accounts.
• Received "Marketing Associate of the Month" Feb 1996.
• Delivered services to customer locations within specific timeframes.