Optimizing MICE Sales Teams: A Strategic Benchmarking Study for a Leading Hospitality Player

Client Background

The client is a global hospitality brand with a strong presence in business and corporate travel. Serving Fortune 500 companies and large-scale corporate events across multiple regions, the organization sought to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of its Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sales management practices. 

Client's Challenge

The client wanted to evaluate and optimize the structure of its MICE sales teams across global and regional levels. Key priorities included understanding team composition, defining roles and responsibilities, and benchmarking internal operations against leading hotel chains to identify best practices.  

The client also aimed to strengthen account management processes, improve engagement with corporate buyers, and capture emerging opportunities in request-for-proposal (RFP) trends.  

Without a well-aligned team structure, the company risked inefficiencies in sales execution, missed revenue opportunities, and weaker engagement with high-value corporate clients. To address this, the client partnered with Mordor Intelligence to conduct a detailed benchmarking study combining secondary research with expert interviews. 

How Mordor Intelligence Helped 

• Comprehensive Market Research: Conducted a dual-method research study leveraging both secondary sources (industry reports, trade publications, corporate MICE reports) and primary interviews with key industry stakeholders.
  
  
• Team Structure Analysis: Mapped out team compositions, engagement models, and strategic roles in leading hotel chains to help the client refine its internal MICE sales structure.
  
  
• Benchmarking and Best Practices: Compared the client's MICE sales teams with industry leaders, identifying efficiency gaps and improvement areas.
  
  
• Direct Engagement Insights: Assessed corporate enterprises that procure MICE services directly, highlighting unique RFP opportunities to enhance the client’s sales approach.
  
  
• Customized Strategy Recommendations: Provided actionable recommendations on optimizing sales team structures, enhancing account management, and leveraging data-driven marketing for corporate MICE engagements. 

Key Findings 

• MICE sales teams in major hotel chains have unique structures, with the division of responsibilities clearly demarcated between global and regional.
• Direct interface with corporate companies gives a competitive advantage, lowering dependency on intermediaries.
• Specific RFP approaches can be used to address high-value corporate customers more efficiently.
• Benchmarking performance and competitors' best practices unveiled huge optimization potential in structuring teams and strategic roles. 

Impact Created 

• Optimized MICE Sales Team Structure: The client fine-tuned its sales force organization, having a dedicated team for corporate MICE business.
  
  
• Enhanced Client Engagement and Retention: Personalized outreach and improved account management led to stronger relationships with Fortune 500 companies, increasing client satisfaction and repeat business.
  
  
• Improved Operational Efficiency: In addition, the feedback loops and performance metrics helped constantly fine-tune their offerings, increasing service quality and driving revenue growth.
  
  
• Strategic RFP Implementation: Client created focused offers and advertising around corporate procurement strategies, thus fortifying their position in the MICE marketplace. 

Our Industry Coverage

Mordor Intelligence has conducted extensive research in the hospitality and MICE sector, delivering customized insights to leading players. Our expertise includes: 

• Competitor Assessment: Benchmarking against industry leaders to identify strategic positioning opportunities.
  
  
• Market Segmentation and Growth Strategy: Identifying key market segments and optimal growth avenues within the MICE industry.
  
  
• Customer Need Analysis: Understanding corporate MICE buyers' expectations and procurement behavior.
  
  
• Pricing and Market Intelligence: Giving you data-driven advice on pricing competition and trends.
  
  
• Go-to-Market Strategies: Assisting hospitality brands in refining their sales approaches to maximize corporate MICE revenues. 

With proven expertise in hospitality and MICE research, Mordor Intelligence empowers global hospitality brands to optimize performance, strengthen client relationships, and drive growth in a competitive corporate travel landscape.