Oh, Those Memorable Overseas Sales Blitzes!

by Marissa B. Aquino

Hotel Intercontinental Manila has proudly gained the reputation of being a pioneer in program / activity innovations. Among these are the Guest Relations Department, the Elle Club (appreciation club for secretaries and administrative assistants of corporate accounts), the Business Center, Theme Parties, and the Sales Blitzes, among others. These innovations were eventually followed by other hotels in Manila, and by sister hotels all over the world.

More than two decades ago, IH Manila introduced the sales blitz. This term must have been coined from the word “blitzkrieg” which means an overwhelming surprise infiltration or sortie. Prior to this, sales executives would only make sales calls on clients individually, but in order to make a greater impact, IH Manila pioneered this concept. Groups of Marketing Department associates would visit corporate accounts and travel agencies to introduce / re-introduce the hotel’s products and services. Over time, the Blitz Team composition evolved to include the GM, RM, and Department Heads / Representatives.

The number of visiting hotel associates and the actual presentation were naturally both overwhelming and a pleasant surprise. The other blitz components like giveaways and, later on, food and drinks served at the end of the presentations enhanced the positive impression created by IH Manila.

Eventually, the sales blitz concept was applied to overseas sales trips. Teams were sent to Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Japan, Australia – wherever it was cost-effective to send a team to convince prospective clients to make Inter-Continental their hotel of choice in Manila. During account visits of this nature, the basic sales blitz formula was followed, then capped off by an appreciation cocktail party or dinner.

I was a newly-wed when my then-Sales Manager, Ramon Aldeguer, told me that I was going to be part of the blitz team traveling to Singapore, KL, and Jakarta. I think Ramon was a little concerned that I would not want to leave my husband of a couple-of-months. But I was very excited especially as it was my first time to be on such a trip, and to be traveling to these cities!

We devoted days of rehearsals to the sales presentations and were given guidelines on assignments for the official functions. I was a neophyte with the Sales Department then so I was awed. But our Marketing Director (Rose Hilario-Libongco) and my colleagues (Maridel Gonzales, Lynn Gamboa, Vickie Villa, and Victoria Bonoan of Punta Baluarte) made me feel very welcome.

The number of sales visits we made daily was tiring but we always had energy to spare for our dinners and of course, our after-work shopping sprees. I remember that at Surabaya in Jakarta, Maridel advised me not to haggle unless I was buying as I might end up being hacked by the vendor. I was so petrified!

Here too, Ramon Aldeguer insisted that I purchase some décor items he was also purchasing. I did and months later, Ramon offered to buy the same items from me at triple the price --- because he wanted to put these up for sale at his shop! These pieces still grace my living room to this day, and they stir fond memories of Ramon every time I see them.

The sales blitz formula had to be continuously honed and improved so that both our existing and prospective clients would have something new and exciting to look forward to. Eventually, professional directors were hired to develop the concepts which Rose thought up every year --- for both the sales presentations and the functions that capped the blitzes. We also began bringing along top Filipino performers. “Performing as required” became part of the blitz team members’ job description. We sang and danced, both wowing and pleasantly surprising our audiences.

In conservative HKG, for example, we came out of boxes in our net stockings and jewel-toned midriff blouses dancing to Manhattan Transfer’s “Boy from New York City”. That was one of the most memorable blitz performances ever!

Our sales blitzes, while draining at the end of the day, were dotted with many funny and/or embarrassing anecdotes. There were times when it was almost impossible to control our laughter. For instance:

• On the last day of a 3-country sales blitz, Ramon Aldeguer and I were partners. We were both very tired and to keep our energy up, Ramon would throw quips that would perk me up. He told me that I would have to make the presentations to the last few accounts we would be seeing and he would just provide support. While I was making my sales pitch, Ramon purposely removed his shoes and played with his socked toes. The client could not see this, of course. But to me, it was a fitting snapshot of grace under pressure!


• A HKG Chinese client was telling us that they had switched to the Mandarin Hotel because we don’t allow “toks” at the Intercon. We made the mistake of choosing Sunshine Lanuza as our secretary. Sun is notorious for being “hard of hearing” as she often hears the wrong names/words. Sun could not understand the client so she asked our Area Sales Manager, “What did she say, “toks”? Our Area Sales Manager from HKG said “No, she said “toks!” Those of us who understood that the client meant “dogs” were trying our very best not to burst into laughter.


• Another HKG client, a travel agent, kept discussing Punta Baluarte. She pronounced Punta Baluarte as “Punta Bulati” every time. In the Philippine vernacular, “bulati” means worm. I had to leave the room as I could no longer contain my laughter. One by one Peachie, Recio, Cora Pacheco, and the others followed suit until only one person was left presenting to the travel agent!


• There was the time we had to sing a song in several voices and the song referred to both people and birds. At one point, we could hear Maridel Gonzales singing con gusto “parang taong lumipad” (like a person who flew). The actual lyrics of the song are “parang ibong lumipad” (like a bird that flew). She mixed up the people and the birds!


• In Singapore, we were asked to wait at the lobby lounge one afternoon after sales calls as the General Manager of the Hotel, Eric Pruefer, wanted to meet the Manila sales team. I was then with my “girls” Ichi Martinez, Sylvia Araneta, and Portia Escarda. At one point Mr. Pruefer asked what made Manila do so well and we oh-so-nonchalantly (perhaps arrogantly?) exclaimed: “You are looking at the reason!” We did not know then of course, that a month later, Mr. Pruefer would be our General Manager in Manila!

The success of the overseas sales blitzes was gauged by the increase in number of arrivals from the cities we visited and by the actual reservations made by patrons of competitive hotels. We did whatever we reasonably could to get “roomnites”.

When Corazon Aquino became President of the Philippines, my family name became an inadvertent asset. Some corporate accounts loyal to the Mandarin and the Peninsula were just so curious to find out if I was related to President Cory, that they would agree to see me just to find out if this were so. Happily, this provided the opportunity to convince several of them to give the Intercon a try.

Looking back at my years doing overseas sales blitzes, I am thankful for many things --- the chance to travel, the bonding with my colleagues which developed into life-long friendships, the honing of presentation skills and the ability to “think on one’s feet”, the new friends I made (I had the opportunity to work with Fernando Crame, a former IH Manila Sales Manager, while on a sales blitz in Australia), the use of negotiation skills for shopping, and much more than I can write about in this article. Often, such memories still make my day even at this present time!