Updated Group Intermediary Commission Standard
In the groups and meetings segment there is a vast network of distribution, technology, and service providers that offer a variety of services and solutions to properties and customers. Those services include lead sourcing channels, meetings management services, and software solutions to simplify and consolidate the workflow for meeting planners.
Marriott has established guidelines and standards, consistent with Marriott’s Global Distribution Strategy, to ensure that hotels approach and work with these organizations in a manner that is appropriate for the types of services being offered, and based on whether the services are being provided to the hotel or to the end-customer.
Marriott has updated the Group Intermediary Commission Standard to clarify the types of solution providers in the group segment that are eligible for commission payments. Consistent with the standard, approved group solution providers that operate primarily as channels, and originate and source group leads to hotels on behalf of an end-customer (e.g. HelmsBriscoe), are eligible to be paid up to a 10% commission on actualized group room revenue for commission-eligible transactions.
Some group solution providers primarily offer electronic RFP (eRFP) technology or software that an end-customer can use to facilitate lead sourcing. In these cases, contracting may be handled directly between the meeting planner and hotel sales or via a lead sourcing channel (e.g. HelmsBriscoe using Cvent’s software to help an end-customer source leads to hotels and consolidate RFPs). These eRFP technologies or software providers are not eligible for commission payments per Marriott’s standard.
For franchisees, we recommend that you evaluate unapproved software group provider leads based on the value of the business to the hotel; the net non-commissionable status will be your decision to accept or forego. Owners, note that sales associates must indicate this non-commissionable status within the “comments” field during the RFP process.
Should you have any questions, please contact asksales@marriott.com. We thank you for your adherence to the Group Intermediary Commission Standard and support of Marriott’s distribution strategy.
