Team work, great content and determination…

In our latest guest blog General Manager, Sally Walder, tells us the secret to Amplify’s award winning success...

Earlier this year my team helped Amplify, the NEC Group’s hospitality business for Resorts World Arena and Arena Birmingham, win the Greater Birmingham Business of the Year. When I started off cutting my teeth in the harsh environment of cold calling, I never would have believed that I’d be leading a premier hospitality provider and that we’d be recognised in such a way!

Amazing teamwork has definitely been one of the key factors to our success. We’re a small team of just six people but our impact on West Midlands hospitality scene has been considerable.  The absolute key is that we are a focused, determined team that holds excellent relationships with our clients, and that has shone through.  We have a whole range of clients from national brands to SMEs to small businesses.

I know that I can rely on everyone in my team to make sure that every hospitality experience is special. Many of our clients are on first name terms with sales manager Solomon Smith, ticketing executive Phil Boyce, sales executives Deepti Pandya and Sam Green and our operations manager Elaine Whitby!  Lots of our members have been with us for absolutely ages and have become more like friends.

We work hard and we work together but we’re also really lucky to have some amazing events with star appeal at our NEC Group venues. We offer Amplify hospitality for over 180 performances over the two venues in the course of a year. The results speak for themselves, turnover has increased year on year with our largest growth spurt being a whopping 20% growth in the 17/18 financial year, with our 500+ members paying from £110 to add hospitality to a one off show, up to £2875 to join Amplify’s the most premium membership club, Air. We’ve also recently added to our portfolio with the new Premier Lounge at Arena Birmingham, which is giving us the opportunity to bring more informal hospitality experience to a wider audience.

I know with the team I’ve got we can continue to grow and to find innovative ways to help entertain people.  We have got a really good renewal rate, more than 70 per cent per year, but I want to drive that number up. We’ve got to keep up with our reputation of being business of the year now. The pressure is on but I’m the sort of person that thrives when I’ve got a deadline or a crazy goal! I have always loved sales - I think that I have got my determination for sales from my dad.  He owned a business buying hand tools from abroad and selling them to stores. My sales streak comes from him.  It is tiring but I love it.  I do not think there is any other job that would suit my personality better than the role I am in! So, I’d like to say thank you my team for coming on this journey with me and here’s to another successful year!