Dolce International Integrates e-RFPs to
NetXchange™ MeetingBroker and Delphi™ Global Sales
to Bolster Group Business

Newmarket International solutions help sales staff better manage electronic leads, while promoting Dolce’s entire portfolio; global conference center leader expects technology to help boost its conversion rate 15%, delivering an additional $5 million+ in annual revenues.

The age-old adage "Time is money" rings as true today as it ever did. Just ask officials at Dolce International, which has tied its electronic Request For Proposal (e-RFP) into Newmarket International's NetXchange™ MeetingBroker and Delphi™ Global Sales Edition solutions to increase the profitability and productivity of its sales staff and save clients valuable time in their venue searches and meeting and event planning.

"The primary mission of these two technology investments is to enhance our information management capabilities so we can best understand what follow-up action is required for each electronic lead throughout the entire sales process, while continuing to build a comprehensive database of current customers and potential clients who can meet at multiple properties and better drive Dolce brand business across the globe," said Nelson Garrido, Dolce International's Director of Property Technology.

With NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition integrated into Dolce International's e-RFP process, and the company's 21 conference centers all operating using Delphi automated Sales & Catering software, more indepth responses to e-RFPs can be consistently delivered more rapidly. Just as important, sales staff now have the information management tools they need to easily and readily manage valuable customer relationships along every step of the way — and are able to take immediate action at any time, from anywhere in the world.

"Not only are we positioned to provide immediate responses to e-RFPs, but we're saving our clients and ourselves considerable time, and therefore monies, in the process," Garrido said. "For instance, clients now have the ability to simultaneously send a single e-RFP to multiple locations — significantly expanding both their venue options and our sales opportunities without adding a single second to the e-RFP process. Clients can send their e-RFPs to our entire portfolio, to all properties within a city, state, region or nation, or just to one select location.

"The drill-down capabilities and robust interconnectivity of these two Newmarket solutions make using them a pleasurable, profitable experience for all involved," Garrido added. "We're responding to leads better, faster and with more efficiency than ever before, which in turn is helping drive both our e-RFP conversion rate and Dolce brand recognition and loyalty."

Bill Gilchrist, Dolce International's Vice President of Sales – North America, said this single feature alone made the technology investments attractive, fiscally responsible business decisions. For instance, Gilchrist said a meeting planner from GM Acceptance Corp. recently was inquiring about a Dolce property in Germany, and although the site already was booked for the dates she wanted, the company was able to promote the Dolce brand and specifically its Minneapolis and Dallas locations — which resulted in two bookings and one visitation at those facilities.

"The whole idea is that it's not about closing on a single transaction, although that's nice. It's all about developing long-term relationships across the entire Dolce portfolio," Gilchrist said."The bottom-line driver for these technology investments is just that — the bottom line. We expect NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition to continue to empower our sales staff to bolster our conversion rate up to 15 percent, adding an additional $5 million or more to Dolce International's annual revenues for years to come."

"From September through December 2002, we received more than 1,200 e-RFPs — or 25 percent more in the last four months of last year than we received in the previous eight months," Gilchrist said."Not only are we garnering a bigger piece of the online group bookings business, but the pie itself is expanding exponentially in markets across the globe — a trend which will only multiply the ROI we already are reaping through NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition."

Danny Hudson, Newmarket International's Vice President of Product Strategy & Marketing, said that monthly bookings via NetXchange MeetingBroker, an electronic solution connecting buyers and sellers of guestrooms, has more than doubled since January 2002, to an average of nearly 1 million roomnights booked per month.

"We strongly believe that the meetings and conventions business is just now beginning to realize and fully capture some of the myriad benefits of online event planning and booking," Hudson said. "Our NetXchange MeetingBroker bookings are multiplying exponentially, and we expect this upward trend to continue to grow in the coming years."

"The old way of faxing leads from a national sales office to individual properties is ineffective, time consuming and costly for all parties," said Sean O'Neill, President & CEO of Newmarket International."With NetXchange MeetingBroker,we put everyone on the same electronic page in real time, so qualified leads can convert to booked business in record time."

Thanks to Newmarket International, Dolce clients can actively manage their e-RFPs in real time (changing dates and other requirements, and resending their e-RFPs as needed) from anywhere in the world, at their own convenience.

"NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition are powerful tools to manage people and product to best market and sell unused inventory,"Gilchrist said."This technology's Top 3 ROI payback categories are:

1. Book More Business;
2. Book More Business; and
3. Book More Business!"

"One cannot ignore the significant time savings and unparalleled convenience that this technology now affords our sales staff and valued clients," Gilchrist added. "If you're running short on time and money, and many are in this economy, NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition are proven solutions that deliver significant immediate and sustained revenue-building results."

DOLCE'S BOTTOM-LINE ROI

• Significantly increase traffic to the company's web site.
• Better sell unsold inventory across an entire portfolio.
• Promote the company brand and each property as needed/directed.
• Reduce manual data re-entry and related labor costs and accuracy issues.
• Track all e-RFP business opportunities (including those won, lost and turned down).
• Allow for the development of databases for customer relationship management and sales prospecting.
• Empower sales staff to fully leverage high-value global accounts by actively encouraging clients to book business across multiple sites a multiple number of times.
• Save clients considerable time and alleviate common issues associated with traditional off-line venue searches and meeting and event planning functions.
• Position hotel companies to book more and better margin business in record time.
• Dramatically reduce response times and track and expedite all follow-through action steps — bolstering conversion rates as most meeting planners report "the early bird catches the worm" (or their business) in most cases.

DOLCE'S TERRIFIC TECHNOLOGY TRIO

Dolce International's fully-integrated e-RFP includes all relevant specifications for each property in the expanding Dolce International portfolio, including images, room features and layouts. Clients are promised real-time responses to their e-RFPs within 30 minutes. Dolce International’s e-RFP process saves meeting planners time and money by providing a complete proposal including airfare, transportation and learning components.

Newmarket International's NetXchangeTM MeetingBroker is an electronic solution connecting buyers and sellers of guestrooms and meeting rooms. NetXchange MeetingBroker — which averages nearly 1 million room bookings per month — helps properties and management companies secure business and increase their profitability and productivity through shared electronic access to the most-qualified group sales leads.

Newmarket International’s DelphiTM Global Sales Edition is a sales force automation tool that allows staff to establish and access a centralized customer database independent of, and yet closely connected to, Delphi Sales & Catering systems in place at each property. Technology standardization with NetXchange MeetingBroker allows for the instantaneous two-way sharing of data based on any number of criteria, including market segmentation, location, SIC code and quality ratings.

TESTIMONIAL
From September through December 2002, we received more than 1,200 e-RFPs — or 25 percent more in the last four months of last year than we received in the previous eight months. Not only are we garnering a bigger piece of the online group bookings business, but the pie itself is expanding exponentially in markets across the globe — a trend which will only multiply the ROI we already are reaping through NetXchange MeetingBroker and Delphi Global Sales Edition.
   Bill Gilchrist
   Vice President of Sales – North America
   Dolce International

About Newmarket International
Newmarket International, "the makers of Delphi," is the leader in delivering groups, sales, catering and banquet software solutions to global travel and entertainment organizations. Hotels, Casinos, Visitor Bureaus, Meeting Houses, Convention Centers and Arenas all use this powerful technology.Newmarket International provides competitive advantages to all of its customers by enabling leads to electronically transfer across cities and around the world. By harnessing award-winning technology and support, the industry's best return on investment, domain expertise, and a commitment to the travel industry, Portsmouth, N.H.-based Newmarket enables customers to increase efficiencies and maximize profits. For more information, please visit www.newmarketinc.com.

About Dolce International
Founded in 1981 and based in Montvale, N.J., Dolce International is the global leader in learning through meetings and leisure,with a growing portfolio of 24 conference destinations in the United States, Canada and Europe. For more information on the company, please contact Jo Ann Swahn, Chief Marketing Officer, at +1-201-307-8700, or e-mail joann.swahn@dolce.com.