Overview
Right after an import, your pipeline usually needs a pass. Old leads look active, opportunities land in the earliest stage with no value, and duplicate accounts creep in. A short cleanup makes your leads list, boards, and reports trustworthy. Do this once after go-live, then revisit periodically.
There are four passes: leads, LNR/RFP opportunities, groups, and duplicate accounts.
Pass 1: Leads
Imported leads often arrive marked active even when they are months or years old. Work down the list and set each lead's status so only real, workable leads remain:
- Keep leads that are genuinely active (for example new or contacted).
- Mark dead ones not viable or lost.
- Mark ones that are really existing business existing.
Statuses like not-viable and existing move a lead off your main working list, so what is left is the business you should actually be touching. See Tips for a Healthy Leads Tab.
Pass 2: LNR / RFP opportunities
Imported opportunities tend to sit in the Prospect stage with no rate. For each one:
- If it is real, active business, move it toward Definite and fill in the rate and expected room nights so it carries a value.
- If it is dead, move it to Lost.
- If it is truly closed or replaced, move it to Closed.
An opportunity with a rate and room nights produces a real value on your board, which is what makes your pipeline numbers meaningful.
Pass 3: Groups
Group opportunities need the same treatment, plus actual production:
- Move past-dated prospects that did not happen to Closed or Lost.
- For groups that did happen, open the guest-room grid and enter the actual pickup and the rate. This turns the group's value from a guess into what really booked.
- Use bulk update rate and bulk update actual pickup on the grid to fill many rows at once instead of one at a time.
See Prospecting Tips & Tricks: Past Groups for how past groups are organized.
Pass 4: Merge duplicate accounts
Imports can create two accounts for the same company. To merge, pick the record you want to keep, move the associated opportunities, contacts, and activities onto it, then delete the duplicate. Because accounts are shared across all your hotels, keeping them clean helps everyone.
Key takeaway
A trustworthy pipeline is worth the hour it takes to clean up. Set lead statuses so your list shows only live business, stage and value your opportunities, record actual pickup on past groups, and merge duplicate accounts. After the first pass, a quick periodic review keeps it honest.
Questions? Email support@m1intel.com