In this article, we will discuss some approaches to meeting this challenge of being “technicians with a heart.” The goal is to make good use of these new approaches to operating a hotel, while making sure we provide guests with the meaningful experiences they undeniably crave, as we do ourselves. One is tempted to call them our phantom guests. With today's technologies, a guest can make a reservation, sign in and, perhaps, check out without talking to or being seen by someone at the front desk. Timed right, a guest may not even interact with maintenance or housekeeping. READ MORE

Meeting planning in today's world is more complex than ever. Whether you're a planner or a supplier, our jobs are now 24/7. We are dealing with shorter lead times than ever, tighter budgets (on both sides), and expectations based on the perfection projected by social media and reality TV. Our job is no longer simply about dates, space, rate - we now need to compete at a world-class level on a daily basis. As a supplier, it takes extreme creativity at the venue level. Starting with the initial design, event space must be as flexible, innovative and as Instagram-worthy as possible. READ MORE

The ability to create memorable experiences and drive emotional connections with your customers is a differentiation strategy that works. It is our job to develop a differentiation strategy to create unique and memorable experiences for guests and meeting attendees. These experiences need to be genuine, and they need to be authentic. It is the only way to create an emotional connection, and what I have discovered is once these experiences become branded, once they become turn-key, it can back-fire on you. Once the experience is no longer authentic, it can be viewed as contrived or artificial, which goes against what you are trying to accomplish. READ MORE

Engagement and commitment are at the core of our professional lives in a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week operation. No matter the size or complexity of the box, engagement and our commitments should be a core fundamental that not only surfaces in our every interaction, but guides and directs our proactive decision making and our strategies and executions. Hospitality 101 teaches us as hospitality professionals, to engage with our guests, to make eye contact at 10 feet, to speak within 5, to escort when possible and to use our guests name in conversation. READ MORE

Meeting planners have more than enough to think about when it comes to searching for the perfect venue - and eco-consciousness is increasingly making its way top of mind for many. It is currently estimated that the average hotel guest generates 2.2 pounds of waste each night of their stay. And, with the meetings and event industry recently being deemed as the second most wasteful sector in the United States by the EPA, we at JW Marriott Austin knew we had to go above and beyond to deliver more efficient meetings and events with the lowest possible carbon footprint. READ MORE