Our branding and interiors teams work through the design process with our clients, formalizing various key guest brand touchpoints. Those discussions are front of mind when I play the role of hotel guest on my own business trips.
Do I want to engage with a human when I check in?
Will I work in my room at the desk (never) or sit on my bed with my laptop? Would I rather plug in down in the lobby where there are a heap of fun people looking busy?
If I am attending a conference, will I order room service and get some work done before a session starts or will I go down to the breakfast reception to meet new people?
How many new people will I meet for business or otherwise? (Will I talk to the person next to me on the flight or put my headphones regardless of whether I am listening to something?)
Did I reach out to other clients and old friends to connect while I was in their city?
Sound familiar?
How engaged are you? How open are you to new experiences and connections? How willing are you to truly listen?
After a hotel conference in LA a few months ago, I reached out to three guy friends of mine in the design and PR industry who live around the area. These men are all icons in our industry- each playing an interesting mentor-type role in my professional life. One took me to walk and window shop around Venice after sharing wine and an avocado sandwich; another to a super trendy new restaurant for fois gras and martinis; and the last to my parents’ favorite Mexican dive, ironically just blocks from the conference hotel. We caught up on what new projects we were involved in- shared our updates on family. They are amazing barometers.