On this week’s episode of the Lodge Second podcast, Karen Stephens, Revinate CRO, and Shawn Jereb, Senior VP of Income Administration & Distribution at Montage Worldwide, take a step again and consider methods to promote premier, first-rate experiences that maintain visitors feeling linked to the model. Jereb gives methods any hotelier can take motion — whether or not that’s accommodating and supporting preferences, or making use of expertise to facilitate welcoming and well-rounded stays.
Tune in and learn how to personalize the visitor journey, foster lasting relationships, and depart visitors coming again many times.
Meet your host
Karen Stephens is Revinate’s Chief Income Officer and runs the gross sales, advertising and marketing, and buyer success groups. She has greater than 20 years of expertise within the trade alone.
On the Lodge Second podcast, Karen speaks with leaders to attract out their experiences and insights. She can also be a Francophile and Prof Ok — a coach, a mentor, a information to the individuals who work together with her.
Transcript
Intro/Outro – 00:00:02:
Welcome to the Lodge Second podcast, offered by Revinate, the podcast the place we discuss to leaders within the hospitality trade. In the event you’re searching for tendencies, views, and tales from leaders in journey and hospitality, you’re in the best place.
Karen – 00:00:20:
Hi there everybody and welcome to the Lodge Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Income Officer of Revinate. And at the moment I’m delighted to be joined by Shawn Jereb, who’s the Senior Vice President of Income Administration for Montage Worldwide. Welcome Shawn.
Shawn – 00:00:36:
Good morning, Karen. Thanks.
Karen – 00:00:38:
It’s so good to have you ever right here. So, Montage is a Revinate buyer, and Shawn was truly one in all our panelists at our convention this 12 months known as Navigate. So, I’m very completely happy to have you ever right here once more to share form of the second spherical of insights. However earlier than we get began, I’ve 5 questions that I ask all of my visitors. So, I’m gonna begin with that, after which we’ll get onto the juicy subject at the moment, which is all about maximizing income as a luxurious model. So, in the event you’ll indulge me, Shawn, when did you begin working within the trade and do you keep in mind your first day on the job?
Shawn – 00:01:12:
We began working within the trade within the manger and first checked in Jesus. No, I’m simply kidding. It’s been a really very long time. It’s, I’m arising on 30 years, which is insane. It feels slightly bit like I’ll labor legal guidelines. So no, I don’t recall just about my first day. Thank God. I do recall becoming a member of the trade. So, I keep in mind being in the back of the Portland Marriott and taking a look at their job board and had these little playing cards with the entire jobs. And I keep in mind studying the entrance desk description, which was customer support and money dealing with. And in highschool I had labored in a grocery retailer. So, I used to be like, I’ve these expertise. And so, I truly determined to use and that’s kind of how I fell into the hospitality trade.
Karen – 00:01:55:
So, you began it at Marriott.
Shawn – 00:01:58:
I did, yeah, within the entrance desk in 1994. So yeah, simply to rejoice 30 years.
Karen – 00:02:05:
Wow, that could be very cool. All proper, so over that 30-year profession, virtually 30-year profession, what has been probably the most uplifting second up to now in your profession?
Shawn – 00:02:15:
I don’t know if I may decide one, clearly over 30 years. I feel the principle factor that I discover uplifting is absolutely the flexibility to actually develop expertise. So, once I see the folks that I labored with in my groups, you understand, develop and go on to nice issues, I discover that to be actually probably the most rewarding a part of the function.
Karen – 00:02:35:
Yeah, that’s an ideal reply. I feel particularly as you your self began on the entrance desk and have form of risen by means of the ranks over time. So, I really like that reply. Serving to individuals discover their footing and develop of their profession. Superior.
Shawn – 00:02:47:
It’s superb. You’re employed that lengthy, you understand, you begin with individuals at a really junior stage after which years later, you see them in senior roles and also you suppose, you understand, wow, it was a part of that journey and assist them to get there. And I feel that’s really uplifting.
Karen – 00:03:00:
Is. All proper, so this one goes to be given the model that you simply work for, the manufacturers that you simply work for with Montage Worldwide. This query goes to be arduous to reply, I’m positive. Nonetheless, from a private perspective, what’s your most hanging expertise up to now when it comes to a vacation, a lodge keep, or meals expertise that involves thoughts?
Shawn – 00:03:20:
Yeah, tremendous straightforward. So, I’ve executed tons of world journey, been tremendous lucky, and I feel by far my finest expertise was with Amon. So, I’m going to call a aggressive model, I feel which is ok, in India. So, I feel, you understand, I’d all the time wished to go to India. I went to about, I feel 5 or 6 years in the past, and I used to be simply blown away after kind of, once more, touring everywhere. It was simply such a unique expertise, and so they simply did such an incredible job culturally and it was only a mind-blowing expertise. So, I might undoubtedly say Amon in India was that field.
Karen – 00:03:58:
All proper, that’s happening my bucket record. That sounds unbelievable.
Shawn – 00:04:03:
Undoubtedly advocate it. Unimaginable.
Karen – 00:04:05:
Okay, so this one is, I feel it’s all the time enjoyable once more, given the manufacturers you’ve labored out. So, have you ever met any celebrities which you can communicate of when you have been within the subject?
Shawn – 00:04:17:
Sure, I imply, tons of them, significantly I feel, you understand, earlier in my profession once I labored for Morgans Lodge Group, which is clearly recognized for being very leisure targeted. And once I was the director of income at Mondrian in gosh, like 2001, so the early 2000s, that was I feel the height of Mondrian at the moment on the Sundown Strip. And so, movie star was a really regular a part of the day-to-day there. So, we have been all the time getting numerous celebrities by means of the door and dealing with them straight from income administration, which is humorous simply because they have been all the time searching for specific suites or they wanted safety and for the nanny and it was all the time a really concerned reserving. And so, I tended to become involved with these, which was lots of enjoyable. Much less now due to course I’m not on property or within the workplace like again, so much less now, however clearly tons of movie star and I feel probably the most well-known of montage is Justin Bieber. He’s an enormous fan of the model. He acquired married in one in all our resorts and you understand that was broadly publicized. So, I feel that was in all probability one in all our largest.
Karen – 00:05:16:
That’s so enjoyable. That’s nice. Okay, so last query for the warmup. Who’re the ladies at work that you simply’ve been most impressed by?
Shawn – 00:05:23:
I really like this query. After I was desirous about this query, I used to be like, that is such a cool query as a result of it actually made me replicate by means of the 30 years of ladies and there have been a number of standouts in that which was enjoyable to replicate on. They have been standouts in numerous methods which I additionally thought was cool. I had one in all Fox Ladies places of work, like that is what girls do, but it surely was superb as a result of all of them kind of helped my profession differently. And I feel among the early standouts was again within the 90s, my very first income administration job. I used to be on the Renaissance in Seattle. And I had a lady normal supervisor, Claudia Danks, and she or he was a power we reckoned with. She was extraordinarily tall. She was extraordinarily ahead. And I keep in mind she would sit in her workplace and she or he would smoke cigarettes and drink white Russians. And she or he was, it was undoubtedly the nineties. That was nonetheless a factor to once more, age myself. It was like a dynasty episode, however she would name me to her workplace. She’d be like, Shawn, come on. And it was like terrified once I was, you understand, younger and new within the enterprise. It was very terrifying, however you understand, she actually drove for excellence. And so, she actually taught me to love be ready and are available to the workplace with solutions as a result of, you understand, she wouldn’t take much less. And in order that was one of many standups, however there have been so many, I may go on and on and on.
Karen – 00:06:36:
She sounds superb. That’s actually cool. Shout out to Claudia.
Shawn – 00:06:43:
I do know. I do surprise. I’m positive retired and dwelling her finest life. Having a white Russian.
Karen – 00:06:48:
Hopefully she is. That sounds nice. Cool. All proper. So, let’s discuss slightly bit about Montage Worldwide. I imply, what a stupendous assortment of residences, of resorts. Are you able to simply give us form of the excessive stage on the model and types throughout the model and why it’s so profitable as a luxurious play?
Shawn – 00:07:06:
I’m tremendous fortunate. I’ve been extraordinarily lucky with actually nice manufacturers in my profession and Montage Worldwide is certainly one of many tops. So, a high-end luxurious model, Montage was began 20 years in the past. That is truly our twentieth anniversary. Montage has been a seashore and it simply an incredible assortment of resorts, as you talked about. And actually the concept behind it was, I feel Alan Fuerstman, my founder, actually noticed a distinct segment within the luxurious house, which was to have a extra of a, I assume, informal luxurious or approachable luxurious versus the kind of girls and gents serving tea kind of luxurious stuffy. So, we’re actually about welcoming all people and being snug and actually having fun with your self and having the ability to chill out and have time, however have that top high quality product and high-quality service. After which actually as Montage grew, it was apparent that there was house additionally for an extra model. So, we launched the Pendry model, which was actually extra of a way of life model. They’d kill me for saying that as a result of we tried to avoid that fuzzy phrases however I assume it’s a good method to describe the model because it’s extra in city markets and actually that, once more, that target excessive service, however possibly in an surroundings that’s extra ahead because it pertains to aesthetic.
Karen – 00:08:19:
Proper. And yeah, truly you talked about your CEO and I’ve a quote from him, which I feel is absolutely fascinating. So, it’s Alan Fuerstman who’s saying, my tackle luxurious is that it was too pretentious, too formal. And the following era of luxurious vacationers was searching for one thing extra humble within the type of type, service, and tradition. So, I feel you talked slightly bit about that, however humble luxurious. So, it’s a really excessive stage of service, however with out the entire pretense, as you talked about.
Shawn – 00:08:45:
He mentioned it higher than I did, as he ought to. Yeah, I attempted to seize it, however that sounds so much higher. However yeah, precisely. I feel approachable luxurious was actually the aim, which I feel we’ve achieved. You don’t stroll into our resorts and suppose, oh, I should be dressed a sure approach, or I have to look a sure approach. You’ll be able to simply chill out and have time, however nonetheless have that top contact service with out all of the pretense.
Karen – 00:09:10:
Sure, and let’s discuss slightly bit about, you understand, when you will have that stage of luxurious, of visitor, of expertise, how do you leverage expertise in order that it seems seamless to the traveler, proper? As a result of I do know you don’t use loyalty factors. You’re not any individual like, oh, you weren’t a freak. You already know, like we’re speaking about a complete nother stage of visitor expertise. So how do you leverage expertise behind the scenes to make sure that you’re delivering that finest expertise
Shawn – 00:09:37:
That’s an ideal query. And the reply is it’s extraordinarily tough. I imply, I feel you’ll know being within the expertise house, proper? We simply had a lot expertise. Now we have lots of age expertise. Now we have lots of expertise that doesn’t discuss to 1 one other. So, the problem and the battle is certainly actual. So, it undoubtedly takes a excessive stage of, I feel, private method. So, you understand, it’s actually about distinctive workers which can be diving into these instruments and taking the time to tug out that data to have the ability to present that top stage of service. I imply, we’re extraordinarily lucky as a result of we do have lots of montage loyalists. So, we’ve an excellent excessive repeat visitor issue. So, I keep in mind going to the primary get up firm and so they’re like, it’s so and so 60 a keep or 100 state, like these loopy numbers the place individuals simply are so invested within the model, which is superb. And so, you understand, we get to know them on a really private stage by means of these interactions as a result of they’re loyal to us and so they do come again. And so, I feel that permits us to find out about them and to create these experiences, which is absolutely what all about.
Karen – 00:10:41:
Which is absolutely the important thing to all of that. Completely. So, the following factor I wished to ask you about was your deal with sustainability. So, you understand, individuals count on this excessive stage of luxurious, however we additionally need to be certain that it’s a sustainable surroundings. So, are you able to discuss how Montage thinks about that and make it possible for the visitor is conscious of it?
Shawn – 00:11:00:
Yeah, completely. We’re actually on the forefront of that. We’ve gained tons of awards. We’ve tried actually, actually arduous. It is a house of ardour. Additionally, one of many difficulties you’ll be able to think about, you understand, making an attempt to eliminate single-use plastic and the way do you develop about that? I feel it’s fascinating as a result of we haven’t shouted so much about it. So, we’ve executed so much on this house and we proceed to do so much on this house, but it surely’s not one thing put ahead as kind of PR-able, I feel, as possibly another corporations have executed. Alan has mentioned, pay attention, we need to be tremendous sustainable and we need to clearly respect the planet and do this for ourselves, our households and our visitors. However we additionally don’t need to impose that on the visitor. It’s fascinating as a result of my understanding is doesn’t actually need to see like, oh, there’s a recycling bin and a daily bin and it’s as much as the visitors to then type their recyclables into the right bin. We do all of that behind the scenes. We simply accumulate every little thing after which behind the scenes we do the separation. And so once more, it’s probably not placing the visitors within the place of like, it’s as much as you to make your state sustainable. We attempt to curate that for them and do every little thing we are able to to behind the scenes make sustainability an essential a part of what we do with out, I assume, placing it within the forefront.
Karen – 00:12:13:
Proper. Which is an excellent idea. I feel individuals perceive after they get there that that’s one thing that’s taking place behind the scenes and it’s not one thing they must be involved with, which could be very cool.
Shawn – 00:12:22:
I feel they see us doing it, proper? Like they’re clearly well-traveled. They clearly perceive what’s taking place within the trade, what’s taking place on the earth. They usually see the plastic straws disappearing. They see the single-use plastics disappearing. They see the small bottles disappearing. However it’s not one thing we essentially, once more, make a fuss about. It’s simply issues that we’re doing continually to attempt to do our half to be sustainable and to satisfy that essential duty all of us have.
Karen – 00:12:51:
Completely. And also you’re increasing into lovely areas. I see that you simply’re doing lots of growth arising. Mexico is one which’s excessive on the record. Are you able to discuss slightly bit in your function and as you consider rolling out into these markets and you understand, what’s the path for growth with montage within the subsequent couple of years?
Shawn – 00:13:11:
I imply, it continues to be enormous, proper? So, over the pandemic, we doubled in measurement, which was loopy. And I feel we’ll proceed to take action. It’s been slightly bit slowed down by simply what’s taking place on the earth, proper? So, provide chain points and development points and labor points, these issues have definitely all slowed down our development when it comes to what we had deliberate to open. So, issues are slightly bit behind. So, I feel what we’ll see is slightly lull now as we kind of catch up after which kind of one other explosion in kind of 25 by means of 27, the place all of these properties that have been actually alleged to be coming to fruition now or within the subsequent couple of years have been pushed out possibly a 12 months or two. We proceed to do openings. Now we have one this week, which could be very thrilling. So, we’re opening Pendry Newport Seaside this week. I’m truly engaged on our subsequent opening already. So, I’m doing the construct now for Go Stay in January on sale for Pendry Natirar, which is within the countryside in New Jersey, simply outdoors of New York, a stupendous nation property. So enthusiastic about that. After which we’ve lots of growth internationally, as you talked about, so, you understand, we’ve introduced Mexico, Punta Mita, and we even have fairly a bit happening within the Caribbean. So, a lot of expansions nonetheless to come back.
Karen – 00:14:20:
And I’m simply curious personally, how usually do you get to exit to those properties as they open? Do you get to be on web site? How a lot are you touring? That is my query as a result of these are good locations to journey.
Shawn – 00:14:30:
An excessive amount of is the reply. I feel this week, I depart on Thursday and I feel that is week 5 on the street. So, you understand, it’s fairly exhausting, but it surely’s nice. You already know, it’s nice to be a part of these rising manufacturers. And so, lots of time on the street, lots of time within the properties, not essentially throughout the openings. You already know, in income administration, I’m within the kind of within the forefront, proper? So proper now, I’m actually working, doing lots of the heavy lifting. I got here again simply final week from Pendry Natirar, I’m doing the construct now. For on sale in January and the lodge gained’t open till kind of April, Could time by the point that opens, I’ll be capable of the following. I feel operation is absolutely that boots on the bottom. Like this weekend, coming into Newport. I’m probably not even desirous about it trigger I did that kind of eight, 9 months in the past. So, I’m kind of forward of the sport because it pertains to the opening. So, lots of my heavy lifting is early on. And by the point we open, you understand, I actually need to, our operations groups to tug that off after which. Thanks too. And go on and luxuriate in.
Karen – 00:15:24:
Yeah, you’re all in regards to the pre-sell, getting all of it arrange and able to go to market.
Shawn – 00:15:28:
Sure, lots of time in openings.
Karen – 00:15:31:
Yeah, so how do you consider that if you’re opening in a brand new market? I’m simply curious from a income administration perspective, as a result of usually your resorts are form of in a category of their very own in some methods. So, what are you taking a look at to form of set these charges and take into consideration the way you’re going to current the lodge?
Shawn – 00:15:46:
It’s an ideal query. It’s humorous, Tammy, as a result of we’ve actually been speaking about this over the previous couple of weeks as we glance to construct out Pendry Natirar, proper? As a result of it’s kind of a category unto itself. And so, making an attempt to grasp like, okay, it’s not native that we’re taking a look at as a result of there’s nothing within the native space that will likely be a direct competitor. So, it’s actually casting a wider internet and searching for life merchandise in like areas. So, for instance, for Natirar, we’re trying on the total Japanese Seaboard, nation excessive in luxurious and kind of cherry selecting these from across the area for people who may be look alike to us, however not essentially in our yard.
Karen – 00:16:21:
Attention-grabbing. And the way usually, I imply, you talked about you will have such an enormous loyal gasoline base. When you will have a gap like that, what’s the combination? Do you see lots of people coming in which can be model new to the model or are they coming from different properties and testing out the brand new waters? And you’ve got an thought.
Shawn – 00:16:39:
Yeah, it’s an ideal query. I feel, you understand, we’ve been such a Southern California firm. So actually, you understand, West Coast home has been our bread and butter. And so, once we opened Montage in a Bluffon on the East coast, I feel that was, we have been slightly bit fish out of water with that, I feel initially, trigger individuals simply didn’t know the model. However I feel as we’ve grown, we’re getting much more of that crossover. We’re getting much more new eyes on the model. We opened lots of Pendries in key gateway cities like Chicago, New York, DC. And so, you understand, that actually has boosted, clearly the model recognition and folks have been capable of expertise that stage of service and our merchandise. And so, I feel it makes every of that subsequent opening slightly bit simpler as a result of the popularity has continued to kind of to develop and increase it and solid a wider internet. And as we unfold out into worldwide, extra worldwide visitors, we’ve been extremely home. So, diversifying actually that geographical combine, be it home or worldwide, has undoubtedly grown as we’ve grown.
Karen – 00:17:36:
Proper. Okay. So final query. You already know, the top of the 12 months is quick approaching coming into 2024. So, I felt them like I can’t consider it. It’s like price range season and loopy. However any cool predictions for 2024 and the income administration house as you’re searching? What do you suppose goes to be form of the brand new speaking factors as we get into the brand new 12 months?
Shawn – 00:17:58:
We proceed to come back out of the pandemic nonetheless, proper? So, I feel we’re nonetheless in a restoration mode in some ways. And it’s fascinating to see, I feel for the primary time, what I’m actually experiencing is absolutely divergence in particular merchandise and areas. Which means previously, we’ve mentioned like on a macroeconomic foundation, that is what’s taking place in america. However now it’s actually come right down to product by product, location by location. Each is recovering differently. So, it takes a way more, I feel, fine-tuned method than we’ve traditionally taken. As a result of we had a growth in our resorts over the pandemic the place individuals have been captive. And so, they kind of poured into our resorts to get away. Now the world has opened up and now we see all people kind of pouring out of the US into Europe and we haven’t seen that return of worldwide journey but. After which the cities have been kind of closed down and now they’re actually reemerging and the reemergence of group enterprise and enterprise transient. So, there’s simply a lot motion and fine-tuning. I feel we’re nonetheless within the strategy of kind of seeing that each one come to life. So, within the resorts, we’re actually seeing a normalization. So, it’s making an attempt to get again to what I name the brand new regular. And within the city markets, we’re nonetheless seeing these booms the place you’re nonetheless seeing massive progress. I imply, we nonetheless have lots of new resorts which can be ramping. So, I feel it’s simply all about looking for that new restoration, getting away from 2019. Clearly, we’re going into 5 years on now and making an attempt to determine what’s the new regular.
Karen – 00:19:22:
Proper. Completely. And also you talked about resorts. I did need to give a shout out. I do know you will have a stupendous property on Maui. I’ve had the pleasure of staying myself at, so wished to provide a shout out to that property. I do know that they’re in a roundabout way in Lahaina. I do know lots of your workers did have housing in Lahaina. So, we need to give a shout out to all of these individuals, but in addition encourage individuals to see this podcast to journey to that vacation spot as a result of it’s every little thing’s good. It’s lovely.
Shawn – 00:19:46:
Yeah. Sure. West Maui is certainly reopening. We’re making an attempt to encourage individuals clearly to go and assist native tourism. You already know, clearly lots of our associates depend on these jobs and depend on these funds. So, we completely stay up for welcoming you again. We aren’t in Lahaina, we’re shut and it’s clearly devastating, however I feel from the property stage, you understand, we’re prepared to provide that aloha spirit.
Karen – 00:20:07:
Completely. Open for enterprise. And you understand, we need to assist Maui and the individuals who stay and work there. So superb. Nicely, thanks a lot, Shawn. This has been great. For our listeners that need to be taught extra about montage, what’s the URL to go to?
Shawn – 00:20:20:
Montage.com
Karen – 00:20:22:
Montage.com, you heard it right here first. Thanks a lot, Shawn, I recognize it.
Shawn – 00:20:27:
Thanks.
Intro/Outro – 00:20:29:
Thanks for listening to the Lodge Second Podcast. Ensure to subscribe wherever you take heed to podcasts. And in the event you’re watching on YouTube, please just like the video and subscribe for extra content material. For extra data, head to HotelMomentPodcast.com. The Lodge Second Podcast is offered by Revinate.
About Revinate
Revinate empowers hoteliers to straight join with their visitors.
Our Visitor Knowledge Platform and communication options unlock income for hoteliers and put them accountable for the complete visitor expertise — preliminary analysis, reserving, check-in, all through the keep, and even after take a look at — all through the communication channels that visitors want, whether or not it is voice, textual content, e-mail, or net.
Greater than 12,000 resorts globally financial institution on Revinate to drive direct income and ship pleasant visitor experiences.
Ask us how we do it. Go to our web site to get a demo.
