An article appearing in the May 2008 issue of Fast Company by Danielle Sacks discusses how Le Meridien, a top-tier Starwood property, is rethinking its customer experience from start-to-finish. Why re-invent the hotel experience?
According to Eva Ziegler, a senior VP who is driving the transformation, “When the business guy who just did 10 meetings in a day arrives at the hotel, all he can dream of is room service and sleep,” he says. “We want to reset his mind!” She added, “My role is to create unique experiences for the guest that stimulate all five senses.”
How are they doing it? The hotelier set out to create a rich, even suprising experience for the customer from the time he or she arrives. That includes music, art, and food—even scents that waft through the hotel. The ambience of the hotel is infused with elements that engender a pleasurable experience.
Ziegler set up the LM100, a rotating group of artists assembled to enhance the service experience. Her mission has been to “court LM100′s cast of artists – painters, designers, and architects – to transform more than 50 aspects of the hotel.” The artists have created a range of unique artifacts to enhance the customer’s experience.
Le Meridien is already enjoying impressive results. In February, its 2.4 million on-line bookings were 41% higher than the year before.
Branding consultant Steven Addis observes: “The old-school version of this would have been to put together a committee, redesign the hotel, and that’s it.” He adds, ”Instead, these guys are going to be perpetually curating on behalf of — not marketing at — its audience.”
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