Hotels are fearlessly connecting with meeting and event planners through mobile technology. Not only are hotels offering the booking of rooms and hotel information via a mobile app, some are also offering event planner tools through mobile apps as well.Event planners can now be equipped to run their meeting out of the palm of their hand, making meetings run effortlessly.
Not all hotels have jumped aboard to offer mobile solutions for event planners. That is why it is important to know who is in the game, and what is offered so that you can have all the resources available to you when planning your meeting or event. Here are a few solutions that you should know about.
Marriott Hotels and Resorts
Marriott is leading the charge when it comes to mobile event management services. Solutions are offered across the enterprise, and is dependent on the hotel brand. Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, and Autograph Collection all have subsequent mobile apps that offer event planners a means to communicate needs like room temperature adjustments, menu changes, audio visual additions, and chat with an associate. As a planner using Marriott’s mobile solutions, you will have access to the application just a few days prior to your event. The hotel app will have your event spaces loaded so that you can have an ease of making requests. All Marriott’s apps are mobile, can be found in the App Store and Google Play, and offered in a variety of languages.
To see these mobile applications in action, click on the links below.
JW Event Concierge – JW Marriott
R.E.N. Meetings – Renaissance Hotels
Autograph Collections Meeting Services App – Autograph Collections Hotels
Ritz Carlton
The Ritz Carlton, although under the Marriott umbrella, separately offers unique services for travelers and event planners the like.
With the Ritz Carlton mobile app, guests are able to check-in and out of their room, and also ask for service requests through the application. Guests are also able to view their hotel folio and track charges right from their smartphone. Check out the other features of the Ritz Carlton mobile app here.
Conrad Hotels
Conrad Hotels & Resorts has a application called “Conrad Concierge” which allows visitors to take a stroll through all of the brands hotels and services. Additionally, meeting and event planners can use the app to assist them in planning events. The Conrad Concierge App allows access capacity charts and floor plans specific to properties. Sharing meeting agendas, and maintaining communication for onsite events are all prominent within the site.
The meeting and event planner tools aren’t specifically noted on the website for Conrad, so reach out to your contact to get information and guidance to the site. However, Successful Meetings did a great overview of this tool here. As a planner, entering a confirmation number for your upcoming stay might be the quickest way to get to the area of the application you need to access the tools. Once you are in, it is pretty easy to get where you need to go.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Back in October 2013, Starwood Hotels and Resorts released its eVent Portfolio application. Planners can use a secure web-based portal to detail their event. All correspondence with Starwood personnel including contracts, billing, activities, and banquet event orders are secured within this application. This application is a collaborative effort for event planner and the hotel. Meeting and event planners should ask their hotel property to see if they have this application functioning for their property as only about 575 properties are anticipated to have the eVent Portfolio app by the end of this year.
Hilton Hotels and Resorts
Similar to Starwoood, Hilton connects planner and hoteliers in an effort to produce seamless meetings. Hilton provides planner tools to make meeting and event planner’s lives easier. One of the featured planner tools available is called getplanning™. This application will allow the planner to communicate online with their hotel partner as well as any third party vendors. Checkout this video that explains how the application interfaces with meeting and event planners.
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