Intro/Outro – 00:00:02: Welcome to the Resort Second podcast, introduced by Revinate, the podcast the place we discuss to leaders within the hospitality business. Should you’re searching for traits, views, and tales from leaders in journey and hospitality, you’re in the proper place.
Karen – 00:00:21: Hey, and welcome to the Resort Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Advertising Officer of Revinate. And right now we’re honored to introduce Aaron Miller, an skilled in CRM and digital advertising and marketing with a observe file spearheading revolutionary methods to raise visitor engagement and drive income. Aaron brings a wealth of data to our dialogue — presently serving because the Vice President of CRM and Digital at Highgate. Aaron has performed a pivotal position in shaping loyalty initiatives for iconic hospitality manufacturers by leveraging know-how to personalize the visitor expertise and maximize ROI. With a profession spanning over twenty years at roles in famend organizations like Turning Stone Enterprises, the Sydell Group, Trump Motels, and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, Aaron’s insights are invaluable in navigating the ever-changing panorama of hospitality know-how.
Welcome to the podcast.
Aaron – 00:01:12: Thanks for having me.
Karen – 00:01:13: It’s nice to have you ever right here, Aaron.
Aaron – 00:01:15: Yeah, completely satisfied to be right here.
Karen – 00:01:15: We’re wrapping up day one right here in Miami, so we’re all right here for NAVIGATE in Miami. And it’s actually great to have the ability to do these podcasts in particular person. So thanks for taking time on the finish of the day.
Aaron – 00:01:25: Thanks for having me on the finish of the day.
Karen – 00:01:27: It’s been an enormous day.
Aaron – 00:01:27: Yeah, it’s been nice to see all people. It’s been loads of enjoyable.
Karen – 00:01:30: So let’s begin with, , we’ve had loads of panels, loads of discussions, loads of conferences. So what’s your impression right here at day one? What have you ever type of taken away from all of the discussions you’ve had right now?
Aaron – 00:01:40: I like the place we’re headed. You already know what I imply? I believe that there’s simply this nice steadiness of discovering the trail of what we’re going to do subsequent? What’s actionable? What issues to us. How will we keep inventive? How will we hold issues enjoyable? What’s life like within the subsequent couple of months? What’s the market asking from us? What are we internally being requested to do? I believe that we’re answering loads of these questions one after the other, nevertheless it doesn’t essentially really feel like a quiz. It seems like a majority of these dialogues the place we’re in a position to, , vent a bit bit, be considerate a bit bit, , hear from different individuals with their experiences and hopefully be capable of convey that again and make some new adjustments.
Karen – 00:02:18: I believe that’s the good half a few convention like this as a result of it’s a buyer convention. So that you’re seeing manufacturers of all totally different sizes and shapes and resorts and properties. And I believe it’s actually that change of knowledge. So there’s the content material of the convention, however then there’s additionally all of the individuals type of bringing these views to the desk, so.
Aaron – 00:02:35: Yeah, what’s nice is I’m clearly a fan of loads of the e-mail advertising and marketing that I see ensuing from a few of the manufacturers which might be right here. So it’s type of like seeing celebrities a bit bit, the place I’m like, “You’re behind a few of the emails that I get? I like them!” Possibly that’s the nerdiest factor you’ve ever heard on this podcast, nevertheless it’s type of the reality, with the ability to see who’s behind these items.
Karen – 00:02:55: It’s the who’s who of gorgeous manufacturers in america. It truly is.
Aaron – 00:03:00: It’s the purple carpet.
Karen – 00:03:01: It’s the purple carpet. That’s so cool. So I like taking a look at your expertise. So I learn a few organizations there that you simply labored for.
Aaron – 00:03:07: Certain.
Karen – 00:03:08: And naturally, the one I wish to hear about is The Venetian.
Aaron – 00:03:10: Certain.
Karen – 00:03:10: As a result of that’s subsequent degree. So are you able to inform us a bit bit about what you probably did in Las Vegas and what it’s wish to run, , the technique and all of the issues that you simply did there?
Aaron – 00:03:19: Certain. So I began my hospitality profession there. So this was throughout school. I went to UNLV on the lodge faculty and I might go to class at evening and work throughout the day or flip-flop and work throughout the day and go to class. I’d do graveyard shifts and work or go to highschool throughout the day. I can’t even keep in mind as a result of my, , the scheduling was so flip-flopped on a regular basis.
Karen – 00:03:41: Yeah.
Aaron – 00:03:41: So received into the business via operations and understanding that construction. I imply, it’s a huge group — a huge constructing. On the time, it was like 4,000 suites within the constructing after which they added The Palazzo, one other 3,000. So it’s simply not essentially the instance that I returned to for lots of issues, aside from if you are able to do this, you may in all probability do loads of different issues.
Karen – 00:04:04: Proper, yeah.
Aaron – 00:04:04: Within the on line casino world too. So I by no means labored within the on line casino on the ground or something like that, however via operations, and I moved into gross sales and received began understanding that as a result of it’s an enormous conference base. You already know, they’ve tons of ballrooms. They’ve the Sands Conference Middle subsequent door. Now it’s the Venetian Conference Middle. So loads of assembly area. Acquired to replenish loads of rooms. After which that type of led me into the income administration world the place I began understanding who’s saying no to all of the charges that I’m asking for to get these teams to signal these contracts. Income administration, “Oh, what do they know? How’s this work?” And type of waded into that and that’s introduced me to New York and I began working via type of that division ever since.
Karen – 00:04:38: Okay, very cool. Yeah. So now you’re at Highgate. So initially, Highgate’s clearly an enormous administration firm, however are you able to inform us a bit bit extra in regards to the portfolio, the dimensions of the corporate, what’s in there?
Aaron – 00:04:48: Yeah, positive. It’s large and rising every single day. Large presence throughout America — large worldwide presence. We onboarded possibly about 14 inns from Portugal onto Revinate within the final 12 months.
Karen – 00:05:01: Wow.
Aaron – 00:05:02: So it’s great. I work with the independents. Most likely usually, I work with, I’d say it’s pushing 100. I hold saying that quantity. I believe that that’s true. Possibly it’s rather less, possibly it’s a bit extra. I can’t hold observe lately and I don’t maintain myself to a quantity anymore.
Karen – 00:05:15: Proper.
Aaron – 00:05:16: But it surely’s sizable, and it’s nice as a result of they’re all totally different and so they stay in their very own little universes and that makes the information part a bit bit extra difficult, however you may be taught from one and that brings it to the following. And Highgate’s simply this distinctive sort of construction being a administration firm of that dimension and all these cool totally different property. So it’s loads of enjoyable, and it’s loads of nice individuals to work with.
Karen – 00:05:36: Yeah. You already know, one factor after we take into consideration an enormous group like Highgate and then you definately’ve received the pocket of impartial inns inside that. So are you able to discuss a bit bit about first celebration knowledge? I do know you need type of the character of the impartial lodge, however how do you leverage first-party knowledge to ensure that the visitors, as a result of it’s not simply the lodge they’re staying in, if you happen to’re doing it proper, you need to use it elsewhere. So that you wish to discuss a bit bit about that, and the way you method it?
Aaron – 00:05:59: Yeah. I imply, it relies upon. So I work actually carefully with the Viceroy staff. They’re incredible. They’ve a small model of inns which might be attractive, and so they have the posh of with the ability to type of share knowledge in between each other, proper? That’s how a model works, ? Even a small model like that. Whereas a few of these different independents which might be true, true independents, they don’t have that means as a result of they don’t have any affiliation with the lodge down the street that I’m additionally working with. In order that complicates issues. However what we’re in a position to leverage with first-party knowledge doesn’t essentially imply that we’re restricted to say, “We are able to’t use this knowledge from right here and use it there”, which is the reality. We are able to’t do this, however we are able to be taught from practices to say, “Oh, we have been in a position to implement, this form of Wi-Fi portal web page to gather this contacts, and we’re simply exhibiting it to visitors, and we’re not forcing them to do something”. It’s as much as them, however placing in entrance of them, individuals sometimes wish to hear from the lodge that they’re staying at in the event that they prefer it — studying from that, discovering those self same distributors, and implementing that different locations. So loads of the practices might be standardized at scale, which is, , makes my life simpler after we can do this.
Karen – 00:07:07: So, what does it seem like whenever you take over a lodge? Do you may have a playbook that you simply type of go in with?
Aaron – 00:07:11: I strive.
Karen – 00:07:12: Oh, yeah.
Aaron – 00:07:13: I strive. We’ll see how shortly it goes out the window. However yeah, usually, we’ve got some greatest practices with setups and SOPs and calendar methods, viewers methods, and issues like that, that we sometimes are in a position to implement in all places we go.
Karen – 00:07:28: Okay, very cool. Very cool. So that you talked about you opened up or took over some inns now in Portugal. So what’s the worldwide type of portfolio, and what’s the progress plan for Highgate exterior america?
Aaron – 00:07:40: That’s an awesome query. I imply, it’s rising on a regular basis. I don’t essentially, I can’t hold observe with the event as a result of it’s so great and so they’re rising on a regular basis. The Portugal state of affairs was incredible. I imply, these inns are stunning. They only revamped Sesimbra, which is sort of a attractive lodge proper by the water. I imply, it’s wonderful. So it’s incredible. They’re, they’re rising on a regular basis home too. I imply. I’ll be in right here doing a podcast with you, depart and test my telephone, and we simply took over one other lodge.
Karen – 00:08:09: Wow.
Aaron – 00:08:09: We have now to get a contract. We received to go, go, go, go, go. So it’s rising on a regular basis, which is the correct of hysteria to have, I assume.
Karen – 00:08:16: Proper. It’s job safety. So it’s 7000 rooms are simply unfold out.
Aaron – 00:08:21: Yeah.
Karen – 00:08:22: Out of the on line casino.
Aaron – 00:08:23: In every single place. Yeah, precisely.
Karen – 00:08:24: So what does a day within the life seem like for you? I imply, you talked about you’re opening all these items, however like, what do you do whenever you first get up within the morning to cope with this portfolio? How does it go?
Aaron – 00:08:35: Espresso
Karen- 00:08:36:: A number of espresso. Oh, yeah, we discovered that. A number of espresso.
Aaron- 00:08:36: Acquired to gas up. Now, from there, I imply, I… See by nature of the place all these inns are, , we’re in several time zones. So I’m making an attempt to do my greatest to remain as up-to-date as I probably can with what’s are available in, what I haven’t been ready to answer in my emails. We have now many, many alternative calls for a lot of, many alternative issues. Normally these are type of scheduled. We have now like our weekly calls with web site distributors, or weekly name with digital advertising and marketing distributors. We have now advert hoc calls all over. You already know, I’ve a name on a regular basis with our CRM staff right here.
Karen – 00:09:04: Proper.
Aaron – 00:09:05: It’s fixed in an excellent manner as a result of it retains issues present and also you catch issues that manner. And it’s only a endless dialogue. After which all of the emails in between, ? Attempting to handle the conversations, that are crucial. It’s a must to, and that’s what’s truly occurring on the market.
Karen – 00:09:19: Yeah. Funds season have to be a nightmare for you.
Aaron – 00:09:21: Funds season. You stated these two phrases.
Karen – 00:09:23: Sorry. And we’ve got six months to go, so I’m sorry I introduced it up.
Aaron – 00:09:27: It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s nearly completely satisfied hour.
Karen – 00:09:29: It’s nearly completely satisfied hour. That’s proper, people. We’ve been at all of it day. So that you’re listening to this within the consolation of your own home, nevertheless it’s been a very good convention.
Aaron – 00:09:36: It’s comfy. That’s for positive.
Karen – 00:09:38: Yeah. So what are you most trying ahead to? I imply, you’ve seen so much and heard so much right now. And clearly, as a know-how vendor, we’ve got issues which might be in manufacturing now which might be beginning to floor. However I do know you’ve had conferences with loads of our senior management when you’ve been right here. So of every part you heard right now, what are you most trying ahead to?
Aaron – 00:09:54: I’m actually trying ahead to see the place issues go from right here with Revinate understanding the CDP, and listening to all of the great issues that may come from that. It’s actually thrilling with the ability to modify present apps, and with the ability to tie every part collectively. I imply, that’s form of the secret whenever you’re speaking about knowledge and with the ability to type of get inventive with it, say, “What do we’ve got? Can I exploit it? Ought to I exploit it? Does it make a distinction?” You already know, and with the ability to type of play with that’s half the enjoyable. It type of is. So being in a room with all people right here and seeing, , all these consultants, it’s simply actually empowering to say, “You already know, there are loads of sensible individuals doing loads of sensible issues”. And also you get to see the fruits of that labor.
Karen – 00:10:31: Yeah, no, that’s thrilling. I believe that’s a great way to place it, , as a result of we’re at all times evolving. And I imply, simply personally for me, as a result of it’s been a very long time coming, constructing the CDP, placing it on the know-how, when it could be scalable. And now it’s type of like, “Okay, now we are able to actually iterate and see what’s there.” But it surely’s a really exhausting drawback to resolve, , and it’s at all times ongoing. Yeah. I don’t suppose we ever say, “Oh, we’ve reached the highest”. You already know? Which is sweet. Once more, job safety, job safety. So, , in closing, it sounds such as you had a extremely cool trajectory, type of surprising. I imply, did you suppose you needed to be in hospitality or have been you want, I’m at college?
Aaron – 00:11:07: I imply, initially I had no concept, actually. But it surely’s form of being round it. And I grew up in Las Vegas, so it’s type of there and form of similar to in any atmosphere that you simply develop up in. It’s similar to the large business in your city. And that was type of at all times round. And as I received a bit bit older and began seeing what that business might be and the way it impacts journey, and the journey part was what actually received me . As a result of the distinction with Vegas is that it’s all indicators level to Vegas, Vegas, Vegas, proper? After which exterior of that, there’s this aspect of like, “Oh, you may go consider a model. You possibly can go right here. You possibly can go there. We’re all linked.” Comparable with a administration firm the place I see all these totally different impartial properties. And no, they don’t essentially have affiliation with each other, nevertheless it takes you to chill locations. It takes you to see various things, meet various kinds of individuals. The eating places aren’t dangerous both, ?
Karen – 00:11:57: I do know, and what an awesome business to fall into, proper? It’s hospitality. So what recommendation would you supply to anyone who’s like, “Huh, I actually suppose I’ve been listening, and I like inns. And the way do I get myself on this profession?” — particularly within the digital advertising and marketing CRM a part of the profession?
Aaron – 00:12:13: That’s an awesome query. I imply, it’s such a enjoyable a part of the digital panorama. The hospitality business is enjoyable usually. My honest recommendation, if you wish to get into the digital advertising and marketing world, if you wish to get into the CRM world, work inside a lodge first. Know what you’re promoting. I can’t thank my youthful self sufficient for working in operations and going via all these graveyard shifts and doing all that stuff that there’s loads of nitty-gritty to it. However I do know this may occasionally sound cliché and possibly cliché are type of true. However I’ve discovered a lot from doing that to have the ability to say after we’re sending out these campaigns and after we’re designing adverts, we’re conserving that in thoughts. “What actually occurs whenever you’re at this lodge?” Characteristic that. Be pleased with it. And having an understanding of what’s occurring with the oldsters which might be working contained in the constructing making it truly work. It’s a very powerful factor. So begin there, perceive the product of what you’re promoting, after which discover your manner. You simply get acquainted, be taught the know-how, get conversant in Google, get conversant in Revinate, get conversant in digital panorama. It’s nice.
Karen – 00:13:18: Yeah, at all times be studying. I believe that’s actually good recommendation as a result of we love our business, however I believe there’s one thing to be stated for having credibility, it doesn’t matter what half you wish to transfer into. And I believe if you happen to’re coming in from the surface and also you haven’t spent the time to type of be taught the within, you may get there, nevertheless it’s in all probability much more enjoyable to do it from the within out, proper?
Aaron – 00:13:36: It’s. Yeah. I imply, work at a lodge, fall in love with it, be taught each nook and cranny in that constructing. You’ll have a special appreciation for what’s occurring in promoting, actually.
Karen – 00:13:45: Yeah. Oh, I find it irresistible. Nicely, hey, thanks, Aaron, for spending a bit time with us proper earlier than the large celebration tonight. So I admire you taking the time. My visitor has been Aaron Miller, who’s the vp of CRM and digital at Highgate Motels. Thanks a lot.
Aaron – 00:13:58: Thanks for having me.
Intro/Outro – 00:13:58: Thanks for listening to the Resort Second Podcast. Ensure to subscribe wherever you take heed to podcasts. And if you happen to’re watching on YouTube, please just like the video and subscribe for extra content material. For extra info, head to hotelmomentpodcast.com. The Resort Second Podcast is introduced by Revinate.
