In general, how effectively have major hotel chains branded their products?
Very: 35%
Somewhat: 60%
Not very: 4%
Not at all: 1%
Does previous experience with a brand influence your future decisions?
Yes, definitely: 73%
Sometimes: 25%
Usually not: 2%
Never: 0%
We also asked meeting professionals: Do you expect the merger of Marriott and Starwood to affect the meetings industry? Here's a sampling of planners' verbatim responses on both sides of the issue.
Yay
• Hopefully it will make our planner experience better, with a greater variety within the new brand.
• If Marriott is consistent about operating the brand separately, it will be all good.
• I expect better pricing in one consolidated product.
• I'm hopeful for more consistency on service levels.
• It will help with a greater range of accommodations.
• I expect minimal changes as both are excellent brands.
• I expect to see some more attractive offerings due to the economics of scale.
• Hopefully, there will be an upgrade of service to Marriott standards at Starwood properties.
• We haven't seen a merger this big happen, so it will be interesting to see the effects. I anticipate there will be minor changes overall, and hopefully good ones.
Nay
• There will be less choice, higher rates in some markets.
• I'm not a big fan of corporations getting bigger and bigger. I'm afraid it will negatively effect the quality of both hotel brands.
• There will be less competitive pricing between the brands, giving less options for multiple properties within a city.
• I predict higher rates and lower standards, like what happened with the airline mega carriers.
• This is one instance where brand differentiation could be affected. A great deal depends on how they go about it. I am praying for property-based sales support, but I am not holding my breath.
• I worry that our ability to negotiate will become greatly reduced, and the behemoth company will try to find ways to eliminate commissions to independent planners.
• This will complicate some cities that I work with. It reduces competition and might well cause me to pass that site altogether.
• I expect a large increase in prices and a lowering of service from the sales staff.
• I view the merger unpleasantly: Colleagues already are losing jobs; the cultures of the companies are entirely different; established relationships are out the window, and the lack of competition in some markets will be monopolistic.
• Starwood properties will lose their unique brand.
• I'm concerned about losing my individual hotel contacts in favor of centralized sales offices - a possibility that is unacceptable.
• Negatively. All monopolies or major market shares grow arrogant and less responsive.
• It will drive up prices and contract performance clauses. Yikes!
• Just as with the airlines, it will be much more difficult to be viewed as a loyal customer.