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October 22, 2020 Owner & Franchise Webinars, Management Company Webinars, COVID-19 FMC Webinars, FMC Weekly Webinars

October 22, 2020 | Franchise Management Company Webinar – COVID19

 
Publication of new Owner & Franchise Communications on mi360 continues to be temporarily suspended. Important information is communicated to owners, franchisees and franchise management companies through other channels including the weekly U.S. & Canada Franchise Update email, Franchise Management Company webinar, and monthly webinar for Marriott Managed Owners in the U.S.

Thank you for joining us on Thursday, October 22 for the Franchise Management Company Webinar – COVID-19. If you were unable to join, a recording and PDF of the presentation are now available (EID and password required).

This webinar covered COVID-19 updates and resources, including:

Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management Updates

Topline Trends

  1. 10 Largest corporate accounts still limited to essential business travel only

  2. 2021 Business Transient RFP Project is successfully moving forward

  3. U.S. Associations are booking into future years

Cvent Negotiations 

Achieving favorable terms will require a unified negotiating position from all hotels; and until new terms are reached, we ask:

  • Franchise Hotels are encouraged to refrain from signing any new agreements with Cvent
  • Once negotiations are complete and acceptable terms are achieved, contracting next steps will be provided

Rate Shopping Program Relaunch

Effective Nov. 2, Marriott will reinstate the Rate Shopping Program to protect Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee (BRG). 

Ensure hotels within your portfolio understand that:

  • Maintaining a Green Rate Parity Score is a Brand Standard.
  • Charges due to OTA violations on Supernova are waived until Dec. 31.
  • Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, BRG violation charges will be reinstated.
  • RM Contacts should review monthly reporting, which should resume by year end.

Next Generation Offers Platform

The Next Generation Offers Platform (NGOP) is a combination of an offers authoring tool, a data decisioning engine and a front-end customer shopping experience for offers.

NGOP will: 

  • Deliver an architectural solution for an enhanced offers platform
  • While transforming the offers shopping experience across channels
  • With operational efficiency & closed loop measurement for marketers and revenue managers

The launch will:

  • Replace BrandWorks for English stay-based offers
  • There will be no change for offers in other languages (to include French) or those housed outside of BrandWorks at this time

The approval process for new offers will:

  • Take 1-2 days in total. Publishing time will take 45 minutes.
  • Leverage a streamlined process that includes the Digital Operations team (and Loyalty team for Member Exclusive Offers & Elite Exclusive Offers).

NGOP will be live and accessible on MGS on Oct. 26.

MDS Enrollment

Hotels can select from annual or monthly digital activation support depending on their needs. All hotels have access to a single site where they can learn more, enroll and interact with any MDS Platform or Product that they select.

  • Learn more about MDS services on offer
  • Enroll, sign up, and manage digital needs
  • Manage paid media strategy
  • Update HWS / OTA content
  • Access 24/5 General Q&A support
  • View current digital activation activity
  • Access the Digital educational library

Enroll at mds.marriott.com or contact MDS@marriott.com for more info.

Airline Leisure Rate

The Airline Leisure rate is an existing program offering associates of participating airlines discounted rates at our Marriott properties worldwide. As of Nov. 1, reservations booked on the Airline Leisure Rate Offer will now be eligible to earn Bonvoy points. 

  • This is a mandatory program for all hotels and is available across all brands.
  • This demand generation effort is aimed at increasing production from a segment that is more likely to travel for leisure during the pandemic period.

Opera and FSPMS Hotels

FOSSE and LightSpeed Hotels

  • No Action Required. All setup changes will be managed centrally

For additional information including the High Performance (HPP) Rate Offer Guideline and FAQ please visit the Revenue Management Rate Offer Guidelines page on MGS

Operations Updates

Water Safety

Legionella Risk is real and hotels need to take proper precautions to mitigate the risk. Successful mitigation of Legionella requires identifying where bacteria may exist in your water system and understanding the underlying conditions that may allow outbreaks to occur.  

Showerheads and aerators act as filters trapping debris and scale which can be used by bacteria both as a nutrient and a safe habitat. When water stagnates, bacteria can multiply. Removal, cleaning and disinfecting showerheads as well as removal of aerators during low occupancy will help eliminate both the nutrients and habitat required by bacteria, thus minimizing the risk of any legionella bacteria which may be present in the water from multiplying.  

Hotels that have been closed and are getting ready to re-open must schedule a Legionella Culture test 28-35 days prior to opening.

Global Quality

The 2021 Global Audit Program includes a monthly self-audit, an annual virtual audit, a selection of unannounced in-person audits, and an unannounced luxury tier audit. For 2021, this program will replace the former annual Brand Standards Audit (BSA) and Property Certification requirements from pre-COVID, as well as the monthly Commitment to Clean Certification in place since June 2020.

The Global Accountability status for each property will remain frozen at the December 2019 zone through at least June 30, 2021. During this time, properties will not be charged the red zone fee or escalate in red zone accountability.

Starting in January 2021, Global Quality will activate an accountability program to monitor property performance, notify low performers, and offer opportunities to improve.

Resources and Reminders

Date

Details

Link

Oct. 27

Review FOSSE Password Changes Which Take Effect Oct. 27 

The FOSSE and TRAINING accounts passwords used to login to FOSSE through Secure CRT must be changed every ninety days to meet Marriott Security password standards. The password changes impact all users that access the FOSSE application on and above property.

MGS

Oct. 30

Ensure Your Hotel has Appropriate Marketing Support  

Hotels interested in Marriott Digital Services (MDS) support, who are not already registered, should enroll by Oct. 30 for support starting Nov. 1. Additional self-service marketing tools and resources are available to all hotels through the Field Marketing Resource Center.  

  

Oct. 31

Update PMS to Support Airline Leisure Rate Earning Marriott Bonvoy™ Points by Oct. 31 

Effective Nov. 1, reservations booked using the Airline Leisure Rate Offer are eligible to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. Opera and FSPMS hotels must update market codes in the PMS to flag loyalty eligibility. There is no action for FOSSE and LightSpeed hotels. Visit MGS for Guidelines and FAQs. 

  

Nov. 2

Prepare for the Reinstatement of the Rate Shopping Program  

Marriott will reinstate the Rate Shopping Program to protect Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee (BRG). Any associated charges with observed BRG Violations will be reinstated as of Jan. 1, 2021. A Green Rate Parity Score is a Brand Standard and all hotels are required to comply. Refer to the BRG Best Practice Guide for more information. 

MGS

Nov. 9

Two-Factor Verification Required for MGS Beginning Week of Nov. 9 
View the full list of in-scope applications and associated timing on MGS, including general information about the two-step verification registration process.

  

Nov. 16-20

Prepare for Global Customer Appreciation Week
Associates should work with in-market Champions for direction and guidance. Direct questions to gcaw@marriott.com. 

MGS 

Please also note the following resources: