Boutique Design - October 2018 - 27

Led by Brad Grimes, senior director of communications, AVIXA, those in
attendance had a lot to say about what is and isn't working in this space. As
much as the technology has evolved in the past 10 years, many of the challenges associated with it have not, and much of it has to do with onsite
training. As Janet Harrington, chief operating officer, Studio Partnership noted,
"I'm always thinking about the costs and how things will function after we
leave, but the biggest challenge is getting the IT people to coordinate with AV
people. This is something we've been struggling with for years." David ShoveBrown, partner at 3877 Design, added, "I've been in meeting rooms where they
have the latest and greatest technology, but nobody knows how to work it."
Dionne Jefferson, senior design director at Marriott Intl. pointed out, "Our
challenge is that when you unveil a new technology there's an unsaid promise
that it's going to work the way you need it to work; when you do it you have to
do it right. The brand's reputation is at stake if you do it wrong. It takes years to
build it but only moments to lose it." Case in point? Her frustration over getting
owners to follow guidelines for things such as maintaining responsive lighting
levels during the day. "We equip them and give them standards to follow, but
then I walk into the hotel, and all the lights are on."
There's also the challenge of being first ... or not. On the one hand, clients
want the latest technology and they want to be the first to have it but, as
Duk Kim, principal of Streetsense, said, "Nobody wants to be the guinea pig.
Think back to when hotels brought iPhone 4 adaptors into their guestrooms,
and then Apple changed the design in the next version. Talk about a costly
dilemma." Part of the problem is knowing what people will want, so getting
data that proves technology can impact the guest experience is key.
"Look at end users who are about to be our customers; look at your kids.
They live in a portable environment. If you want to get ahead of [their needs],
you have to support their environment, not the imposed environment. Just give
them power and USB and then step back and get out of their way," Jefferson
said. In other words, keep design minimal and focus on comfort and accessibility, not more screens.
The shift now is toward integrating technology and entertainment in hotel
lobbies. "People like their rooms to be quiet," said Sonia Monte de Oca, principal, SMDO Interior Design. "They drop their stuff off and they go down and
mingle in the public spaces and interact with virtual screens." It's also where
customers share their experiences with the outside world. "On social media, it's
all pictures of the lobby or restaurant. It's the 'cool' factor of hanging out there,"
added Sharon Bilbeisi, associate principal, ForrestPerkins. "It's determining the
Instagram moments at your property. That's what markets it."
But there are issues with how to maintain that and keep the engagement
going. Kim added, "What we're seeing more and more are hotel lobbies activating the local community, not just guests."
Interactive art and information displays also play an important role in
engaging customers in public spaces, keeping them engaged since these
creative elements are easy to adapt and change. "Everything is driven by
keeping the end-user in the space. If we can keep people entertained in our
lobby, they'll spend time and money there. We're all fighting the old adage
that lobbies are for losers. Now we're giving travelers and locals options in the
lobbies based on the personality of the brand," Jefferson noted.
This roundtable was held in conjunction with Boutique Design's Drinks by
Design at the Hillwood Estate Museum & Garden in Washington, DC, which
hosted approximately 115 interior designers, inhouse design directors, and
FF&E and art suppliers. 

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Boutique Design - October 2018

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