Marriott Hotels

Final Communication Plan

Team 6
 Table of Contents
Executive Summary ....................................................................................... 3
Situation ............................................................................................... 3
Background ........................................................................................... 3
Analysis ................................................................................................. 3
Recommendation & Response …......................................................... 3
Communication Plan ………………………………………………………..4
Situation ……………………………………………………………… 4
Background…………………………………………………………… 4
Analysis ………………………………………………………………. 5
Intended Narratives ……..…………………………………… 5
Unintended Narratives …………………………………………. 6
Recommendations …………………………………………………… 6
Action Plan 1 …………………………………………………… 6
Action Plan 2 …………………………………………………… 7
Action Plan 3 …………………………………………………… 7
Response ..……………………………………………………………. 8
Timeline & KPI’s .…………………………………………….…. 8
Budget …………………………………………………………. 9
References
...……………………………………..…………………………………….. 10
Appendix
……...……………………………………………………………………… 11
Executive Summary
Marriott International
Situation
Marriott International is one of the most successful and well known hospitality companies in the entire
hospitality industry. Despite their success, recently certain Marriott branches have been faced with
negative PR that is directly affecting the public’s view of the company as a whole.
Articulated below is a plan that directly assesses how a communication plan aids in shifting the public’s
focus on the negative press Marriott has received to their core values and initiatives. Marriott is devoted
to their customer’s comfort and safety and a communication plan is essential to recenter their reputation
in the general public’s eye.
Background
Marriott’s vision statement highlights their goal to ultimately become “the premier provider and facilitator
of leisure and vacation experiences in the world” (Comparably, 2023). With this goal in mind it is
important to recenter the public’s perception of the company, to highlight their full commitment to their
customer’s experience and continue expanding. Some important information is listed below
● Marriott current has hotels in over 130 countries and territories (Marriott 2023)
● Marriott currently owns and operates 32 different hotel chains (Marriott 2023)
● Marriott is expecting $4.1-$4.5 billion in share buybacks this year (Comparably 2023)
With these goals and current standing, it is clear that a communication plan is necessary in order to
continue this success.
Analysis
Marriott has their intended narratives listed on their website. Their intended narratives cover treatment of
employees, customer service, innovation, public image, and the environment. Recently certain events
where Marriott has gone against these core values and exposed some unintended narratives.
● A Marriott hotel in San Francisco was found earlier this year withholding about $9 million worth
of tips from its employees over a span of 5 years which negates the company’s “treatment of
employees” intended narrative (sfchronicle.com).
● A Marriott hotel in Philadelphia hosted a right-wing political group named “Moms for Liberty”,
known to quote Hitler, while simultaneously hosting an international Jewish conference. This
incident goes against their public image intended narrative which reflects negatively on the
company (inquirer.com).
Recommendations & Response
Marriott’s ultimate goal is to regain the public, and their employees' trust. The best way to go about this is
through the action plan detailed below.
● Release a survey for customers (stakeholder) to promote safety and inclusion by allowing feedback
● Implement fair wages and increase employee (stakeholder) satisfaction. with an employee newsletter
● Create a more detailed screening process for hosting multiple events at a single location
● Allocate $50,000,000 to be allocated between the three action plans
● Timeline: Immediate implementation with quarterly check-ins
● KPIs: Employee Engagement Metrics, Event Hosting Compliance Index.
It is essential to portray Marriott’s ultimate devotion and care to the customer and the employees which
can be achieved by adhering to the response plan above
Situation
Marriott is known as one of the largest and most reputable hospitality chains in the hospitality industry.
They are American owned and operate in 139 countries and territories around the world. With their
incredible presence in the hospitality industry, they have made their presence known, and are a
household name in the average American household.

Being that Marriott is a household name in the hospitality industry, they serve as a symbol for comfort
and safety, however in recent months they have had certain incidents that have taken away from this,
and a communication plan would be incredibly beneficial in reversing this narrative. To begin, they held a
right wing summit hosted by the group “Moms for Liberty” which has been known to promote
homophobic and transphobic teachings, and they have even quoted Hitler. This has led to a severe loss
of trust from their customers as many now do not feel safe staying at Marriott hotels and chains.

Their next public relations issue surrounded a lawsuit that arose after a certain Marriott hotel in San
Francisco was found to be withholding tips from their employees. Given that the service industry is
incredibly difficult, it is essential that all employees are being paid, and when they are paid they will in
turn treat Marriott customers far better, which creates a better environment for both the customer and
the employees. Both of these issues circulating in the media have made it essential for Marriott to have a
communication plan in order to combat the negative press and recenter the public’s image of the
company.

Background
Marriott has been a giant in the hospitality industry since its origins in 1927. In 1927, J. Willard Marriott
opened a nine-stool root beer stand in Washington D.C. This very root beer stand later evolved into the
Hot Shoppes Restaurant chain which soon evolved into the international hospitality conglomerate it is
today. In the 96 years it has existed, Marriott proceeded to open/acquire over 30 different hotel chains.
The chains range from luxury to select establishments, exist in over 130 countries and territories, and
have amassed a large target audience as a result. They aim to “enhance the lives of customers by
creating and enabling unsurpassed vacation and leisure experiences” (Comparably, 2023).

In their vision statement, Marriott articulates their goal to ultimately “become the premier provider and
facilitator of leisure and vacation experiences in the world” (Comparably, 2023). Their vision and mission
statements are ever present in their business practices. One of the ways they are striving to become the
premier provider of hospitality in such a competitive industry is by increasing the amount of rooms they
host; for example, in quarter 2 on the map, the added 33,100 rooms to their wide range of hotels and of
course built new hotels to accommodate the goal of having more rooms. Furthermore Marriott is
expecting $4.1-4.5 billion is share buybacks this year (2023).

The hospitality industry is incredibly competitive, especially given recent current events such as the
Covid-19 pandemic where little to no one was staying outside of their places of residence. The
stakeholders carry just as much importance in terms of Marriott’s success and they are, the investors,
employees and customers. Throughout the duration of this report, their impact in relation to Marriott’s
success will be explained in detail.
Analysis
Intended Narratives: Core Values and Heritage | Marriott International Corporate Values

Since Marriott is one of the biggest hotel chains in the world, they have a list of core values to assist
guiding the company’s operation of business and culture. Their core values show the company’s
commitment to their customers, employees, shareholders, and communities.

The first is under the “We put people first” core value they quote that they “Take care of associates and
they will take care of the customers." What they are saying here is that they have had a very positive and
healthy work environment for all their employees for the 95 years that they have been a company. They
aim to help give their employees opportunities to grow that allows them to succeed in their future. The
employees are also trained well enough to treat every customer with respect and care.

Under the “We Pursue Excellence” core value, they state that “Our dedication to the customer shows in
everything we do.” For this, they are focusing on having elite customer service since the founder of
Marriott, J. Willard Marriott, had great customer service as the company’s original goal. They want to
create a memorable experience for every customer. This will help them obtain loyal customers who will
choose to stay at a Marriott hotel over any other.

Under the “We Embrace Change” core value, they state that Innovation has always been part of the
Marriott story. They are willing to change things in order to stay competitive in their market and meet
customers’ preferences. Here they say that adaptation is one of their strengths and they love the
challenge of innovating their business to be better.

For “We Act with Integrity” they state that, “How we do business is as important as the business we do.”
Here they are focusing on legal aspects and business ethics. They want to make sure that they are doing
everything legally when running their business while having good morals as well. This will create a
positive image on the company so that consumers will be able to trust them.

The last one, “We Serve Our World”, Marriott states that they strive to be a force for good. This is related
to the previous intended narrative because of the focus of business ethics. There are two main factors
that are being focused on and that is the health of the environment and engagement with communities.
They have links that direct you to the information of their community service group Serve 360, a list of
goals that have been set for 2025, and yearly reports on their impacts on communities and the
environment.

There have been a couple instances in the past where they have gone against their core values. The
explanation of these two incidents leads into the unintended narratives of the company.
Unintended Narratives

The first incident occurred this summer in May where the management of a Marriott Hotel in San
Francisco was caught stealing about $9 million in tips from its employees over a 5 year span. This goes
against the treatment of employees core value and it has created trust issues within this specific hotel. It
has also created some suspicion in other hotels if the management are also doing similar actions to what
this San Francisco hotel is doing to its employees. Also being in San Francisco, which is the 3rd most
expensive city to live in the United States, many employees rely on tip money as part of their income.
This is considered to be improper business ethics performed by this hotel. Having your bosses steal this
money that was given to you by customers without you knowing is a big issue with trust and creates a
negative work environment. This hotel denies all allegations and it has created a lawsuit that is still in
progress. If these issues aren’t resolved soon then it will create more problems within the company.

Link to Article: S.F. Marriott Hotel illegally kept $9 million in workers’ tips (sfchronicle.com)

The second incident also occurred this summer in June where a Marriott hotel in Philadelphia hosted a
far right wing political group called “Moms for Liberty”, that was known to quote Hitler and at the same
time they were also hosting an International Jewish Convention. Having these two polar opposite parties
in the same hotel at the same time has created a lot of controversy and has put a bad reputation on this
specific hotel. This has caused people to become upset with this specific hotel. There are actions by
customers to boycott and have this hotel canceled for their actions. Even though this hotel didn’t intend
for this to happen, the staff needed to be more aware and have more knowledge in this situation in
order to prevent this incident from happening. If instances like this continue to happen, the controversy
and bad reputation wouldn’t just go on the specific hotels, but it would go on the entire Marriott name
which will create even bigger problems.

Link to Article: Moms For Liberty in Philadelphia sharing Marriott hotel with Federation of Jewish Men’s
Clubs international conference (inquirer.com)

Recommendations
Action Plan 1: Rebuilding Customer Trust and Inclusivity at Marriott

To address recent challenges and rebuild trust, Marriott should implement a comprehensive action plan.
The communication issue resulting from Moms for Liberty hosting an event at that Marriott concurrently
with a Jewish National Convention, was simply that the customers staying at that specific Marriott did
not feel welcome or safe. In positive news, this one incident has not left a severe impression on Marriott
as a whole, rather more so just the specific location it occurred; however, preventing this from
happening at other Marriott owned and operated locations is ideal in protecting the company’s public
reputation. One of the best ways to combat this issue while protecting the guests’ right to free speech is
through creating a team at Marriott each branch devoted to screening the events that will be hosted to
ensure there are not two conflicting events, especially conflicting political events, are not being hosted
simultaneously. The team will be created from employees who already work at that branch and chose to
apply for that position (of course of which they will be compensated for their time), and when an event
is being booked they will meet to determine if it is in the best interest of the hotel and the guests for the
event to be hosted at that location.
The second part of this plan gives customers the opportunity to decide whether or not they want to stay
at the hotel if a convention is being held. When customers are booking a stay at Marriott, if a convention
is being held at any time of their planned stay they will be notified before checking out of the event
being hosted. This way they can determine whether or not they want to stay at that given time. If the
event being hosted does not bother the guests then they of course will book their stay and if not they
can change their dates and they will have a better opinion of the hotel and Marriott as a whole. If an
event is booked after a guest books their stay, they will be emailed and offered a chance to reschedule
their trip.

Action Plan 2: Customer Satisfaction and Inclusion

The next recommendation is to create a customer satisfaction survey with the goal of making the
customer feel included in Marriott’s current initiatives and operations as well as their future ones. The
survey will be emailed to guests after their stay at any Marriott owned establishment in order to get
their input. The survey will be no longer than 10 questions in order to ensure enough information is
derived from the survey, however not so long that customers do not fill it out. The survey should ask
questions about how the guests felt about their stay, the employees and guests they interacted with, the
environmental initiatives they noticed during their stay etc. They will be asked to rate these various
experiences on a scale of 1-5 with a chance to explain their reasoning below. Not only does this survey
help include the customers in Marriott and feel welcome but also it gives Marriott the opportunity to get
a head start on seeing how their core values are being interpreted and internalized by their guests. If the
guests are not noticing the environmental initiatives being taken at each of the hotels then Marriott will
want to make a larger effort to advertise them etc.

Action Plan 3: Implementation of Employee Newsletter

The implementation of an Employee Newsletter presents a viable opportunity for Marriott to cultivate a
sense of safety and prevent incidents like mishandling tips in the future. By incorporating safety
protocols, training updates, and policies within the bi-monthly newsletter, Marriott can effectively
communicate its commitment to providing a secure work environment. This proactive approach not only
ensures clarity on procedures but also empowers employees with knowledge, enhancing their
confidence in the workplace. The Employee Feedback Section within the newsletter can act as a vital
channel for employees to express concerns, including any issues related to tip handling. Encouraging
open communication can facilitate early detection and resolution of discrepancies, fostering
transparency and preventing potential mishandling of tips or any other grievances. Furthermore,
including Customer Testimonials that highlight instances where Marriott employees' well-being was
prioritized within guest experiences can reinforce a culture of valuing employees' safety and comfort.
Sharing these stories not only boosts morale but also emphasizes Marriott's commitment to ensuring a
secure environment for its employees. Overall, the implementation of an Employee Newsletter serves as
a practical step toward preventing incidents like tip mishandling by promoting a culture of transparency,
open communication, and a strong emphasis on employee safety and well-being.
Response: Timeline and Budget

At Marriott, we are dedicated to rebuilding trust, promoting inclusivity, and enhancing our engagement
with stakeholders. These actions are critical to our mission of delivering exceptional experiences to our
customers while upholding our values. Our commitment to these initiatives is unwavering, and we have
set a clear timeframe and allocated resources to ensure their success, as well as the implementation of
KPIs to monitor our success.

Action Plan 1: Rebuilding Customer Trust and Inclusivity at Marriott

- Timeframe: Initiate immediate actions such as a screening process to address the right-wing
summit controversy, with ongoing efforts to demonstrate commitment to inclusivity.
implemented throughout 1000 Marriott Hotels by January 2024 and 6000+ Marriott owned
hotels by January 2025
Kpi’s:
- KPI 1: Achieve and maintain a quarterly or annual overall customer satisfaction score of 90% or
higher, as measured through post-stay surveys.
- KPI 2: Maintain a monthly or quarterly service quality score of 85% or above, indicating high
standards of service excellence perceived by guests.

Action Plan 2: Customer Satisfaction and Inclusion

- Timeframe: Immediately create teams at the management level with the responsibility of
creating the planned company newsletters and the employee surveys. implemented throughout
1000 Marriott Hotels by January 2024 and 6000+ Marriott owned hotels by January 2025
Kpi’s
- KPI 1: Achieve and maintain a quarterly or annual overall employee satisfaction score of 85% or
higher, as measured through employee surveys.
- KPI 2: Attain an annual employee engagement score of 80% or higher, reflecting the level of
commitment, enthusiasm, and connection employees feel toward their work and the
organization.

Action Plan 3: Stakeholder Engagement

- Timeframe: Enhance stakeholder engagement by refining communication strategies, promoting

transparency, and incorporating feedback for continuous improvement. 60% response rate by
January 2024 and up to a 85% response rate by January 2025
Kpi’s:
-KPI 1: Attain and consistently sustain a stakeholder satisfaction index of 90% or above on a
quarterly or annual basis, aggregating input from employees, investors, local communities, and
advocacy groups.
-KPI 2: Sustain an annual employee engagement and satisfaction score of 85% or higher,
reflecting the dedication, motivation, and overall contentment of the workforce.
These actions are key to our success, and we remain fully committed to their implementation. Through
these actions, we aim to regain trust, foster inclusivity, and strengthen our relationships with all
stakeholders, ultimately ensuring the continued success of Marriott Hotels. We invite our stakeholders to
be part of this journey and provide feedback as we work together to achieve these objectives.

Budget
In order to implement the three action plans, our team has decided we’ll need a budget of $50,000,000.
The budget is crucial for ensuring successful implementation and execution. Included below is a
breakdown of the $50,000,000 organized by their respective action plan.

Action Plan 1: Rebuilding Customer Trust and Inclusivity at Marriott:

Wages for Screening Committee:

In the allocation of our $50,000,000 budget, a significant portion of $30,000,000 will be dedicated to the
establishment and operation of the specialized committee described in Action Plan #1. The $30,000,000
investment reflects our commitment to resolving issues, reinforcing trust, and ensuring the continued
positive public perception of Marriott among its valued patrons.
- The $30,000,000 will go towards:
- Recruitment and Training: Hiring new staff members for the screening committee, as
well as providing training sessions on event screening procedures.
- Committee Operations: Salaries and operational expenses for the screening committee.

Action Plan 2: Customer Satisfaction and Inclusion:

Newsletter:
In the allocation of our $50,000,000 budget, a portion of $10,000,000 will be allocated to the
development and distribution of a company-wide newsletter, as described in Action Plan #2. Ultimately,
the $10,000,000 investment demonstrates Marriott’s commitment to continuous improvement,
customer-centricity, and the alignment of their operations with the expectations and values of our
esteemed guests.
- The $10,000,000 will go towards:
- Content Creation: Hiring content creators, writers, and graphic designers.
- Distribution: Distribution logistics and digital marketing.

Action Plan 3: Stakeholder Engagement:

Analysis:
With a dedicated allocation of $5,000,000 from our budget, Marriott Hotels will leverage unique
methods to analyze and adjust the concerns and needs of Marriott’s stakeholders. This allocation from
the budget will go towards crafting engagement strategies tailored to each individual stakeholder group.
- The $5,000,000 will go towards:
- Data Analytics Tools: Advanced analytics to monitor survey data.
- Stakeholder Consultations: Interviews, focus groups, and consultation sessions.

Miscellaneous Costs
Finally, the last $5,000,000 will go towards a contingency fund that will cover any hidden miscellaneous
costs associated with the three responses.
- This $5,000,000 may cover:
- Legal Consultations.
- Budget Overruns.
- Additional KPI Monitoring.
References
‌Egelko, B. (2023, May 1). S.F. Marriott Hotel illegally kept $9 million in workers’ tips, judge says.
San Francisco Chronicle.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/san-francisco-marriott-tips-18000567.php

Marriott International. (2022). 2022 Annual Report.

https://marriott.gcs-web.com/static-files/b82978a6-9d28-4e38-9855-fc4ae2cebe11

‌Marriott History | History of the Marriott Family. (n.d.). Marriott International.

https://www.marriott.com/culture-and-values/marriott-family-history.mi#:~:text=In%20
1927%2C%20J.

‌Marriott Mission, Vision & Values. (n.d.). Comparably.

https://www.comparably.com/companies/marriott/mission

‌Wallace, A. (2023, May 18). San Francisco Superior Court: Pay Banquet Servers $9 Million.
Www.lawyersandsettlements.com.
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/legal-news/california_labor_law/san-francisco
-superior-court-pay-banquet-servers-9-million-23723.html