When you create memories, you get people talking.

This was the launchpad for the 2015 GuestX session on memorable customer service from Jennifer Blackmon, corporate director with the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Institute. Blackmon shared amazing examples of service that have become synonymous with the Ritz-Carlton brand, and then took attendees behind the scenes to discuss building the right processes to make those remarkable acts possible.

“Being busy is the archenemy of great customer service,” Blackmon said. “If my team is busy with redundant tasks that could take less time with a better process, then we are missing opportunities to provide memorable, personal service with that extra time.”

A simple example was having water ready at the porte-cochère. Having cold water immediately accessible to hand to an arriving guest means that hotel staff is not on the phone placing an order with another staff member or disappearing into a corridor to fulfill the request. This small process of stocking water ahead of time sounds insignificant, but it protects that brief exchange between frontline staff and the guest from being consumed by a redundant task—and that is where something memorable can happen.

The challenge—detailed by Blackmon in the session—is that memorable, word-of-mouth-inducing experiences are personal, surprising, and individual. They are above and beyond the expected (cleanliness, service, ambiance), and they even transcend the requested (helpfulness, responsiveness). They are in the rare, elusive, delighted category. Experiences that will always be remembered—surprising acts that we are compelled to share with friends and family when we find ourselves to be the lucky recipients. It’s that frontline staff member casually learning that the guest actually prefers tea instead of water when she arrives back at the hotel, and having the time and support needed to anticipate that desire and meet it.

“If you do not have a process for wowing people, I guarantee it will not happen,” said Blackmon, as she went on to describe the importance of building memorable guest service one step at a time. For venue managers attending GuestX, it was a great opportunity to evaluate how to better equip frontline staff to be consistent and efficient with the expected, and to feel empowered and motivated to aim for delighted.

“Our business model at Ritz-Carlton is to work on our employees, not our customers,” Blackmon said. “If we get the employees right, we get the customers right.”

The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) is pleased to announce Jack Lucas, president of TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment, as the recipient of the 2015 Joseph J. Anzivino Award. The Anzivino Award is granted to a distinguished, Allied IAVM member for extraordinary contributions to the Association and the professional venue management industry it serves.

Lucas has been in the entertainment industry for over 38 years, and has been with TicketsWest since 1987. Prior to TicketsWest, Lucas spent thirteen years as an Event Supervisor for the City of Spokane Entertainment Facilities, which included a 2,700-seat performing arts center, a 30,000-seat stadium, an 8,500-seat multi-purpose arena, and a convention center.

Lucas has served on numerous civic boards, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Lilac Services for the Blind, Goodwill Industries, Eastern Washington University Foundation, and various other organizations.

Lucas’ contributions to IAVM have been tremendous. He has been an active member since 2000, serving District 4 as the Allied Representative from 2001-2005, on the Allied Committee from 2006-2010, and on the IAVM Board of Directors from 2010-2012. Lucas has also volunteered on IAVM’s conference planning committee in 2002, and on the Industry Affairs Council from 2006-2010.

“Jack Lucas is considered ‘The Lion King’ of IAVM Region IV,” said Kim Bedier, CFE, chair of the IAVM Board, “but his support of IAVM has extended far beyond regional borders. I have so enjoyed working and serving with Jack. I have firsthand witnessed and benefited from his leadership, mentorship, and passion for not only our association but the industry as a whole. Jack is more than deserving of this prestigious award.”

Leslie Taylor, senior associate at Gensler, and chair of IAVM’s Allied Member committee, agrees. “Through his unwavering commitment to the venue management industry and IAVM, Jack embodies the spirit of the Anzivino Award. His leadership of IAVM’s Allied Membership is invaluable.”

“Jack has made a huge contribution to IAVM and to the Performing Arts sector during his many years of service,” offered Vicki Hawarden, president and CEO of IAVM. “Jack approaches everything he does with high energy and a good sense of humor, and it is a pleasure to see him receive this well-deserved honor.”

Upon being notified of receiving the award, Lucas offered the following comments:

“We all know that we do what we do because of our love for what we do, and we do it without expecting anything in return. I have had an incredible career and journey, and IAVM has been a major part of that.”

The award will be presented during IAVM’s annual conference and trade show, VenueConnect, August 1-4, 2015, in Baltimore, Maryland.

I woke up the morning of the last day with the hopes that day would last forever. One thing I could count on was the experience I had and the relationships I made would echo into the future.

As the first intern at IAVM’s Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) from the Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship program, my experience was nothing short of amazing, and the following words, as I try my best to describe the experience, will come short of what I really felt, learned, valued, and experienced in a week-long event.

I arrived to the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center, where AVSS and GuestX was co-located, after a long trek to Dallas from Springfield, Missouri. My internship started with assisting at check-in/registration, where as the intern I got the first hand look on a handful of different companies and venues that would have an attendee, speaker, or guest for AVSS or GuestX. Soon after registration was Opening Night at Austin Ranch, where a networking opportunity immediately started. It took a little warming up to start meeting some strangers; I had a little help from the great Kim Bedier, CFE, chair of the IAVM Board of Directors, to start off, introducing me to some key individuals.

The next morning started with Welcome & Introduction where Bedier; Vicki Hawarden, CMP; Randy Vogel; and John Siehl, CFE; took the time to give a few welcoming notes to everyone at AVSS and GuestX, as well as introduce Kevin Henry, the scholarship recipient, and then me, the internship recipient. This was one part that I greatly appreciated, because it was a helpful ice-breaker for the conversations that were to come later. I also appreciate Kim’s mention that I will be graduating soon—a handful of conversations ended with open doors to so much opportunity!

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Photo: Stefan Cohen

The San Francisco Symphony is about to wrap up the first season of Soundbox, an experimental music venue that leverages unused rehearsal space, art, video, and superb sound to deliver shows to a new audience well below their traditional 64-year-old patron. Attendees of IAVM’s 2015 Performing Arts Managers Conference experienced the space first-hand during a private tour, and the success of the new project is beginning to emerge.

“In only its third iteration, Soundbox has become a thing unto itself, and it took less than a scant four months to transform from a promising experiment into a scene of its own. Musically, last weekend’s version rivaled the opener in terms of surprising, delighting, and delivering, but while no one was looking SoundBox found an entirely new audience. I did see some familiar faces in the crowd on Saturday night, but what struck me was how quickly the demographic of the audience changed, as if with each new show the average age of those attending decreased by a number of years. Look at the picture above and try to find classical music’s ‘greying audience’ in the crowd. The place is a hit.”—John Marcher in the San Francisco culture blog, A Beast In A Jungle

The venue reverts back to rehearsal space this spring, but with every show selling out, and with a fresh audience tilting toward 20- and 30-somethings, creator Tilson Thomas is planning on its return next year.

Listen to Cy Musiker’s full story for KQED News below:

In an effort to ensure IAVM continues its path of providing excellent products and services and in conjunction with our Mission, Vision and Goals, the Board of Directors has approved a small dues increase. See the new rates below. Members whose renewal date is July 31 or greater will reflect the new pricing shown below.

• Allied – $600 to $620
• Allied Extra – $455 to $470
• Professional – $455 to $470

Faculty, Young Professional, Student, and Retired membership dues will remain the same. If you have any questions about your renewal, you may contact me, your director of membership, via email or phone: 972.906.7441. We appreciate your support.