Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced its referral partnership with Cvent, a cloud-based enterprise event management platform and PSAV, a technology service provider, to offer CrowdCompass by Cvent mobile apps to planners who are booking meetings and events at its properties worldwide.
“We are always looking for new ways to enhance the meetings and event experience at our properties,” said Jonathan Kaplan, Starwood’s Director of Sales, New Business and Digital Programming. “With the option of having a customizable app with CrowdCompass by Cvent, attendees can go paperless and view real-time content like event agendas, speaker bios, presentations and property information right from their mobile device.”
Kaplan continued: “Meeting attendees also may be able to use the app to create personalized schedules, share contact information with other attendees, connect with others via social media and receive push message communications instantly from onsite meeting planners.”
Since 2013, Cvent and PSAV have partnered to bring CrowdCompass mobile apps to corporate meeting and event planners and hoteliers. “Starwood often leverages technology to enhance their guests’ experience, from using innovative tools such as a smartphone app for checking in and Apple Watch for keyless room entry,” said Matthew Donegan-Ryan, director of mobile strategy at CrowdCompass by Cvent. “Providing CrowdCompass mobile apps is one more way for Starwood to transform the experience and engagement level of meeting attendees at Starwood hotels and resorts across the globe.”
“Mobile apps for events have become an essential tool for bringing content and attendee engagement directly to an individual’s personal device. PSAV is thrilled to be combining our strategic partnerships with both Starwood and CrowdCompass by Cvent to continue offering a best-in-class mobile app to our customers,” said Stewart Young, Vice President, Strategic Accounts at PSAV Presentation Services.
The launch comes on the heels of Starwood’s ProMeetings app, which allows meetings planners who are SPG or SPG Pro members to submit on-property requests – from an extension cord, coffee service, a change in lighting and everything in between – directly to associates who can fulfill requests in real time. The app, which is expected to fully roll out in 2016, is currently in pilot at several Starwood hotels around the world, including W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, The Westin Singapore, Sheraton Atlanta Airport, W Atlanta Midtown, and The Westin Charlotte.
