“Hospitality cannot be taught, only shared – it cannot be found in a standards book, an operations manual or a marketing plan,” says Hyatt’s John Wallis, bowing out this very week after 35 years with the Chicago-based company.
“True hospitality extends beyond just host and guest. It extends into the way we work with others, be they associates, colleagues or partners – this is the core of a brand, from the inside, out, and it is the intangible and differentiating factor that makes one hotel great, and stand out from the competition,” he explained.
John Wallis, who has managed to preserve his English accent over the decades, is known for many things, including curiosity and the ability to speak his mind. “I have never been ashamed to say I did not know something, please explain it,” he shared.
His natural curiosity meant he was one of the first in the industry to explore the sharing economy, why Uber does not own a single cab, and how Airbnb can provide consumers with a variety of experiences. “TripAdvisor and other review sites have put brands firmly in the hands of consumers looking for unique one-to-one customized relationships. Brands, who have been good at listening, have not practiced true empathy to understand changing needs. Tomorrow’s companies that can truly empathize with all stakeholders will drive preference and re-write rules of customer engagement,” he predicted.
He partnered Hyatt with Stanford Design School to understand the power of empathy, which has helped evolve decision-making from management ideas to customer or colleague insights. He has similarly partnered Hyatt with such other futurists as Higher Purpose, which preaches that instead of customers entering a sellers’ world, now those consumers allow purveyors, in this case hotels, to be part of their life.
“I learned so much about global consumers from mainstream operations, from running hotels in Fiji, in Sydney, Australia, and in Dubai, in the Middle East, and elsewhere, but in the last two years, especially, I have more than ever understood the importance for any company to have a real reason to exist other than just to make money,” Wallis admitted last week. “The power of empathy is only truly realized when leadership makes changing behavior a personal journey, for everyone concerned. This leads to higher market share and increased customer retention.”
Wallis’ Hyatt title, on and off over the past few years, has been variously senior vice president, marketing, SVP global asset management (overseeing owner interest for the massive Pritzker/Global Hyatt-owned portfolio), SVP global product and brand development, global head of marketing and brand strategy, and chief marketing officer, but in reality those who know him have never thought about his label. Intensely loyal, he has been there to support everyone else in head office. The word disruption could have been invented for him (if he finds a status quo boring he will say so, straight out, and come up with an alternative).
“It is time to move on. But I intend to stay busy. I can devote more time to the board of Saturday Place, a charity that helps third- and fourth-graders who are performing at least one year below grade level. As a board member of Silver Airlines, I will be looking at revenue enhancement and changing customer experience. I will enjoy spending more time with my wife, Lori, and our son, Tom, and play a bit of tennis and golf – I am really looking forward to caddying for my great mate Peter O’Malley in the French Senior Open in September. I also hope to have more time to visit my horse back in England, and now that cricket – that incredibly slow but all-absorbing bat-and-ball game – has speeded up with 20-20 games – I may be spending yet more hours studying team maneuvers and resulting spectator, or customer, experience.”