“ It's a core tenant of who we are, and it's called put people first. We take care of our people.” Derek De Salvia, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Hilton Grand Vacations, joins Dan today to dive into the world of vacation ownership. The discussion covers the personal and professional aspects of hospitality, the evolution and benefits of the vacation ownership model, and how Hilton Grand Vacations differentiates itself in the industry, especially as one of Newsweek’s Top Most Loved Workplaces. Derek shares insights into customer education, the impact of multi-generational ownership, the importance of team member engagement, and the adaptability of vacation ownership through economic cycles and evolving customer needs. The episode concludes with advice for potential customers and an invitation to experience Hilton Grand Vacations firsthand.

Takeaways: 

• Train your team to understand the difference between basic service and true hospitality. Aim for over-delivery on guest expectations.
• Highlight the importance of creating lasting memories for families, which can be a significant selling point for returning customers and multi-generational travel.
• Ensure guests are well-informed about how to maximize their memberships or stays through tutorials, seminars, and resources available on member pages.
• Foster a culture of hospitality among team members. When employees feel valued and cared for, they are more likely to pass on that sentiment to guests.
• Consider the long-term benefits and memories that owning a timeshare can create for your family across generations, rather than just focusing on the upfront costs and annual fees.
• Continuously gather and act on feedback from guest surveys and team member inputs to refine services and address any issues promptly.

Quote of the Show:

“We couldn't talk about hospitality and what that means to people if we didn't share that love and warmth of hospitality to our team members.” - Derek De Salvia

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-desalvia-m-s-5a2b5521/ 
• Website: https://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/ 

Shout Outs:

• 0:59 - Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/ 
• 3:32 - Hilton https://www.hilton.com/en/ 
• 7:59 - Danny Meyer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Meyer 
• 18:21 - Great Wolf Lodge https://www.greatwolf.com/ 
• 18:25 - Blue Green Vacations https://www.bluegreenvacations.com/ 
• 18:27 - Bass Pro https://www.basspro.com/home 

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/