Wyndham Destinations brochure – March 2019

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE GUEST EXPERIENCE

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Technology transformation to personalise the guest experience WRIT TEN BY

CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY

MIK E SADR

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Providing exceptional experiences across the travel and tourism sector. Director of IT Clive Hawkins discusses how Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific continues to ‘put the world on vacation’ through digital innovation

N

o longer a luxury for the few, the travel and tourism sector has become fiercely competitive. With so many options on

offer, shared vacation and timeshare models are 04

growing in popularity. Renowned as the largest vacation ownership and exchange company worldwide, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific has sought to streamline its services and provide an experience like no other. Having experienced steady growth across the Asia Pacific region, the business is set to open a new office in Clark, the Philippines, where up to 160 staff will move to its new premises in mid-2019.

Harnessing a corporate and global mission to ‘put the world on vacation’, Wyndham’s extensive footprint now spans the entirety of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and southeast Asia, encompassing close to 60,000 owner families. To support its continued growth, increase its accessibility, convenience and ongoing appeal, its digital infrastructure has been significantly transformed.

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Senior Director of IT, Clive Hawkins, explains that it has been essential for Wyndham to make its services not only practical, but intuitive to engage its diverse audience and remain a leading player in the market.

“If you look at Amazon’s shopping cart system, it’s not an attractive site but is very efficient and easy to use.

I think that people put far too much investment into the aesthetics of a site rather than functionality, which is key.

However, personalisation is now very 06

important. You’re not going to get very

“ I think voice is really going to take off. You’ve got the Amazon Echo, Google Home, Cortana with Microsoft and Siri with Apple. If you don’t adapt to innovation then you get left behind” — Clive Hawkins, Senior Director of IT

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘WYNDHAM DESTINATIONS OUR WORLD IS YOUR DESTINATION’ 07 far with marketing campaigns which

redundancies and manage applica-

are purely shotgun approach. You

tions without having to pay increased

need to tailor that message and

maintenance costs.

understand who your target audience really is,” he says candidly.

Taking a deep dive into Wyndham’s

“We invested in Salesforce and built a fairly large marketing tool with them.

This went live last year and since then

digital capabilities, Hawkins has

we’ve been gathering speed and

developed key partnerships with

moving more and more systems into

technology leaders in order to trans-

Salesforce,” says Hawkins. “It’s an

form its service offerings. Building on

effectual tool and has been very

its longstanding relationship with

beneficial from a speed perspective

Salesforce, the company has deployed

because we’re not redesigning and

its Platform as a Service (PaaS)

building security platforms and menu

technologies, enabling Wyndham to

structures because everything is

centralise its services, remove any

already there. We’re using our centralw w w.w yndha m a p . com

ised database as a repository, where we’ve got prospects, owners, staff and suppliers all stored there.”

The partnership has led to an improvement of “at least 66% in overall efficiency,” where everyone “can now see the benefits.” Following its success, Wyndham is now undertaking user acceptance testing (UAT) for a campaign management engine, which will enable the business to ‘slice and dice’ its leads within the database. “We have roughly nine million leads who we 08

contact, but this will allow us to segment them based on different criteria, which we have also built in Salesforce,” adds Hawkins.

“One of our biggest challenges was

comprehensive data, which can be manipulated to make it work for us.”

that our lead database comes from various different sources and often a

SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY

lead for us may be a phone number

Hawkins is not only seeking to overhaul

and a first name. We then might have

Wyndham’s service offerings, but

another record that is for T. Smith and

onboard new technologies to ensure

a different phone number, but then we

operational efficiency and gain an

could have another record for Tom

edge over the competition. Taking a

Smith and an email address, with no

closer look at its back-end services

way to link those people and under-

and IT service desk, robotic process

stand it is the same person. Then a

automation (RPA) is being explored as

fourth record may come in that links

a means to boost quality assurance

the previous three and we can gain

rates, particularly in areas which house

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E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Clive Hawkins | Senior Director of IT After a successful career as a Developer building a variety of solutions (including a sports package for the Mediterranean Games 1991), Clive moved into project management in 1992. Clive joined Wyndham in September 2006, and has managed the IT Team for the past 10 years. Currently responsible for the Asia Pacific region. Major successes of the IT team during this time include: Seamless head office relocation, introducing Salesforce as a development platform, design and implantation of DNC solution, implementation of an online sales system, expansion of offices into China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, maintaining a strong security stance, introducing a digitalized automated loan decisioning solution.

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“Agiles Australia with OurMate AI is proud to be a Strategic technology partner for Wyndham Destinations for their AI Voice and Software needs.

We are privileged to add value to Wyndham’s Time share and Resorts AI initiatives through phases of development and implementation”.

Agiles Australia is a Young Queensland based Software Consulting and Technology house transforming its client’s business with Innovative AI products and best-in-class IT Solutions.

ourmateai.com | www.agiles.com.au OurMate@Agiles.com.au | Info@Agiles.com.au

“ Agiles is a small start-up company and have been very easy to work with.

They’re an exciting bunch and they’ve got other ideas that they’re trying to get off the ground” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT

system to one supplied by Canadian telecoms giant Mitel will also bring a multitude of advantages. Set to complete in March this year, the multifaceted project presently covers up to 650 staff, tackling relatively complex interactive voice response (IVR) systems per department, multiple HUNT groups (used to enable the distribution of phone calls from a single telephone number to a group of several

a number of repetitive tasks with

phone lines), integration with diallers

multiple touchpoints. Expanding its Cit-

and much more.

rix platform and replacing desktops

“Having a new phone system will

with thin clients (or lightweight

bring new tools, such as linking mobile

computers) will also promote accessi-

and desk phones. Staff can answer via

bility and reduce ongoing maintenance

desk or mobile, and transfer the call

costs across the business.

from one to the other. It’s a nice feature

Understanding that end-users are

for management teams who move

demanding seamless connectivity

around. We will also be able to offer the

across its hotels and resorts, Wynd-

callback facility to callers,” says

ham has also partnered with Australia’s

Hawkins.

largest telecommunications operator, Telstra, in order to install fibre connec-

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

tions at multiple sites across the

From mobile apps to wearables,

country, as well as backup 4G technol-

technology continues to disrupt

ogies. This has greatly improved the

traditional industries and ways of

corporate network connectivity as well

working and has led to a significant

as the guest experience in resorts.

shift in consumer expectations.

Furthermore, upgrading its phone

Making the decision to fully digitise the w w w.w yndha m a p . com

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$5bn+ Approximate revenue

2000

Year founded

2000+

Approximate number of employees

as well, which is quite a slick beast.

Aesthetically it’s an attractive system and is used by the sales team so had to be somewhat intuitive so that they would enjoy using it. A sales rep or consultant will also be on hand to provide support.”

Believing voice control technology to be part of the ongoing evolution of traditional keyboard and touch screens, Wyndham has collaborated with Agiles Australia in the development of its first voice chatbot. This will very shortly be accessible through the Wyndham app, end users can gain information

processing of sales contracts, Wynd-

regarding their Club, where its

ham has sought to provide ultimate

capabilities will become further

flexibility and accessibility to its end us-

personalised as it becomes increas-

ers. “Invariably, if someone buys a

ingly utilised. “Agiles is a small young

timeshare ownership from us, 50% will

startup company and have been very

also borrow money from us as well.

easy to work with. They’re an exciting

The sales contract is therefore not just

bunch and they’ve got other ideas that

a deed of sale, but an application for a

they’re trying to get off the ground in

loan, which is incredibly detailed,”

the Australian market place,” adds

explains Hawkins.

Hawkins.

“We have not only digitised the

“I think voice is really going to take off.

contract but have automated the loan

You’ve got the Amazon Echo, Google

decision process. Through the use of

Home, Cortana with Microsoft and Siri

tablets, we use DocuSign to digitally

with Apple, and they’ve all become

capture the signature for the contract

stronger and stronger. If you don’t

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adapt to innovation then you get left

will launch phase one of its voice box,

behind and if you follow the curve and

which houses fairly simple questions

you’re at the back end of the curve your

and answers regarding Wyndham’s

investment is going to be very similar,

service offering. However, phase two

but people will think, ‘Well about time’

(set to go live in Q3) will enable the

or, ‘You’ve finally caught up.’ Whereas,

technology to provide more granular

if you don’t want to be on the bleeding

data, such as an owner’s available

edge, but want to be somewhere near

credit, loan balances and monthly

the front, if you can be one of the first

payment amounts. Lastly, phase three

people to deploy innovation in your

will focus solely on providing excep-

particular vertical then people are

tional hospitality.

impressed and view the company not only as progressive but vibrant.”

Set to go live imminently, Wyndham

“You’ll be able to say, ‘I need another pillow’ and the voice box will say ‘Have you tried looking in the cupboard above w w w.w yndha m a p . com

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C O M PA N Y FACT S

• Wyndham Destinations has sought to streamline its services and provide an experience like no other

the bed?’ If not, we’ll be able to send a message to housekeeping and say,

• Witnessing steady growth across the Asia Pacific region, the business is set to open a new office in Clark, the Philippines in early 2019

‘guest in room 123 needs another pillow,’

• Wyndham’s extensive footprint now spans the entirety of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South East Asia, encompassing close to 60,000 owner families

such as the best places to eat nearby

and we can tell them that a pillow will be bought to their room shortly. We’re also hoping to interface it with the internet so guests can ask questions, and so forth,” explains Hawkins.

EXPERIENCES LIKE NO OTHER Another area being worked on, and will hopefully be live before the end of 2019, is beacon technology. When

accordingly throughout their stay,” says Hawkins.

Looking towards the growth in Chinese tourism both inside and outside of the Asia Pacific region, Wyndham has also embraced digital payment options, such as Alipay and WeChat pay, as digital and mobile wallets are becoming the leading payment methods in the region.

INSPIRING INNOVATION While the business has embraced new technologies, securing such services has become the single biggest risk across Wyndham’s digital a timeshare owner arrives at a club hotel

infrastructure. Housing a global

or resort, Bluetooth beacons will be

security platform, the business is

able to sync with their mobile phone

continually looking to ensure all data

and alert the front desk staff. Once the

remains protected. Hawkins uses

technology recognises the owner,

Marriott Hotel and Resorts’ recent

bespoke information can be provided,

news as a prime example to explain

such as cultural landmarks, places to

that “you can never be fully secure,

visit and much more.

but to always look at ways to remain

“It’s increasing the owner experience, is a great opportunity and increases

ahead of the curve.”

“Because they’re in the same vertical,

efficiency. The same happens when

it’s a wakeup call if we needed it,” he

they walk through reception, where

says thoughtfully. “We’re always fighting

we know who they are, which room

with end users because everybody

they are staying and so can be greeted

wants to use the latest app, share data w w w.w yndha m a p . com

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and be on social media, and all of these things are risk vectors that. From an IT perspective, we’ve got to be mindful. They say that the average penetration takes at least 12 months to spot. It took Marriott four years, but it’s not unusual and is in fact very, very common. You then have other things to worry about, such as shadow IT, where people in the business – for all the right reasons, are not necessarily doing the right things and placing vulnerabilities out there which need to be eradicated.”

This has no doubt fed into Wyndham’s 16

consistent commitment to develop its employees and equip them with the necessary tools to not only inspire innovation, but take the business to new heights. Recently recognised as one of the Best Employers for Diversity by Forbes, the business has looked to support local communities on a global scale. Hawkins has recently explored a possible partnership with Griffiths University in southeast Queensland in a bid to provide project-based internships to local students as a key example.

“We’ve previously held internships where people have worked here for 12 weeks, but these project-based internships will last as long as the project. We would propose some interesting ones which would be ‘nice to

“Personalisation is now very important.

You need to tailor that message and understand who your target audience really is” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT

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have’, but if they are unsuccessful it’s not something that we would have otherwise invested in,” he says.

Building such partnerships with educational institutions would enable students to gain significant experience and an understanding of the industry, and the controls and project practices Wyndham has in place, providing advantages for all.

“I was hoping that we could run also series of projects with the same interns. The longer that someone’s 18

with us the more they have to offer,” adds Hawkins. “They’re able to understand the business, and if they are working on multiple projects, they can see how they cross correlate.

From a university perspective, it’s a good feature which they can advertise.

From the student perspective they get real life experience and some of them may get a job at the end. Even if we don’t have an opening, we can give a good reference for a job somewhere else. The benefit to Wyndham as a company is that students can work on ideas, which otherwise may not come into fruition.”

Such is the success of Wyndham’s IT

transformation, Hawkins was officially recognised as Senior Employee of the Year at the end of 2018, alongside Employee of the Year and infrastructure manager, Brad Byrne. A prestigious award within the Wyndham Destination Asia Pacific company, such acknowledgement reflects Hawkins’ continued desire to remain at the top of

“Increasing the owner experience, is a great opportunity and increases efficiency” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT

his game, while adopting best practices and building a culture that thrives on innovation. Wyndham will remain focused on providing personalised vacations, with numbers steadily increasing each year. Strengthened through collaboration and bringing new ideas to the table, Wyndham will soon be on its next phase of growth, where technology will fully underpin further possibilities to fully ‘put the world on vacation.’

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Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific Wyndham Corporate Centre Level 7, 1 Corporate Court Bundall, Queensland 4217 Australia T +61 755 128 888 www.wyndhamap.com