Patricia Correa is the Director of Catering and Events at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile hotel. She was interviewed about trends in the hospitality industry, operational performance, service orientation, and profitability. Some key points from the interview include: - Major trends are that price is the biggest factor for clients and plated dinners and specific décor/booking days are going out of style. - Third party coordination is important and daily reports ensure seamless communication. - For events, the planning process involves just Patricia until the day prior when more staff is involved to prepare. - Big challenges are competing with larger named hotels but clients often return after initially choosing elsewhere. Good customer orientation means

1. Patricia Correa
Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile
By: Jane, Jasmin & Michelle

3. On the following slides you will find the
interview questions that Patricia was asked
during our meeting

4. Hospitality product life-cycle
evolution
1. What trends do you see in your industry?
1. Price is everything. Major major factor in the way that clients make choices
2. Are there any trends that you think are on their way out
or already done?
1. Plated dinners, specific décor, specific days of the week for bookings

5. Operational performance
diagnostics
1. Is working with third parties an integral part of wedding
planning? If so, what are the steps you take to make
this as seamless as possible?
1. Reports are sent out every single day that allows communication to flow
through within hotel and event
2. Prior to the day of the event, how many people are
involved in the planning process?
1. Nobody except for Patty
2. On the day prior and on the day of: meeting planner, banquet captain, staff,
front desk, and valet, send out event resume to the whole hotel

6. Service Orientation and
Transformation
1. What are the biggest challenges that you experienced at
Hyatt?
1. Competing with hotels in the area that have bigger more exclusive names. Loosing
business to that and never hearing back until they come back months later
2. What criteria do you use to measure a candidate’s ability
regarding customer orientation?
1. Look for someone with energy/personality; has to be able to communicate. Be a “go
getter”, someone who adapts to changes within the hotel
3. How do you effectively engage your clients to enhance
experiences and ensure return business?
1. Making connections with clients through actual verbal communication, versus behind
the computer. Tries to form a relationship with client through personal experiences

7. Profitability Performance
• What are your strategies for the event-planning
department within the Hyatt organization regarding
improvement?
o System used to plan events, un-changeable due to the system they are currently
using
o Would prefer to use “hotel sales pro”
• What is the key success metric used to measure
profitability performance?
o “Yielding”
• Is the audience acquisition campaign effective?
o Wedding advertising on wedding websites
o Word of mouth
o No advertising for government, business meetings
o Have client events where people can meet sales and planners

9. Thank you