Each year Bill Meyer and I go to the NYU Hotel Investment Conference at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.  It is a grueling event crammed with guest speakers, meetings, and meetings about those meetings.  By the end of it my feet hurt, brain hurts …That being said, it is an amazing opportunity to meet many of the movers and shakers in the hospitality industry.    It is intellectually stimulating and hands down one of my highlight events of the year.

This year we had the opportunity hear Steve Wynn.  Steve started as a kid working in a bingo hall.  He moved to Vegas; learned the business and applied his learning daily.  His influence grew and today he reigns as CEO of Wynn Resorts.  With a net worth of 4 billion dollars, Steve was most notably ranked 17th on the Harvard Business Reviews 100 Best Performing CEO’s.

At lunch, 500 CEO’s, bankers and hotel professionals sat in a massive ballroom waiting to hear the message of this success story.   Straight out of a Vegas show he walks on stage donning his blazer, loud shirt and no tie.  He leans on the podium and casually says, “Hi I’m Steve Wynn”.  At this point he could have sang or tap danced or delivered a speech.   Anything was possible.  But one thing was a promise from the minute he owned the stage – – – he was going to captivate his audience.

His message – – similar to the message we heard at our own Executive Session – – was about the power of telling stories.  He shared how stories build moral, motivate and strengthen culture.

Wynn told a powerful story about an elderly couple who checked into a Wynn Resort on their wedding anniversary.  They had saved all year for this special trip.  After check-in a bellman helped them to their room.  As trained, he hung up their clothes but while unpacking for them the lady lets out a scream.  She comes into the bedroom in tears.  She forgot their medication bag on the kitchen counter.  Those medications were vital.  She cried, “We have to have those pills by breakfast.  Or we have to go home!”

As much as he tried to console her, the bellman just could not.  Both the husband and wife were distraught.  The situation was becoming a disaster.  Instead of managing misery, the bellman set out to find a solution.  He asked where they were from, thinking he could get someone to FEDEX it to them. But their town only had one pick-up time.  However, when the name of their hometown surfaced, so did the solution.  They lived in the same town as his own brother.

The bellman had an idea.  “If you trust me, I can have the medications to you by the morning.”

It took a bit of convincing and a lot of faith but they trusted him.   That same evening, the bellman got off his shift and started driving. He drove five hours and picked up their medication, slept a couple hours on his brother’s couch and made it back in time for coffee in the morning.  The vacation was saved and their health was saved.  Wynn Resorts made two customers for life!

This particular story showcased the true spirit of hospitality that WYNN is known for.  The empowerment of that individual saved an elderly couple’s vacation and enhanced the Wynn brand.

We are in the people business…our guests…our associates…our partners…. It’s all about the people.  Every hotel has a good bed and a flat screen TV.  It is the people that differentiate; it is the people that create the experiences to remember.

Share your guest story with us.  Once upon a time….