Question those you serve
To better understand the needs of those with disabilities, Gandhi arranged a focus group of a dozen people who were attending a U.S. Business Leadership Network conference. The organization advocates for those with disabilities. The group’s members were eager to share their thoughts about hotel stays. “I had arranged for an hour to talk to them; we could have gone four,” Gandhi said. Meeting planners could take the same approach, perhaps on a smaller scale, by interviewing or surveying attendees who represent minority or culturally diverse audiences.
Choose a venue with cultural cred
No matter your venue, make sure the staff is dedicated to understanding and serving diverse audiences.
Gandhi does a lot of education about cultural differences for Marriott staff at all levels. They might learn about the importance of putting the highest-ranking executive in a Chinese delegation on the highest floor or the proper way to present and accept business cards when meeting with Chinese citizens. They are trained to find meaningful ways to serve all guests, from providing lists of restaurants and bars that cater to LGBT groups to printing out prayer times for Muslim guests. “I help our properties, associates and sales team understand the wants, likes and dislikes of different audiences so they can delight customers from all walks of life,” said Gandhi.
Cultural competence is about more than serving the right meal
“Meeting planners should think about the total experience,” Gandhi said.
“Food is part of the experience, but it is also about how someone feels when they walk into the room, how they are greeted. The deaf hope they will have an interpreter; someone who doesn’t speak English hopes they will have a translator or headphones like they use at the U.N. That is the forethought that helps a meeting go from good to great.”
