The Balanced Approach is about communicating both logically and emotionally with our Owners. Understanding the importance of that balance is easy, but knowing how to apply it when speaking with Owners is more of a challenge. The best way to truly understand how The Balanced Approach works at Marriott's Owner Services is to listen to and share examples of these concepts in action.

Here is a story from a Senior Owner Relations Liaison, Jeremy Watts-Klein, about how he used The Balanced Approach to resolve an issue.

A new Owner called to plan their first vacation with us and was very confused by all the information and options they were given. The program sounded more complicated than they thought and they were confused by the whole process. They eventually talked to Jeremy, who first let them express their frustration. "During that time I took the opportunity to gather information about their concerns. They confided in me that while they loved our properties and product, this first vacation planning attempt was causing an unnecessary strain between the Owner and their family."

The Owner appreciated the time that Jeremy took to listen to their concerns and shared with him the real reason they were upset. He had promised to bring his in-laws with him to Hawaii and he didn't want to tell them he couldn't do it.

"Suddenly everything made sense. I thought they were uneasy about their investment in vacation ownership. In reality, they were so excited with their purchase that they had quickly invited others to join them. They just needed help making it happen."

Jeremy was able to balance his approach with this Owner and get to the "Why" behind his concerns, which ultimately resolved the problem. It sometimes takes time for the Owner to trust you enough with their true concerns, but it is definitely worth the effort.