A new hybrid meeting concept supported by Microsoft Teams will be launched by Accor this April.
Called ALL CONNECT, it will enable Accor’s guests around the world to adapt to the new ways of working that are expected to be an enduring legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, 55 percent of Accor hotels with meeting rooms are providing hybrid meeting solutions to clients. Accor’s plan is to have 100 percent of its hotels with meeting rooms in compliance with the enriched All Connect standard for hybrid meetings by 2022. It will be rolled out across all brands, from economy to ultra-luxury worldwide.
The new hybrid meeting concept will allow corporate customers and meeting planners to combine physical in-hotel meetings with virtual interactions across multiple locations simultaneously. For hotels not already equipped for hybrid meetings, All Connect will allow attendees to connect and engage virtually on the Microsoft Teams platform.
In select Accor meeting spaces, Microsoft Teams Rooms and Surface Hub 2S will connect people on-site to those joining remotely with industry-leading audio and video device experiences.
The concept will focus primarily on small meetings (eight to 50 in-person participants), though options are also available for larger meetings and events.
Research conducted by Accor shows that 50 percent of physical meetings planned by the company’s meetings and events customers in 2021 will switch to virtual formats. In addition, 70 percent of respondents see hybrid meetings as an important service in the future. Sector analysis also shows that the trend towards remote events and meetings is likely to endure beyond the pandemic even as corporate budgets return to pre-COVID levels.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused business travellers and meeting planners to review the way they work,” said Patrick Mendes, Accor’s group chief commercial officer in charge of sales, marketing, distribution and loyalty. “Virtual and hybrid formats have become an essential part of daily business life. Accor’s new concept, All Connect, created in collaboration with Microsoft Teams, will be an important tool for our guests, offering them the opportunity to organize safe, qualitative and seamless hybrid meetings as they continue to focus on health and safety and sustainability.”
“The future of work is hybrid, and the services and experiences which organizations offer their customers will reflect this,” said Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice-president and president, Microsoft global sales, marketing and operations. “We want every person and every organization to benefit from this new working environment in a way that ensures business continuity. That’s why we are proud to collaborate with Accor of All Connect, helping their customers stay connected wherever they are.”