As a global leader in vacation ownership, Marriott Vacations Worldwide (MVW) serves over 700,000 owner families under premium brands like Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, and Westin Vacation Club. In an industry where personalized experiences, operational efficiency, and innovation are non-negotiable, data has become a critical strategic asset.

In the first installment of this three-part series, Jackie Guan, SVP of Global Data Analytics (CDAO) at MVW, shared how the company continuously evolves its data strategy to align with business goals and deliver measurable impact.

In this second segment, Guan speaks with Andy Gress, Sales Executive at AMEND Consulting, about lessons learned from scaling global data initiatives, MVW’s transition to a unified BI platform, and how AI and GenAI are actively shaping business outcomes.

Building alignment and patience: Two lessons from scaling data initiatives

Guan opens with two foundational lessons from her experience scaling data programs in a global hospitality environment: “It takes a whole village, an entire organization, to come together so we can achieve the full potential of data analytics,” Guan says. “Success isn’t just about one person or one team — strong partnerships and alignment across the company are critical.”

The second lesson she emphasizes is balancing speed with cultural sensitivity: “There’s a yin-yang aspect to scaling data initiatives,” she explains. “Yes, we want to deliver value quickly because time is money. But for lasting impact, you also need patience, to respect people’s readiness for change and adapt to the organizational culture.”

Finding that balance, according to Guan, is about knowing when to push hard and when to step back, without ever losing sight of the goal.

Transitioning to a unified BI platform: Rationalizing tools, realizing value

One of MVW’s major initiatives under Guan’s leadership was consolidating six disparate business intelligence (BI) tools into a single platform, a process that delivered cost savings, enhanced functionality, and stronger governance.

“When I joined, there were six BI tools in use. That meant licensing costs, duplicated reports, outdated capabilities, and a lot of wasted effort,” says Guan. “We knew early on that consolidating was the right move.”

The transition began with a comprehensive evaluation process. Guan and her team tapped into resources like Gartner’s Magic Quadrant and interviews with BI experts. They conducted qualitative and quantitative comparisons of speed, performance, functionality, and total cost of ownership.

“When we put all the findings together, the right choice became obvious. But we didn’t make that decision in isolation. We were very deliberate about involving everyone,” she adds.

That inclusivity was key to change management. Business stakeholders were invited to platform demos, asked for feedback, and kept informed at every step. Once the new tool was selected, the real work began.

“We had thousands of legacy reports to rebuild, and those reports were tightly integrated into day-to-day operations. It was full-scale change management.”

AI and ML in action: From operational efficiency to revenue growth

MVW’s current AI and ML initiatives fall into two primary categories: cost-efficiency and revenue growth. “On the efficiency side, we use automation and RPA to eliminate manual processes — especially in our call centers — saving time and costs,” says Guan.

For revenue generation, personalization is the name of the game. MVW is leveraging machine learning for targeted outreach, better customer experiences, and improved sales performance.

“We’ve implemented personalization models to enhance owner and guest experiences, as well as propensity models to drive higher sales. We also use AI for more accurate demand forecasting and inventory optimization,” she shares.

From GenAI POCs to production

MVW isn’t stopping at traditional AI. The company is actively testing and advancing generative AI (GenAI) use cases through proof-of-concepts (POCs), with two projects moving into production.

“We’ve been running GenAI POCs to explore how we can better serve our guests and internal teams,” says Guan. “We’re now gearing up to launch two production initiatives based on the most promising results.”

While the specifics of these GenAI use cases weren’t disclosed, Guan notes they are focused on enabling better guest service and enhancing internal support functions.

CDO Magazine thanks Jackie Guan for offering her insights to our global executive community.