It is always an incredible opportunity and wonderful experience to come together for an event with our partners, customers, and experts in the hospitality industry. This year, M3 hosted its bi-annual Partners’ Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, in correlation to the 150th Kentucky Derby. The highly anticipated event featured informational sessions hosted by M3 and our partners, provided certification opportunities, showcased meaningful panel discussions with thought leaders in the industry, and offered incredible entertainment in the evenings. At the M3 Partners’ Meeting, we had it all!
This gathering is a representation of the synergy and commitment of the partnership between M3 and its customers. Many providers under M3’s strategic alliance program helped sponsor this event and were there to provide cohesiveness, share joint visions, and ensure attendees had a comprehensive learning experience. In addition to attending the sessions and panels during the Partners’ Meeting, M3 customers and partners were able to have some fun. The event started at the Welcome Reception, hosted by Paymerang at the Sports and Social club. Rodeo Night, hosted by Edenred at PBR Louisville was a big hit and many participants showed off their bull riding skills on the mechanical bull. Everyone dressed up in their Derby finest at the closing event of the week, Derby Night, sponsored by AvidXchange, where they danced the night away to music by The Spazmatics!
The breakout and learning sessions at the Partners’ Meeting were incredibly impactful for the attendees. Tessa White, a former Fortune 50 executive turned employee advocate, took the stage to share her expertise on careers and navigating the complexities of the modern workplace. With over 20 years of experience leading human resources functions across diverse sectors, Tessa spoke about some of the struggles of the workplace, patience and persistence in each position, and growing into your full potential. Attendees were reminded that many workplaces face similar challenges, however there are always positive ways to overcome and face them.
John McKibbon, chairman at M3, kicked off the event by introducing the future of M3 and the CoreForward strategy. This introduction was followed by the keynote, and shortly after, attendees joined sessions that provided intense detail about the value of getting the most out of their products, including Accounting CoreTM, Labor ManagementTM, and InsightTM. Scott Watson, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at M3, delivered the State of the M3 Union address to close out Day One. Needless to say, the future of M3 looks bright, and we are excited to continue to bring advanced technology to our partners.
Following Tessa’s motivational session, conferencegoers were able to create their own personal agenda to attend sessions for the next couple of days. Throughout the sessions, attendees had the opportunity to delve into the perspectives of numerous professionals in the hospitality industry. Topics ranged from accounting software, the future of technology, how to collect and compare data, ePay solutions, labor management and modeling, and more. Many of our partners took the stage to convey the value and significance of their products, and how, when combined with M3 products, delivers wide-ranging benefits an unprecedented efficiency to the M3 customer base.
The informational sessions allowed attendees to cover an array of topics in a condensed amount of time. Sessions covered best practices where many jumped in to share their experiences and others learned new ways to use M3 solutions to their fullest. Workshops provided insight into M3 products, panels and live Q&A sessions were offered to help overcome industry challenges, including how to manage month-end closing requirements more effectively or improve forecast accuracy. As the days progressed, guests continued to learn about the best practices in automation, integrations, AP automation, unlocking potential, how AI will impact the industry, and more!
On the final night of the Partners’ Meeting, M3 hosted an award ceremony to recognize customers who have made an impact on the M3 team. These recognitions are awarded to those who exude excellence through M3’s software and utilize M3’s products to their fullest. The award recognition is as follows:
· Implementation Excellence Accounting Core 2024 – Crescent Hotel
· Implementation Excellence Labor Management 2024 – Empire Hotel Group
· Implementation Excellence Insight 2024 – TIMP Hospitality
· Implementation Excellence Professional Services 2024 – Avocet Hospitality Group
· Customer Impact 2024 – Raines Co
· Product Adoption Achievement 2024 – HCW Management Consultants
· Portfolio Growth 2024 – J&P Asset Management
Overall, there was plenty to learn, fantastic networking opportunities, and an abundance of hats, bowties, and dresses! M3 is excited to host this event for their customers and valued partners. M3 is already planning for the next event, targeted for 2026 where they continue to provide a hub for hoteliers to come together, learn best practices, introduce products that enhance processes, and forge valuable connections within the industry. Until next time!
