Name: Maria C.
Position: Property Support Services Specialist 
Location: Mexico City Customer Engagement Center
Dream destination: Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom, since my favorite artists and stories come from those countries. I also have the goal to visit all Disney parks around the world. I’m missing four!
Drink or treat of choice: I was raised in northern Mexico where it is hot, so I always have cold water with ice by my side, no matter the weather.

Ok, I’ll admit it, when I first thought of what working at a customer engagement center is like, some preconceived ideas came to mind. I thought of the movie Office Space, a satiric ‘90s comedy about cubicle life and monotonous jobs. And that is because a common misconception about customer engagement centers is that they can be somewhat gray or boring places to be. Well, Maria is here to prove me (and likely a lot of us) wrong.  

Maria, a big fan of Disney and Harry Potter who has loved to write fiction stories and illustrate them ever since she was a little girl, is a specialist in Property Support Services at Marriott’s CEC in Mexico City, and she loves it.

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At work, Maria has colleagues who are students, musicians, and creative types like her, who’ve found at Marriott’s CEC a perfect balance that allows her to have good benefits and financial stability while having the time and headspace to let her creativity flourish. But for her, the highlight of the job is people.  

“Connecting with people, not only my team, but also guests and hotel leadership, is my favorite part of my job,” Maria says. “I love to serve others and now that’s my job. How lucky am I?!” 

As she explains it, Maria’s team acts like a bridge between the hotels and the customer engagement centers. “That bridge is built upon great relationships with people. I never saw myself working in hospitality and now I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.”

Another thing that a position at a CEC isn’t? Stagnant. Maria has been promoted four times since she started working there, the first time after only three months in the role. “When I was first offered the promotion from Sales and Services to Loyalty Care, I was scared, I had only been there for three months and had no idea if I was ready to take on a new role, since I had no experience in customer service before Marriott,” she recalls. “But my then manager and some colleagues insisted it was a great opportunity to continue to grow. And they were right! I learned so much in that position.”  

“I love to serve others and now that’s my job. How lucky am I?!”

Maria, mexico city

Every time she’s been promoted, she’s received the news with a mix of fear and excitement, which she says turns into feelings of accomplishment and growth.  

“Each and every time I got promoted, I was scared, but Marriott always gave me the opportunity to grow and great leaders and mentors that helped me to learn as much as possible and take advantage of my skills to support others.”  

Learn more about how she’s made the most of her CEC journey and the best tips to get a role like hers, in her own words below.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while working at the CEC?

It was during a call with a very special guest. A lady asked me to book her for a very special occasion, her first vacation paid for on her own. She shared with me her story and I was really touched by it. She sounded so excited that for the first time she was going to be able to afford a vacation after so much hardship. I did my best during the call to ensure she had the best time, so she could make her dream come true. I felt amazing knowing that my work at Marriott made me part of her story.

What is something surprising or unexpected you’ve learned about Marriott, or the job or yourself while working here?

I never imagined working in hospitality, but I’ve learned so much about it at Marriott. And it definitely put me to the test. It was never easy, but I was eager to learn and that took me to the point where I’m today.

What has your CEC journey been like? How many roles have you had since you started working here?

I started as a Sales and Services associate at the CEC in Mexico City. After three months I was offered the promotion to Loyalty Care. Within a year and a half, I was promoted from Loyalty Care to Resort Services, and finally Senior Elite Services Associate, where I remained for over a year. And just recently, I joined the Property Support Services team as a Specialist. 

What is your favorite part of your new job?  

Learning about Marriott’s operations as a whole! It’s amazing to know how together we’re all working towards the same goal. Definitely collaborating is an everyday highlight of my job. We have to always be in constant communication and sharing our experience to improve.  

What’s the work environment like in your team? 

We’re a small team, but we keep a close relationship. Even though we all are in different locations, we try to keep up with things by having weekly meetings, and since everyone is so proactive, there’s always something to share. Also, the projects [we work on] are designed for us to collaborate with different people. I know we can always rely on each other because whenever I require any assistance or help the whole team tries to work on it until it is solved. It’s amazing being part of this team. 

What was your Marriott interview process like, and any tips for candidates who want a role like yours? 

For my current job, the position was actually sent by our CEC Communications, and it caught my attention. I knew about the department, but not as much as I would have liked to. It’s very important to be alert for any career opportunity and before applying, investigate it, and make sure it’s fitting for you. As with anything we do in life, it’s good to be prepared. I believe the key to a good interview is to have great knowledge in your strengths and opportunity areas.  

Develop your strengths within your team, work in your opportunity areas by asking someone for help or by putting them to the test. Believe me, all this experience will get you through any interview. And no matter the outcome, always take the positive and negative for any future opportunity.

How has Marriott supported your family?  

Marriott has great benefits, one of them is the great flexibility it gives you and great tools. I have used the [medical] telephone services, especially for mental health.

Have you used the Marriott Explore Rate? 

Fun fact, I have a six-year-old sister whose favorite thing to do is going to hotels and cannot deny she has taken advantage of this perk. Whenever [my family] visits me in Mexico City, they stay in Marriott hotels. Both of my parents travel for business, and they always stay at Marriott as well. My boyfriend and I have used it not only for hotels, but also for restaurants, to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and so on. My personal favorite is SAMOS at The Ritz- Carlton, Mexico City. Right now, I’m planning my next vacation and looking for some properties to stay in.

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