Marriott’s CIO Says Mobile Apps Are Changing the Guest Experience

Hotel giant Marriott International Inc. is working to craft a customer experience that is the right mix of high-tech and highly personal.

The company is rolling out many tech-driven amenities, including the ability to skip the front desk at check-in, order room service via a mobile app and log in to Netflix from the hotel-room television.

Bruce Hoffmeister, global chief information officer and an almost 30-year Marriott veteran, says the rise of mobile has given the company more opportunities to interact with customers before, during and after a stay. His teams must make sure the new technology not only works but is easy to use.

As Marriott prepares to merge with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., Mr. Hoffmeister also will be tasked with integrating a new set of hotel technologies.

The Wall Street Journal spoke with him about deploying new mobile offerings and building customer loyalty, among other things. Here are