OPERATIONS
THE SODEXO LIVE! TEAM IN ORLANDO SHOWED FORETHOUGHT, CARING AND TRUE HOSPITALITY AT THE ANNUAL GATHERING BY HAVING BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT MENUS MADE, ALONG WITH OTHER INCLUSIVE MOVES. BRAILLE MENUS MAKE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND FEEL WELCOME AT ORANGE CO. CONVENTION CENTER
A local company printed hundreds of braille versions of four different menus for the event.
I nclusivity is at their fingertips. For this year’s annual gathering of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the Sodexo Live! team at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) welcomed the group with specially made braille and large- print menus. To foster inclusivity among guests at this event, a proactive approach on the part of staff was key, according to Warner Peck, Sodexo Live!’s di- rector of sales and marketing at the convention center. “When groups come in with special needs, it’s a great opportunity to push ourselves a little, and be innovative from the service perspective,” Peck says. “We talked about it, and being in- clusive and taking into account people’s needs, you want to be proactive, not re- active and have the lines of communi- cation open.” BY TARA FITZPATRICK
Peck, who, earlier in his career, learned the power of “surprise and de- light” in hospitality at Disney World, is always looking for ways that the OCCC can do special things that set it apart. With this in mind, Peck wanted to make the group feel welcome in an un- expected way, and the braille menus seemed like a great, inexpensive way to do so. “There wasn’t an ask for [the braille menus], but it was unique and special.” Peck found a local company to print braille and large-print menus, thinking “it would be a great surprise and de- light,” he says. “We want to give them a reason to come back. We want to treat every group special and give them a reason to come back. And the lines of conversation were there. When the NFB executive director found out about it, he was like, ‘Yes, this is great!’” John Berggren, executive director of operations for the National Federation of the Blind, expressed gratitude, espe-
The layout of the convention center remained the same during the event, so those using canes could navigate better.
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FSD QUARTERLY
Q3 2024
8
PHOTO COURTESY OF SODEXO LIVE!
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