What hotel group today does not back its marketing strategy with a loyalty program worthy of this name? Examples where they do not exist are rare and are almost exclusively in the luxury hotel segment. Probably because customer recognition is part of the DNA of their brands and anyone who goes through the doors of their properties is a VIP like the others, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Aman Resorts do not have established programs. But this does not mean there is a complete absence of any loyalty policy … In the Dorchester Collection, the Plaza Athénée pushes the precision of its customer relations to another degree with its CRM VIC (Very Important Children) program. A personal loyalty card, a dedicated website: at the Plaza, children are VIPs just like their parents!
Experience and recognition: is this not the grail sought after by all the loyalty programs? In any case, it seems to be where Starwood is headed with the loyalty program it is developing, which is in the pilot phase and still top secret… at least until the blog Hotel Check In from USA Today reveals it. According to information from the American daily, this program should operate on the fringes of the group’s program SPG. Originality: a single contact, an Ambassador, that will act as a relay for select members, from both within and without the Starwood sphere. Other observers consider this a bit of a rerun since the American group launched a similar initiative in 2009. “Our goal is to create outstanding individual experiences for customers with a high added value,” admitted Mark Vondrasek, senior VP interactive marketing and loyalty for the group, to the American magazine. A real scoop or just the extension of a program in the pilot phase? One thing is certain: participation clearly includes competitors’ card carriers. The battle to gain loyalty is not over yet…Aside from these exceptions, the effort to pamper the best customers goes well beyond the top 20 worldwide. The Ukrainian group Premier Hotels, with 7 hotels in its country, is among the last to have done this. It isn’t even necessary to have a large portfolio to start. In Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City, the luxurious independent Caravelle Hotel developed its Heritage Club alone to offer benefits to its members (–10% on F&B, late check out, etc.) in addition to points to be spent either at the property or in one of another ten upscale hotels in the country. Anything goes when it comes to pampering the best clients… including rewarding the loyalty of canine travelers! The R&R Club...
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