Summer Travel Season Means a Cascade of New Loyalty Members
by David Rosen | Senior Vice-President
Like many Americans, my family and I look forward to the summer as a chance to get away from home and enjoy a well-deserved vacation.
Given my fascination (obsession?) with loyalty programs in general, and travel programs in particular, I blindly embrace all hotel, car, air — and even train frequency programs that I come across — often without regard for my privacy and the sanctity of my hotmail inbox.
Why? For the most part joining travel company’s guest programs yields a better experience — well at least that is the true test of value. As I’ve opined in the past, I’ve pretty much given up on redeeming the points/miles/stays that I’ve earned, but have come to expect a higher degree of service and general consideration when I travel.
So, planning our trips this summer, I joined two more programs (I think this brings me past the 50 mark just in the travel space — I still keep my Western Airlines TravelPassII card handy just in case). The first was Loews-First. From a customer experience standpoint, this program rocks. Easy to join, relevant fields — including questions tied exclusively to member benefits and preferences (which treat do I want when I check in? What newspaper do I want in the morning) — what a great way to introduce me to the benefits before I’m even a member. Submit and I have a number.
I get on the phone to book the room (I want them to match the rate that I found on Hotels.com) and the number is already in the system and the agent has all of my contact and preference information. And to my “surprise and delight,” I’m already a “Gold” member which includes a free upgrade upon reservation.
Clearly, a well designed and executed program.
Next, I joined Amtrak’s Guest Rewards Program. OK, I’m not a big rail traveler, I live in California but am headed to New England this summer. Unfortunately, the program lacks connection to the larger Amtrak experience. I had to replicate my registration on both sites, I’m receiving emails from both entities and I’m uncertain how I will benefit from the program — but again, truth in advertising, I’m in infrequent rail passenger, so I’m not the definitive source for measuring perceived value.
Bottom line, good lessons for any loyalty program design:
- Keep registration simple and relevant
- Ask profiling questions that communicate the program value while gaining real marketing insights
- Use registration as the first chance to reward – Give something for the Get
- Be fast, be connected, be multi-channel
- Use the program as the primary touchpoint between associates and best customers/guests/members
September 21st, 2008 at 1:33 am
I blog several times a week showing cost/benefit analyses of the added value for your money when traveling and using hotel loyalty program promotions. 50 programs — wow. I might be around that mark too with airline and hotels, but in reality I focus my travel with just three to five programs. The value-added benefits like complimentary room and flight cabin upgrades come with elite status.
As the hotel industry is going into a contraction phase for hotel occupancy while new hotels are opening at a rapid pace in the USA due to projects launched in the boom phase of real estate, hotel loyalty program promotions are continual and lucrative. I am all about finding good value for my money and hotel loyalty programs are good value for the traveler at this time.