to a travel or hospitality brand. The good
news is that 75% of travelers say travel
brands do a good job rewarding them for
their loyalty. But there’s always room
for improvement — especially when it
comes to the quarter of consumers who
AREN’T impressed with brands’ loyalty
efforts. So how do loyal customers
prefer to be rewarded? offer frequent business travelers early
check-in so they can freshen up before
meetings, or provide a concierge to
coordinate activities they’d be too busy
to research on their own. Give your VIP
guests exclusive discounts and perks,
learn their preferences, and train staff
to greet them by name when arriving to
check in.
Exclusive member benefits (like late
checkout or airline seat upgrades) rank
number one, with almost half (49%) of
consumers reporting that these make Hilton Honors highlights exclusive perks
like free nights, late checkouts and
additional credit card points for their
most active members.
them feel most rewarded. For another
32% of travelers, fee waivers (e.g.,
complimentary Wi-Fi, free checked
bag, free travel insurance, etc.) are most
likely to keep them happy and loyal.
TURNING FINDINGS INTO
ACTION
Give loyal customers the VIP
treatment.
Travel is all about the experience, and if
customers choose your brand time and
again, they want to feel
rewarded for it. Small things go a long
way toward making your loyal customers
feel like they’re getting special
treatment. For example, you could
Drive home the value of loyalty to your
most prized customers.
It goes without saying that you should
strive to make every experience
great, especially for your most loyal
customers. But also find ways to remind
them of the value they are getting for
their loyalty. Make an effort to show
the great experiences, high-quality
accommodations, and perks that are
exclusive to them.
Additionally, make sure customers feel
they are getting value for their loyalty
by enabling them to earn rewards or
recognition faster. One of the biggest
complaints about loyalty programs is
that it takes too long to earn a reward.
So make sure your customers receive
benefits after their first or second
experience with your brand and make
the next reward easy to obtain.
CONCLUSION
Your customers are traveling more than
ever — and they’ve got a lot of travel
and hospitality options to choose from.
As a travel brand, it’s imperative that
you understand what customers expect
from you before they book for the first
time. Whether you’re encouraging a new
customer to try your brand for the first
time, nurturing a current traveler toward
loyalty or giving the VIP treatment to
a loyal member, your content must be
engaging, informative and relevant.
Legacy brands and new players are
reimagining what travel looks like. Your
ability to identify expectations, refine
your offerings and perfect the frequency
and relevance of your messaging will be
instrumental in acquiring, retaining and
delighting your customers.
Sources
1. The Guardian
2. eMarketer
3. Inc.com
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