","showSummary":null,"metatags":{"title":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"title","content":"Fighting for Loyalty | Column | Hospitality Magazine (HT)"}},"description":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"description","content":"Don't make your guests go deal shopping. In the current climate of economic uncertainty, savvy hospitality operators are giving their loyalty incentive programs an innovative and customizable boost, which can be just the push"}},"keywords":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"keywords","content":"Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Hotel Brand -- Boutique, Hotel Brand -- Business Class, Hotel Brand -- Economy Class, Hotel Brand -- Lifestyle Hotel, Hotel Brand -- Major, Hotel Management, July-August 2008, Lodging, Loyalty, Platforms, Reservations"}},"og_site_name":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:site_name","content":"Hospitality Technology"}},"og_type":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:type","content":"Blog"}},"og_url":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:url","content":"https://hospitalitytech.com/fighting-loyalty"}},"og_title":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:title","content":"Fighting for Loyalty"}},"og_description":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:description","content":"Don't make your guests go deal shopping. In the current climate of economic uncertainty, savvy hospitality operators are giving their loyalty incentive programs an innovative and customizable boost, which can be just the push your guests need to book their reservation with you now, and six months down the road."}},"og_updated_time":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"property":"og:updated_time","content":"2017-08-08T17:55:44-0500"}},"twitter_cards_type":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"twitter:card","content":"summary_large_image"}},"twitter_cards_description":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"twitter:description","content":"Don't make your guests go deal shopping. In the current climate of economic uncertainty, savvy hospitality operators are giving their loyalty incentive programs an innovative and customizable boost, which can be just the push your guests need to book their reservation with you now, and six months down the road."}},"twitter_cards_title":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"twitter:title","content":"Fighting for Loyalty"}},"schema.org":{"schema_article_type":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"@type","content":"Article","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_article_body":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"articleBody","content":"Economic uncertainly can actually breed consumer loyalty, or so recent trends in the hospitality industry would indicate. There's no question that when consumers are cutting back on spending, coupons and deals can go a long way in influencing how and where they spend their dollars. But don't just let your guests go deal-shopping. Savvy hospitality operators are boosting their loyalty programs to become the obvious first choice for guests who want a good deal, but don't necessarily want to work hard to find it.\n\nIt appears that new loyalty initiatives are more innovative and customized than their predecessors, and are using cutting-edge technology to target membership. Hilton's already successful HHonors loyalty program (at 25 million members, it's one of the industry's largest) is upgrading its intelligence quotient with highly-customized communications. New data mining capabilities from Epsilon's Sonar real-time interface will provide HHonors members with information about earning redemption opportunities that are most relevant to them, based on their preferences, behavior and buying programs.\n\nLoews Hotels, meanwhile, just announced the re-branding and complete overhaul of its loyalty program, formerly known as Loews First, to You First, a program that will reward guests based on number of stays. You First distinguishes itself by appealing to guests even if they don't travel all too often; a smart move in the current economic climate. Guests begin receiving awards after just one stay. Those who visit two times in a given year are privy to free Internet access, late checkout, guaranteed rooms and room upgrades. You First is also one of the only programs to offer rewards to guests who book through meeting planners or travel agents.\n\nThe lesson: don't make your guests go deal-shopping, else they find something more appealing. Being proactive with loyalty efforts in the current economic climate can be just the push your guests need to book their reservation with you now, and six months down the road.","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_name":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"name","content":"Fighting for Loyalty","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_headline":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"headline","content":"Fighting for Loyalty","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_description":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"description","content":"Don't make your guests go deal shopping. In the current climate of economic uncertainty, savvy hospitality operators are giving their loyalty incentive programs an innovative and customizable boost, which can be just the push your guests need to book their reservation with you now, and six months down the road.","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_about_0":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"about","content":["Customer Relationship Management (CRM)","Loyalty","Reservations","Lodging","Hotel Management","Hotel Brand -- Business Class","Hotel Brand -- Economy Class","Hotel Brand -- Major","Platforms","Hotel Brand -- Boutique/Lifestyle","Hotels"],"group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_date_published":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"datePublished","content":"Sat, 08/09/2008 - 19:00","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}},"schema_article_date_modified":{"#tag":"meta","#attributes":{"name":"dateModified","content":"Sat, 08/09/2008 - 19:00","group":"schema_article","schema_metatag":true}}}},"url":"/fighting-loyalty","byline":"Abigail A. Lorden","sponsored":false,"sponsorship":{"overrideAds":null},"taggedPro":null,"blogSeries":{"url":"/editor","title":"From the Editor","icon":null,"author":{"email":"jay@ashday.com","uname":"jkerschner","firstName":"Ashday","lastName":"Developer","bio":null,"title":null,"picture":null,"phone":null,"contactForm":false},"iconBackground":null,"sponsoringCompany":null,"sponsoringCompanyUrl":null,"blogs":[{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2022-03-15T00:00:00","heading":"What Does Magic Mean to You?","headingUrl":"/what-does-magic-mean-you","body":"Technology is now going well beyond “surprise and delight.” Magic is our MURTEC 2022 theme, and this issue takes a deep dive into why that is.","image":{"id":23727,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2022-04/magic_shutterstock_1011934291.jpg?itok=ChLhOJ2_","alt":"magic hat ","width":500,"height":281}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2021-10-01T00:00:00","heading":"The Power of People","headingUrl":"/power-people","body":"HT's Editor-in-Chief shares what this issue of the magazine has in store for readers.","image":{"id":8708,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2021-10/Fall%202021%20cover_0.png?itok=mX4gJ4m3","alt":"diagram","width":500,"height":670}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2021-03-31T00:00:00","heading":"Hospitality Rebuilds, Revamps, and Reopens","headingUrl":"/hospitality-rebuilds-revamps-and-reopens","body":null,"image":null},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-10-22T00:00:00","heading":"Living with Uncertainty","headingUrl":"/living-uncertainty","body":"From the pandemic to wildfires to hurricanes to politics, sometimes the only thing we can be certain of is uncertainty.","image":{"id":8718,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2020-10/monopoly%20question%20teaser.jpg?itok=H2rr71Nf","alt":"","width":500,"height":399}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-08-19T00:00:00","heading":"Join the Innovation Conversation","headingUrl":"/join-innovation-conversation","body":null,"image":{"id":8742,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2020-10/phone%20gal%20pc%20teaser.jpg?itok=-nE2Nyn-","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-06-17T00:00:00","heading":"Where Do You Want to Be?","headingUrl":"/where-do-you-want-be","body":"As our industry enters a period of reopening and reassessment, we can ask the bigger question.","image":{"id":8746,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2020-06/idea%20teaser.jpg?itok=AbjjYhZg","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-05-15T00:00:00","heading":"Our Shared Values","headingUrl":"/our-shared-values","body":null,"image":{"id":8747,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2020-05/travel%20globe%20teaser.jpg?itok=sd6OVjSP","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-03-12T00:00:00","heading":"The Last Mile","headingUrl":"/last-mile","body":null,"image":{"id":8749,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2020-10/supply%20chain%20delivery%20teaser.jpg?itok=iz0mq5-q","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2020-02-13T00:00:00","heading":"From IQ to EQ: Innovation Gut Check","headingUrl":"/iq-eq-innovation-gut-check","body":null,"image":null},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-12-20T00:00:00","heading":"Oh the HumanIT","headingUrl":"/oh-humanit","body":"Augmented intelligence is enhancing hospitality’s game","image":{"id":8758,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-12/ai%20machine%20learning%20robot%20hand-%2054.jpg?itok=cYgCV1X1","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-08-16T00:00:00","heading":"Delivery Interrupted","headingUrl":"/delivery-interrupted","body":null,"image":{"id":8774,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-08/deliver%20special%20teaser%20jesse-ramirez-YiSD-1eJ_1g-unsplash.jpg?itok=QY_2huRS","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-06-12T00:00:00","heading":"Between a Mouse and an Expectation","headingUrl":"/between-mouse-and-expectation","body":"Consumers feel a greater sense of loyalty to a brand when they’ve played a key role in the creation of their experience. ","image":{"id":8791,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-06/Walt%20Disney%20World%20teaser.jpg?itok=CDF_NX51","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-05-16T00:00:00","heading":"Benchmarking Familiarity","headingUrl":"/benchmarking-familiarity","body":"With so much data available and a willingness of customers to share personal insights in exchange for personalized service, brands that don’t make sure to optimize customer data will flounder.","image":{"id":8797,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-05/ht0916dcreamer_0.jpg?itok=h2wRJ3Oh","alt":"","width":196,"height":219}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-04-06T00:00:00","heading":"What’s Your Sign?","headingUrl":"/whats-your-sign","body":"Allowing technology to take on more tasks does not diminish the need for human touch.","image":{"id":8804,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-04/night%20sky%20stars%20zodiac%20teaser%20GettyImages-918204210.jpg?itok=S02QOYEC","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-03-08T00:00:00","heading":"On the Basis of Tech","headingUrl":"/basis-tech","body":null,"image":{"id":8816,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-03/ht0916dcreamer_0.jpg?itok=kCYKM_Mc","alt":"","width":196,"height":219}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2019-02-08T00:00:00","heading":"The IT Progress Report","headingUrl":"/it-progress-report","body":"In order for innovation to yield measurable benefits, restaurants and hotels need to develop strategies that hinge on what they’re being told. ","image":{"id":8829,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2019-02/report%20card%20teaser.jpg?itok=9T6vzm-c","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-12-22T00:00:00","heading":"A Few of My Favorite Takeaways…","headingUrl":"/few-my-favorite-takeaways","body":"Experts agree tech wins are designed by giving guests what they want before they even realize they want it.","image":{"id":8833,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2018-12/newyearteaser.jpg?itok=u_id3pcX","alt":"","width":504,"height":378}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-12-27T00:00:00","heading":"I Almost Fought a Kiosk","headingUrl":"/i-almost-fought-kiosk","body":null,"image":null},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-10-12T00:00:00","heading":"Watch out Software, AI is Hungry","headingUrl":"/watch-out-software-ai-hungry","body":null,"image":{"id":8851,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2018-10/ai%20robot%2054.jpg?itok=ftCW5CFE","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-08-14T00:00:00","heading":"Tech Finds its Voice, Not THAT Voice","headingUrl":"/tech-finds-its-voice-not-voice","body":"HT's Editor discusses the role of voice technology in hospitality.","image":{"id":8998,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2018-08/ht0916dcreamer_0.jpg?itok=wFXmi1E_","alt":"","width":196,"height":219}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-06-14T00:00:00","heading":"Focus Before Speed","headingUrl":"/focus-speed","body":"HT’s editor reflects on the 2018 Hotel Visionary Award winners and the similarities in how they achieved the innovations for which they are honored. ","image":{"id":9006,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2018-06/running-%20woman%2054_0.jpg?itok=ZZ8Z__3W","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-05-15T00:00:00","heading":"Humanizing AI","headingUrl":"/humanizing-ai","body":"HT’s editor reflects the rise of machine intelligence and its impact on hospitality","image":{"id":9016,"url":"https://assets1.hospitalitytech.com/styles/secondary_articles_short/s3/2018-05/ai%20robot%2054.jpg?itok=HvNIAIuH","alt":"","width":500,"height":400}},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-04-04T00:00:00","heading":"Feminine Mystique to Movement","headingUrl":"/feminine-mystique-movement","body":"The percentage of women in CIO roles at Fortune 500 companies is less than 20% and has been so for more than a decade. ","image":null},{"proTag":null,"sponsored":false,"eyebrow":"2018-03-07T00:00:00","heading":"Competitive Edge","headingUrl":"/competitive-edge","body":"The 2018 Restaurant Technology Study shares many similarities with the 2018 Winter Olympics, primarily an emphasis on data and analytics.","image":null}]},"heroImageSrcset":null,"heroImage":null,"author":{"email":"devteam@ashday.com","uname":"ht_root","firstName":null,"lastName":null,"bio":null,"title":null,"picture":null,"phone":null,"contactForm":null},"date":"2008-08-10T00:00:00","digitalEdition":null,"hideByline":null,"teaserImage":null,"attachedFiles":[],"businessTopic":[],"contentType":[],"company":[],"marketSegment":[],"topics":[{"id":24,"name":"Customer Relationship Management (CRM)","url":"/customer-relationship-management-crm"},{"id":8,"name":"Loyalty","url":"/loyalty"},{"id":5,"name":"Reservations","url":"/reservations"},{"id":7,"name":"Lodging","url":"/lodging"},{"id":106,"name":"Hotel Management","url":"/hotel-management"},{"id":211,"name":"Hotel Brand -- Business Class","url":"/hotel-brand-business-class"},{"id":212,"name":"Hotel Brand -- Economy Class","url":"/hotel-brand-economy-class"},{"id":166,"name":"Hotel Brand -- Major","url":"/hotel-brand-major"},{"id":104,"name":"Platforms","url":"/platforms"},{"id":162,"name":"Hotel Brand -- Boutique/Lifestyle","url":"/hotel-brand-boutiquelifestyle"},{"id":442,"name":"Hotels","url":"/hotels"}],"contentParagraphs":null,"sections":null};
const country = "US";
const language = null;
const SITE_LANGUAGE = "en";
const siteName = "Hospitality Technology";
const userRoles = ["anonymous"];
const userUid = 0;
const indexName = "HT";
const title = "Fighting for Loyalty | Column | Hospitality Magazine (HT)";
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
const data = {};
data.entityTaxonomy = {};
const contentTypes = [
"article",
"blog",
"bulletin",
"embed_page",
"landing_page",
"event",
"image",
"page",
"product",
"whitepaper",
"video",
"tags",
];
if (
routeInfo &&
"bundle" in routeInfo &&
contentTypes.includes(routeInfo["bundle"])
) {
data.entityBundle = routeInfo.bundle;
data.entityTitle = title || `${routeInfo.title} | ${siteName}`;
data.entityId = routeInfo.id;
data.entityName = routeInfo.author?.uname;
data.entityCreated = routeInfo.created;
data.sponsored = routeInfo.sponsored;
data.sponsor = routeInfo.sponsoringCompany;
data.entityType = "node";
data.entityLangcode = SITE_LANGUAGE;
data.siteName = siteName;
data.drupalLanguage = language;
data.drupalCountry = country;
data.userRoles = userRoles;
data.userUid = userUid;
data.entityTaxonomyKeys = {};
data.entityTaxonomyHierarchies = {};
data.parentNaicsCode = {};
data.isPro = false;
data.algoliaIndexName = indexName;
// Add toxonomy data
const taxonomies = {
businessTopic: "business_topic",
contentType: "content_type",
company: "company",
marketSegment: "market_segment",
};
const getHierarchy = (term, terms = []) => {
terms.push({ id: term.id, name: term.name });
if (term.parentTerm != null) {
getHierarchy(term.parentTerm, terms);
}
return terms;
};
const getTerms = (term, useApiId = false) => {
return { id: useApiId ? term.apiId : term.id, name: term.name };
};
const getKeys = (term) => {
return { id: term.id, name: term.apiId };
};
Object.entries(taxonomies).forEach(([key, item]) => {
terms = routeInfo[key];
if (terms && terms.length > 0) {
data["entityTaxonomy"][item] = terms.map((term) =>
getTerms(term, key === "company")
);
if (key !== "company") {
data["entityTaxonomyKeys"][item] = terms.map(getKeys);
termGroups = [];
terms.forEach((term, termInd) => {
termGroups[termInd] = getHierarchy(term);
});
data["entityTaxonomyHierarchies"][item] = termGroups;
}
}
});
data["entityTaxonomy"]["tags"] = routeInfo["topics"] || [];
// Primary Topic is either the business topic or the top tag.
if (routeInfo["businessTopic"]?.length > 0) {
data["entityPrimaryTopic"] = routeInfo["businessTopic"][0]["name"];
} else {
if (routeInfo["topics"]?.length > 0) {
data["entityPrimaryTopic"] = routeInfo["topics"][0]["name"];
}
}
// Primary and secondary entityNaicsCodes come from the MarketSegment
if (routeInfo.marketSegment?.length > 0) {
data.entityNaicsCode = {};
data["entityNaicsCode"]["id"] = routeInfo["marketSegment"][0]["id"];
data["entityNaicsCode"]["name"] =
routeInfo["marketSegment"][0]["naicsCode"];
if (routeInfo["marketSegment"][0]["parentTerm"] != null) {
data["parentNaicsCode"]["id"] =
routeInfo["marketSegment"][0]["parentTerm"]["id"];
data["parentNaicsCode"]["name"] =
routeInfo["marketSegment"][0]["parentTerm"]["naicsCode"];
}
} else {
data.entityNaicsCode = [];
}
if (routeInfo.taggedPro) {
data.isPro = routeInfo.taggedPro;
}
window.dataLayer.push(data);
} else if (routeInfo && "vid" in routeInfo) {
data.entityBundle = "tags";
data.entityTitle = routeInfo.name;
data.entityId = routeInfo.id;
data.entityName = routeInfo.author?.uname;
data.entityCreated = routeInfo.created;
data.entityType = "taxonomy_term";
data.entityLangcode = SITE_LANGUAGE;
data.siteName = siteName;
data.sponsored = routeInfo.sponsored;
data.sponsor = routeInfo.sponsoringCompany;
data.drupalLanguage = language;
data.drupalCountry = country;
data.userRoles = userRoles;
data.userUid = userUid;
data.algoliaIndexName = indexName;
data["entityTaxonomy"]["tags"] = {
id: routeInfo["id"],
name: routeInfo["name"],
};
window.dataLayer.push(data);
}
})();
Fighting for Loyalty | Column | Hospitality Magazine (HT)
Economic uncertainly can actually breed consumer loyalty, or so recent trends in the hospitality industry would indicate. There's no question that when consumers are cutting back on spending, coupons and deals can go a long way in influencing how and where they spend their dollars. But don't just let your guests go deal-shopping. Savvy hospitality operators are boosting their loyalty programs to become the obvious first choice for guests who want a good deal, but don't necessarily want to work hard to find it.
It appears that new loyalty initiatives are more innovative and customized than their predecessors, and are using cutting-edge technology to target membership. Hilton's already successful HHonors loyalty program (at 25 million members, it's one of the industry's largest) is upgrading its intelligence quotient with highly-customized communications. New data mining capabilities from Epsilon's Sonar real-time interface will provide HHonors members with information about earning redemption opportunities that are most relevant to them, based on their preferences, behavior and buying programs.
Loews Hotels, meanwhile, just announced the re-branding and complete overhaul of its loyalty program, formerly known as Loews First, to You First, a program that will reward guests based on number of stays. You First distinguishes itself by appealing to guests even if they don't travel all too often; a smart move in the current economic climate. Guests begin receiving awards after just one stay. Those who visit two times in a given year are privy to free Internet access, late checkout, guaranteed rooms and room upgrades. You First is also one of the only programs to offer rewards to guests who book through meeting planners or travel agents.
The lesson: don't make your guests go deal-shopping, else they find something more appealing. Being proactive with loyalty efforts in the current economic climate can be just the push your guests need to book their reservation with you now, and six months down the road.