Technology and data can drive hotel loyalty – report
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While most travellers hold no loyalty to a particular hotel brand, hoteliers can drive repeat business by using technology to provide a more personalised guest experience, a new report has asserted.
According to a study commissioned by Sabre Hospitality Solutions and conducted by Forrester Consulting, hoteliers who utilise data and technology to improve their guests’ experience will hold a competitive edge over their rivals.
“In the age of the customer,” the report states, “the relationships hotels have with guests are the greatest source of competitive differentiation, yet many hoteliers are not maximising that relationship.”
Nearly two-thirds of leisure travellers and more than half of business travellers were found to have no loyalty to one hotel brand. But a majority of travellers are apparently willing to share personal data if hoteliers use it to cater to their individual preferences. Therefore to capture guest loyalty, the report states that hoteliers must “reimagine their loyalty programme and learn how to harness customer data” to create a more personalised guest experience.
“At Sabre, our role… is to help hotels adapt and win in the age of the customer,” said Alex Alt, president of Sabre Hospitality Solutions. “Building and maintaining customer loyalty isn’t simply about letting customers accumulate points; it’s about finding ways to make customers feel special and to recognise and honour their preferences.
“Hoteliers who use data and technology to elevate the customer experience will ultimately generate loyalty that drives revenue,” he added.
The main reasons cited by travellers for sharing their personal information include selecting a check-in or check-out time that fits their schedule, room selection based on their preferences, and assistance discovering local activities and places of interest.
The study concludes with recommendations for hoteliers, including approaches to business intelligence for strategic decision-making and ways to unify guest data through better integration of technology platforms.
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