Business Travel Executive, April 2018

18Business Travel Executive APRIL 2018 SPECIAL REPORT Just Rewards the hotel brand is likely to experience increased repeat business In her experience Neufang notes that hoteliers are increasingly open to altering what they will and wont do for corporate programs However the caveat is they still want travel buyers to present irrefutable evidence regarding both the volume of their spend and their ability to shift share to other preferred hotels via their traveler engagement and policy levers within their managed travel ecosystem Thus comprehensive hotel booking spend data becomes one of the most important levers in having that discussion with hotels about loyalty she says As long as there are corporate programs with either no mandate or no restrictions on what is reimbursed hotels marketing directly to corporate travelers will continue to rise HRS has successfully sourced project rates with chains who based on the company preferences provide loyalty bonus points to corporate travelers in those group or long term stay scenarios In other cases HRS has made certain that corporations arent restricting their travelers ability to collect loyalty points on preferred negotiated rates provided through the annual RFP process In the future we believe that travelers will transition to overall experience and loyalty point addiction will be just one component of that Neufang says This is yet another area where transparency is vital and having the best data can open the door to creative solutions for both hoteliers and travel buyers The travel landscape is changing and customized loyalty promotions and perks for travelers have become customary and expected Utilizing this knowledge to allow business travelers to book through their corporate channels and receive their hotel points hoteliers have the opportunity to foster stronger working relationships with travel managers To do this travel managers can proactively communicate and educate their travelers about the companys preferred hotel program and let their travelers know that the hotels loyalty program will recognize their membership when booked using the GDS Kearns says However she cautions all of this should be done with the understanding that loyalty program benefits should not be put ahead of the companys bottom line or travel policy BTE Skrincosky says It provides business travelers with everything they need to work efficiently while enjoying the comfort and perks of Hilton Honors ultimately making business travel into an experience instead of just a trip The partnership allows cardholders the ability to earn more Hilton Honors rewards to enjoy or invest back into their business Because three out of four Hilton guests are traveling for business the brand specifically designed several aspects of its loyalty program to make business travelers experiences more enjoyable For example improved technology allows Hilton Honors guests to book a room check in without waiting in line choose their desired room from a digital floor plan order items like pillows or snacks ahead of time and even use a Digital Key which transforms their smartphone into their room key At InterContinental Hotels Group the majority of the chains Rewards Club members indicate that loyalty programs heavily influence where they stay all or most of the time according to Derek DeCross SVP of global sales Savvy travel managers know that loyalty programs help promote compliance with travel policies improve traveler satisfaction and offer more overall value DeCross says IHG Rewards Club continuously evolves based on member and consumer feedback to create more personalized relationships with members and to ensure were delivering relevant and rewarding experiences for global travelers The companys IHG Business Rewards is an extension of its Rewards Club program Business Rewards members get points when they book a hotel room meeting or event on behalf of others Having the best data can open the door to creative solutions for both hoteliers and travel buyers at participating hotels worldwide Whether its for a corporate meeting or destination event points can be redeemed for meeting site visits for credits and applied to upcoming meetings booked at participating IHG properties This DeCross says gives business travelers an extra reason to comply with their corporate travel policy rewarding them when they stay at IHG hotels with points and benefits For frequent business travelers the IHG program lets them earn points and gain status for their stays including in stay benefits such as free WiFi room upgrades and early check in or late check out depending on status When the travel manager needs to know where their travelers stayed or how they booked we can offer bespoke post stay reports he adds The more compliant the business traveler is with the companys corporate travel policy the more the company can help them while they are on the road The Art of Leveraging Folding loyalty programs in with corporate programs enables hotel brands to customize offerings instead of using a onesize fits all approach This creates a winwin win situation for the business traveler corporate partner and the hotel brand The business traveler and corporate partner receive added value and benefits while