Innovative Hotel Loyalty Programs Crucial to Success

As the president of Pinnacle Hotels USA, Bharat Lall guides a company that maintains a portfolio of branded full-service hotels in California and Texas. A committed member of the field, Bharat Lall pays keen attention to developments in the hospitality industry.

As hospitality companies vie for the business of younger consumers in an increasingly crowded sphere, innovative loyalty programs may prove crucial to success. A recent report from Bond Brand Loyalty indicates that millennials and Gen Z consumers prefer brands whose loyalty programs utilize technology to provide personalized experiences rather than simply points. 

In a survey of younger consumers, more than 80 percent indicated they would be willing to trade certain aspects of their privacy in exchange for customized offers, while nearly 90 percent of respondents stated a preference for innovative perks attached to their loyalty cards such as special check-out lines and seamless Wi-Fi access.

Hotel brands that have taken these findings to heart are succeeding. For example, Marriott Rewards offers special perks for members who use Twitter to post about their stay or post a picture on Instagram of their hotel room. Thanks to these kinds of innovations, the loyalty program was named the best of 2017 by industry publication Smarter Travel.

Effective Quality Management is Paramount in the Hospitality Business

With an established career as a hospitality executive and hotel owner, Bharat Lall has become recognized as a leading investor in San Diego and around the nation. The president and chief executive officer of Pinnacle Hotels USA, Bharat Lall has been in the hotel acquisition business since 1989, and always with the goal of improving the revenue generation of underperforming hotels. 

An important factor in achieving a successful hotel operation is ensuring quality management. Effective quality management means consistently delivering service that matches the standards set by the company, is expected by hotel guests, and ultimately results in customer loyalty and referrals. Indeed, research shows that quality consistency is more effective at driving occupancy rates and profits than high-value amenities.

Employees play a vital role in quality management as they are responsible for the quality of all services delivered. Inevitably, when employees underperform and don't meet the expectations of the hotel manager, service quality suffers. To ensure quality management, managers should provide regular reviews of employee performance and conduct continual customer-service appraisals to ensure the hotel team is working together to maintain and improve the quality of services provided.