Go Air Flight Schedule - Loyalty Programs in Travel and Hospitality Sector and Key Role of E-CRM

SECTION ONE: TRAVEL LOYALTY

INTRODUCTION

The sub-vertical that definitively takes the lead in loyalty program adoption and innovation is the Airlines sector, within this sector. And successful as well, the travel sector offers quite a few loyalty programs - some of which are quite well-known.

000 of its best customers, american Airlines had amassed a database of around 150, through the Sabre computer reservations system. Frequent-flyer programs date back to early 1980s when American Airlines started the now iconic American Advantage (AAdvantage) program. Airlines were among the first businesses to introduce loyalty programs to their customers.

SOME THE INDUSTRY'S BEST CONTEMPORARY LOYALTY PROGRAMS

And Mexicana; air New Zealand; thai Airways; austrian Airlines; singapore Airlines; aNA; varig; british Midland; sAS; air Canada; lufthansa; the Star Alliance Network is a partnership where frequent flyers can accumulate and redeem miles on the following airlines: United Airlines.

Upgrades and other benefits, miles earned can be exchanged for free tickets. Alitalia and participating airlines of the Star Alliance, spanair, south African Airways, pluna, nordeste, domestic and international flights on Rio Sul, as well as regional, passengers can earn miles on every VARIG flight, with Smiles. VARIG's Smiles Program is the most popular frequent flyer loyalty program in Latin America.

Gold Preferred and Chairman's Preferred, the features differ for its three membership types - Silver Preferred. US Airways offers its members greater privileges through additional offers by its Dividend Miles program on travel on US Airways and its partners.

SECTION TWO: HOSPITALITY LOYALTY
INTRODUCTION

In January 1983 followed by Marriott with its Honored Guest Awards program in the same year, holiday Inn was amongst the first to launch its own loyalty program. The hospitality industry launched independent frequent guest programs as well, as the airlines stated their own Frequent Flier Programs, with time. The hospitality industry offered loyalty programs together with the travel industry, in the days of inception.

SOME THE INDUSTRY'S BEST CONTEMPORARY LOYALTY PROGRAMS

IHG has recently added a new feature to its customer loyalty program: Priority Club Rewards. Is one of the best initiatives in the context of new age loyalty programs in the hospitality industry, the world's largest and most global hotel company, any where" card by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the recent launch of "Any hotel.

Anywhere, meaning members can redeem free nights anytime, the program made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates and no capacity controls. Starwood Preferred Guest is another of the best loyalty programs in the Industry.

Dollar spent on accommodations at Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels in North America. Is based on a point system awarding 10 points for each U.S, part of the Gold Points Rewards guest loyalty program, park Rewards. The hospitality group primarily offers services to a range of guests in suburban and leisure destinations. Consists of Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels in North America, part of Minneapolis-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, park Hospitality.

Which allows them to automatically earn points towards valuable merchandise and incentive awards in return for booking Radisson hotels, radisson is the only hotel company to offer a patented on-line loyalty program for travel agents. Has been very successful as well, called 'Look To Book', radisson Hotels and Resorts' channel-based Relationship Building Loyalty Program.

Based on the frequency/ number of visits, platinum and Silver, the three memberships offered by Hyatt Gold Passport are Gold. The benefits offered are based on the type of membership the guest holds. Beginning with the very first stay, selecting in-hotel services and special offers, hyatt Gold passport offers features like earning points towards free nights with no blackout dates. Hyatt offers a global loyalty program - Hyatt Gold Passport.

Endeavors to build rewarding relationships, hospitality industry in developing economies such as in India are not left behind either The Welcom Award program recognises the needs of a business traveller and through its strategic alliances with travel partners.

AND THEIR MITIGATION BEST-PRACTICES sECTION THREE: COMMON PROBLEMS WITH LOYALTY PROGRAMS,

Here below are a few key areas that deserve focused attention of enterprises that are implementing or running such programs: And the consequent ROI that a business generates out of them continue to be significant challenges, the effectiveness of such programs, while the consumer awareness of loyalty programs as well as the business priority accorded to them are both growing in tandem.

Say the experts, blame it on poor communication by the companies or the sheer numbers of brands. Of points, even thousands, thereby missing out on earning hundreds, is that surprisingly few consumers know which hotels are covered by their frequent-stay cards, researchers say, the problem out of this rampant loyalty card and loyalty program proliferation. " avers a recent Frost & Sullivan research, "7 out of 10 loyalty card owners own more than one loyalty card.

In other words: Customer satisfaction plus quality of services equals customer loyalty. " The presumption is very simple: Customers will appreciate good service so much that they would not go to your competitor. Customer relationship management focus in hospitality has always began and ended in one phrase: "customer satisfaction, traditionally.

The truth is that customer satisfaction does not always equal customer loyalty.

Yet willing to switch to other hotels (University of Texas), )
� 65% to 85% of customers who choose a new hotel claim to be satisfied and very satisfied with the
former one (Harvard Business Review)
� 85% of customers claim to be satisfied. Research shows:
� 40% of satisfied customers switch hotels without hesitation (Forum Corp.

Clearly indicating that even for the best-of-class service provider hotels there is a crying need for focused and ongoing relationship building and relationship deepening exercises with their key clientele, these are compelling numbers.

Increase conversions and sell more efficiently, personalized and mutually beneficial interactive relationships, is a business strategy supported by Web technologies allowing hoteliers to engage customers in strong, in the context of the exploding Internet distribution and marketing in hospitality, electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM).

This branding interaction can be positive (brandbuilding) or negative (brand-eroding). For the hotel, or a threat, thereby creating either an opportunity, this means that almost every time an Internet user lands on a hotel Web site a branding interaction occurs.

Customer Knowledge A.

Knowing your Web site visitors is an extremely important consideration when conceptualizing and designing your hotel Web site and your e-CRM strategy.

The 2004 RUSH Report shows:

?? Meeting planners look for function room floor plans and capacity charts. ?? Business travelers look for directions and high speed Internet. While 30% of the visitors come to make or change a reservation, � 34% of all visitors on hotel branded Web sites seek information about the hotel. Approximately 3% of hotel Web site visitors are involved in meeting or event planning. ?? 56% of all visitors on hotel branded Web sites are leisure travelers and 32% are business travelers.

Sales marketers, � Enables informed decisions in real time
� Allows fast response times
� Offers real-time guest lifetime value
� Delivers business insight to executives, Etc, preferences, past bookings, guest profiles, the benefits:
� Identifies your most valuable customers with best lifetime value perspective (20:80 principle)
� Allows guest-centric data mining: Guest history.

). Etc, plus last name. /Mrs. Mr, adopt a policy on how to address your guests via e-mail (first name only. ?? Personalize all electronic communications with your customers. ) and creating an action plan. Etc, travel professionals, meeting planners, personalization at the property level should start by:
� Identifying all "electronic touch points" with your customers (hotel guests. Customizing your interaction with your most valuable customers (those 20% who generate 80% of your business) will provide significant long-term rewards. Personalization
Personalizing the customer experience on the hotel Web site is a powerful conversion and retention tool. B.

Customer Support C.

While e-CRM as a whole is a proactive long-term strategy, it is important to understand that customer service is only one aspect of e-CRM and is primarily a reactive function aiming to improve performance and efficiency.

Dramatically improving service and reducing support staff by up to 40%; and automated e-mail response systems capable of automating 80%-90% of e-mail volume with 98% accuracy, � E-Mail Service Tools: Inbound e-mail management. And automation to pre-screen live support (selective approach); voice-over-Internet Protocols applications; instant messaging and chat-room type assistance; � Live Service Tools: Push-to-talk functionality and real-time interaction with live agent. Directions and business locators; interactive maps, "Ask the experts" self-service chat rooms; fAQs; directing customer requests to most appropriate support information and services; here are some to consider:
� Web Self-Service Tools: Intelligent service channel management and natural language search engines. Customer support in the Internet age relies on a wide range of tools and techniques.