Driving Up Hotel Groups’ Loyalty Program Sign-Ups

Daniel Alzina, CEO of Hotelinking

In the ever-changing and fiercely competitive world of hospitality, cultivating and fostering guest loyalty is essential to long-term success and profitability.

It is more important than ever for hotel brands and groups to turn each visit into a step towards loyalty. Loyalty programmes are widely recognised for their ability to promote guest retention, lower acquisition costs, and strengthen the bond between customers and the brand.

However, in spite of the obvious benefits, traditional approaches to guest enrollment in these programmes have proven unsuccessful time and time again due to laborious procedures and inadequate engagement tactics.

Hotelinking has a state-of-the-art, totally automated system that is set to revolutionise loyalty programme enrollment rates.

The Challenges of Conventional Enrollment Techniques

The traditional methods of signing up for a loyalty program—either by filling out paper forms online or by approaching a person at the front desk in person—present a number of challenges.

In order to enrol online, visitors must take proactive measures outside of their initial contact with the hotel—a time and effort requirement that many are reluctant to accept. Conversely, the in-person check-in method depends mostly on the ability of front desk employees to persuade guests and disrupts their arrival experience, frequently when their first objective is to settle into their lodgings.

Not only are these approaches tedious, but they also miss out on organic interaction chances, which leads to worrisomely low conversion rates that seldom ever rise above 20%.

An Innovative Approach: The Captive WiFi Portal as a loyalty programme lead generation automated machine.

Hotelinking presents an exciting application of WiFi captive portals that represents a paradigm shift in hotel approaches to loyalty programme engagement.

Considering that almost everyone wants to use the free Internet connection as soon as they arrive, this touchpoint offers an excellent chance for interaction.

Our solution turns the act of logging in to WiFi into a simplified gateway for enrolling in loyalty programmes. In order to use the hotel’s Internet access, visitors must first enter some basic information and then click to choose whether or not to join the loyalty programme.

By utilising the current demand for Wi-Fi access to promote loyalty programme growth, this strategy not only reduces the friction associated with traditional registration techniques but also dramatically boosts the chance of visitor engagement.

Full Automation and Integration: Vital for Success

Because of its completely automated nature and seamless integration capabilities, Hotelinking’s solution is truly innovative.

Through API or web-service interface with the hotel’s loyalty programmeme, Hotelinking’s system is able to provide the guest data fields needed to sign up new loyalty programmeme members. Any key data only available in the PMS can also be easily extracted through native integration.

This interface is essential because it allows the system to recognise the guest within the PMS, build a thorough profile, and send this important data right away to the loyalty programme solution.

What was the outcome? The guest receives an automated welcome email from the loyalty programme, initiating a personalised relationship that continues beyond their visit.

With the help of automation, the hotel’s marketing initiatives can reach a wider audience without requiring more manpower. Hotels can see a sharp rise in registration rates, with potential numbers jumping from 20% to an amazing 70–75%, by grabbing guests’ attention during a high-engagement moment and smoothly integrating them into the loyalty programme.

The Effects on Both Hotel Groups and Travellers

Beyond the figures, Hotelinking’s automatic WiFi captive interface offers further advantages. For hotel chains, the prompt expansion in loyalty programme membership results in an improved database of guest preferences, amplified opportunities for tailored marketing, and a noteworthy surge in recurring reservations.

The streamlined, value-added procedure enhances the visitor experience by bringing convenience and recognition to their stay from start to finish.

In the current digital era, hotelinking is at the forefront of hospitality innovation since guest expectations are always changing and there is an ever-present demand for seamless, personalised experiences. By redefining the parameters of guest participation, our automated loyalty programme registration solution assures a point in time when each visit will be a step towards enduring loyalty.

Looking ahead, Hotelinking is dedicated to developing cutting-edge solutions that enable hotels to surpass their guests’ expectations and leave a lasting legacy of loyalty.

Original article: https://www.hotelinking.com/en/captive-portal/driving-up-hotel-groups-loyalty-program-sign-ups/