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The Essentials of Loyalty Online Learning Workbook Your Name:
The Essentials of LoyaltyOnline Learning WorkbookYour Name:
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Introduction andWelcome from the Loyalty Team
IHG® Rewards Club is IHG’s global loyalty program. Since 1983, we’ve been rewarding our members for their ongoing loyalty, while helping them create memorable moments along the way.
Together We Are Winning With LoyaltyEach guest that arrives in your hotel is important and with each guest you have an opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship that keeps them engaged and loyal to your hotel, and all IHG brands. When an IHG Rewards Club member chooses an IHG brand, it’s up to us to ensure they feel welcomed, appreciated and valued for the member they are.
Loyalty is a key area of our business - the more a member stays, the more rewarding it is for them
…and for us.
Your Workbook
Welcome to your Essentials of Loyalty Workbook. It has been designed to help you get the best out of the Essentials of Loyalty online modules.
It contains additional information, hints and tips, and activities for you to complete as you move through the modules. You can also use it for reference after you have completed the modules.
Hello.
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Introduction
With so much choice in the market, loyalty is invaluable to hotels and we’ve got a great story to share. At IHG Rewards Club, loyalty is more than points and processes, it is a relationship that we build with our members. Your hotel plays a key role in delivering truly meaningful and personal experiences for our members. When you recognize them with a genuine welcome and warm smile, you’re making an important difference. To ensure that we genuinely and generously reward our members for their loyalty, it’s up to all of us to ensure that every interaction and experience they have with IHG delivers on the quality they’ve come to expect from us.
About Our IHG Rewards Club Members:IHG Rewards Club remains one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programs with just over 100 million members. IHG Rewards Club members stayed more than 68.5 million nights and generated $8bn USD in rooms revenue worldwide in the last 12 months.
When compared to non-members, IHG Rewards Club members:
● Pay More: Members pay a 6% ADR Premium vs. non-members1
● Revenue generated by IHG Rewards Club members represents close to 41% of hotel’s rooms revenue3
● Stay Longer: Members generate a length of stay premium of 9% vs. non-members1
● Cost Less: IHG Rewards Club members are more than five times more likely to book through a lower cost channel than non-loyalty members. Lower cost channels include IHG App, web or CRO, which don’t have booking fees like OTA and GDS channels
In addition: ● Members rate their hotel experience higher
than non-members. Overall satisfaction scores (OSAT) are 2.3% higher on average vs. non-members2
● Members are more Likely to Recommend vs. non-members, giving a 2% better score to the HeartBeat question on Likelihood to Recommend2
● Members are more likely to Return to the Brand vs. non-members, giving a 2.5% better score to HeartBeat question on Likelihood to Return to the Brand2
● Members are four times more likely to post online hotel reviews on social media vs. non-members1
1As of June 20162HeartBeat by region rolling year, June 20163As of June 2016Data reflects global performance numbers.
TOP TIP!Remember to print this
Workbook and have it with you when you are completing
the online modules!
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Module 1An Introduction to the Essentials of Loyalty
In this module you will learn:
Loyalty at IHG brand hotels: why loyalty is important to you and your business and how the IHG Rewards Club supports your business
How to get the best from this online learning experience
The Essentials of Loyalty Online LearningThe ‘Essentials of Loyalty’ is a journey through the modules featured in the My Learning Journey diagram.
● Everyone is required to complete modules 1 to 5
● If you are a General Manager or a Loyalty Champion, you are also required to complete module 6
● If you are at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts you will also be required to complete module 7
My Learning Journey
1An Introduction to the Essentials
of Loyalty
2Loyalty
Through the IHG® Rewards
Club
3Loyalty
Through the Member
Experience
4Loyalty Through
Consistency
5LoyaltyConnect
6The Essentials
of a Loyalty Champion
7InterContinental®
Ambassador Program
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Module 1
IHG Rewards Club Brand PersonalityOur Loyalty Programs
The Loyalty Programs at IHG enable our hotels to recognize our members for their loyalty. IHG Rewards Club is the overarching program for all hotels, in addition to extension programs which are specific to a brand or business need.
InterContinental Ambassador is a loyalty program that delivers benefits exclusively at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and IHG Business Rewards that rewards those guests who are booking on behalf of others.
CreatingMaking it real
RelevantMaking it matter
RewardingMaking it count
RelationshipsMaking it personal
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Creating Relevant, Rewarding RelationshipsAt IHG we deliver and create loyalty among our guests by creating Relevant, Rewarding Relationships.
The importance of Loyalty to IHGOur loyalty programs exist in order to deliver a personal, relevant experience to our members, rewarding their loyalty to us, and building relationships so that they come back to IHG brand hotels time and time again.
IHG Rewards Club helps to build relationships by creating an experience that members love.
Module 1
Activity: Loyalty Warm-up
Take a moment to think about loyalty and what it means for you by answering these questions:
Why is loyalty important to you? Why do you think you have been asked to complete the Essentials of Loyalty online learning?
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Module 2Loyalty Through the IHG Rewards ClubIn this module you will learn:
The different levels of the IHG Rewards Club program, what they mean, and the benefits of each
How members earn, redeem and enjoy their points
The IHG Rewards Club ProgramDid you know?
● With just over 100 million members, it is one of the biggest loyalty programs in the world!
● Over 50% of nights booked at IHG brand hotels are booked by IHG Rewards Club members
● The IHG Rewards Club program contributes to around 41% of global rooms revenue
Earning PointsIt is easy for our members to earn points. Here’s how it works:
● Army hotels earn 3 points for every $1 USD spent ● Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites earn
5 points for every $1 USD spent ● All other hotel brands earn 10 points for every
$1 USD spent
IHG Rewards Club Member Cards
Collect Points/Miles/Other credits
Exclusive Rates (Your Rate1)
Dedicated Customer Service phone Assistance
No Blackout Dates for Reward Night
Reward Night counts towards Elite Status
Internet Available
IHG Rewards Club Booking Benefits
Elite Member’s points do not expire
Priority Check-in on guaranteed reservations (when available)
Bonus Earnings on top of Base Points 10% 50% 100%
Extended Check-out until (14:00) (When requested and available)
Choice of Welcome Amenity (based on regional standard)
Roll-over nights for Elite qualification
Complimentary Room Upgrades (subject to availability)
Guaranteed room availability (72 hours in advance)
Annual qualification choice benefits (upon reaching Spire Elite status) 25,000 bonus points or Gift Platinum Elite Status for a year
Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star® Upgrade upon receiving Status
Ways To Qualify
Qualified Nights (per calendar year) 10 40 75
Elite Qualifing Points (per calendar year) 10,000 40,000 75,000
1Your Rate does not apply in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan region
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Module 2
Activity: Loyalty in My World
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
Are you a member of any loyalty programs? What do you get as a member and how does that impact your experience of the brand?
In your role, why is it important to know about the different IHG Rewards Club levels and benefits?
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TOP TIP!
Take a moment to find out what your hotel
brand’s earning structure is!
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With this knowledge, what can you do in your role to create a memorable guest experience?
List some of the benefits of using the IHG App:
List three ways our members can use their points in addition to Reward Nights:
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Module 2
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Module 3Loyalty Through the Member ExperienceIn this module you will learn:
The member Check-in process and how you can use ‘Organize, Recognize and Personalize’ to deliver a memorable experience for our members
How you can deliver a personal Check-in experience for our members in the right way – through our brand personality and tone of voice
What every one of us can do to Make Loyalty a Way of Life
OrganizeTo make sure you deliver the best experience to our members, being organized is key.
RecognizeOn arrival, our members love a warm welcome, and especially to be recognized as a loyal member of the IHG Rewards Club program.
PersonalizeAdding those magic touches by making the experience personalized helps our members feel valued and special.
New feature from IHG Reporting: we recommend that you schedule all three reports to be delivered in one email using the new group functionality within IHG Reporting.
Go to iProfile > Scheduling (tab) > Schedule a Report
Select a Report > Select a Hotel > Enter Parameters > Select Delivery Information
Click Save! Now the reports will be delivered to your inbox based on the settings you have selected
LogoutEdit My Preferences
Hello User
FAQ’sSupport
iProfile
TOP TIP!A great way to stay organized
is have the Guest Arrivals Reports emailed straight to
your inbox – set this up today!
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3Go To: Merlin > IHG Reporting
> Guest > Guest Arrivals
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OrganizeGuest Arrivals ReportsThe Guest Arrivals Reports contain valuable guest information that will support you in addressing critical areas of the business and driving Guest Satisfaction, Recognition and Loyalty Enrollments.
These reports have proven to help achieve winning metrics and deliver a more personal stay experience to our most valued members.
The Three Guest Arrivals Reports are:
1. Arrivals Summary ReportThis is the primary report used in the arrivals planning process. It includes a summary of basic stay information, membership details, special guest requests, stay history and even previous guest satisfaction information, so it’s a helpful summary of everything you need to get organized.
You can: ● Identify potential guests for new enrollments ● Review high-level details for your entire
Check-in list ● Quickly identify guests with special requests
Module 3
TOP TIP!Use the Guest Arrivals
Reports to find out useful bits
of information about the guest that you can use to really
enhance their stay – for example if it’s
their birthday!
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2. Special Request and Customer Care Arrivals Report
This report enables you to identify all guests (members and non-members) who have Stay Preferences, Reservation Special Requests or Customer Care Issues.
Remember to: ● Identify, Act and Acknowledge special
requests and Stay Preferences ● Analyze HeartBeat survey feedback
specific to your hotel
3. IHG Rewards Club Arrivals Detail Report
With this report, you can view information about our members that can be used to personalize their guest experience, view additional recommended guest actions, and HeartBeat survey comments and problems.
You can also: ● View Recommended Guest Actions that
are personalized for each guest ● Access IHG Rewards Club information
and Guest Insights
Module 3
TOP TIP!Schedule for all three reports
to be emailed directly to your inbox, every day (twice is
recommended!) so that you have the most accurate and
updated information.To obtain more information on training and accessing these reports, visit Merlin > Initiatives > Guest Arrivals Reports.
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Nine Great Reasons to Use IHG Arrivals Reports
Enhanced Guest InfoIncludes new info never before available to hotels including: Points balance, Birthdays, F&B Spend, and much more to drive guest loyalty and personalization.
EnrollmentsIdentifies non-members for loyalty enrollment to help those guests become more engaged.
Member RecognitionIncludes up-to-date member info such as status and points balance and sorted by status for enabling better guest recognition, particulary for Elite members.
Guest ActionsRecommended guest actions based on guest info (i.e. welcome back returning guest, upgrade room, birthday, etc.)
Promote F&BUse F&B info on reports to identify members to target for promoting F&B outlets and offers.
Sales LeadsIdentify corporate and group guests for sales leads.
Module 3
Service RecoveryIdentifies guests with HeartBeat issues during prior stays at your hotel or other IHG hotels for delivering service recovery.
Operational EfficiencyReduces time collecting info from multiple sources (i.e. no need to pull points balance from LoyaltyConnect). And it’s viewable on tablets!
Supports Book-directIdentifies Online Travel Agent (OTA) bookers. This allows you to promote the benefits of booking via IHG direct booking channels such as Your Rate and IHG Best Price Guarantee.
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Module 3
Best Practices ChecklistSubscribe to Receive GAR Daily via EmailMake sure the appropriate hotel team (more than one) are subscribed to receive all Guest Arrivals Reports versions on a DAILY basis.
Refresh Multiple Times a DayPlan to pull or receive reports multiple times each day at each shift change or more often to ensure you have the latest information.
Identify Someone to create Traces and Alerts in PMSFor sharing key guest actions and information to the entire hotel staff during arrivals planning and at Check-in.
Service RecoveryIdentify members who may have had negative experiences during a prior stay at your hotel or another IHG brand hotel to proactively address those concerns during their stay.
It’s Always About People: Reports provide a great way to creatively personalize a guest’s arrival and stay experience. The reports will make it easier to know if the guest is celebrating their birthday and provide other key guest information during their stay.
Boost Member Recognition!Use the reports in the following ways to boost recognition:• Confirm the member’s current
member status• Acknowledge if member is New,
Recent Reach New Status, or Close to Next Status
• Identify if member is also an InterContinental Ambassador or IHG Business Rewards Member.
Loyalty EnrollmentsTarget non-members for enrollment, particularly those who booked via OTA. Confirm if these guests are members. If so, promote benefits of booking direct to earn points toward free Reward Nights and Best Price Guarantee. If not, promote joining program to earn points in future toward free stays and other benefits.
Stay PreferencesUse reports to fulfill and acknowledge guest ‘preference requests’ related to their reservation or that are part of their profile preferences.
Increase Member EngagementYou can use the reports to identify members who are not currently opted in to receive IHG marketing emails or have the IHG App, so that they have access to the latest IHG promotions and maximize their points.
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Tell us how you’re using the
Guest Arrivals Reports.
Email us at [email protected]
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Module 3
RecognizePre-Arrival Upgrade NotificationOur Spire Elite members appreciate getting advance notice of their room upgrade. In fact, we know that it makes them feel valued as loyal IHG Rewards Club members and that they also enjoy the consistency they experience through this benefit.
Communicating an upgrade to our members in advance is a great way to continue building lifetime relationships with them, and as such we need to make sure we deliver this benefit consistently, every time, or let the member know why it wasn’t available.
Identify if upgrade available and assign
room via your Property Management System
(PMS).
Click ‘Send Upgrade Email’ Link in Arrivals
Summary Report.
Click ‘Submit’ to send notification. An email is then triggered to the
member, notifying them of room
upgrade for their upcoming stay.
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
Here’s how:
Using the Arrivals Summary Report for
the next day, view Spire Elite Arrivals.
Note - Upgrades might include rooms on higher
floors, corner rooms, newly renovated rooms, suites or
rooms with a preferred view.
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Module 3
Recognize: Guest Stay Preferences*How to Handle Stay Preferences Welcome Amenity
Why is it important for you to consistently provide our most loyal members with a choice of Welcome Amenity?
It is a way for your hotel to show your appreciation of their loyalty and recognize their status.
Since each region and brand have different Welcome Amenity offerings, please visit Merlin for your region specific content:
● Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity (Americas) ● Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity (AMEA) ● Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity (Europe) ● Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity (Greater China) ● Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity (InterContinental)
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Act…to fulfill Stay PreferencesYou can find Stay Preferences on the IHG Guest Arrivals Reports or in the Hotel PMS.
You should action Stay Preference requests prior to guest’s arrival.
Identify…Stay Preference on ReservationsGuest select preference to customize their stay.
Acknowledge… Stay Preference at Check-inYou should acknowledge the preference with the guest at Check-in, even if the preference was not fulfilled.
*You can find this on: Merlin > Initiatives > Stay Preferences
Remember: if points are offered as part of your Welcome Amenity standard, they should NOT be deposited ahead of the member’s arrival at your hotel.
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Module 3
Personalize: Making it Your OwnWe want our members to see us as their most considerate friend, so we should always aim to be;
Engaging Optimistic Attentive Clear
Ask yourself are you: ● Being warm and welcoming ● Inspiring your members ● Being helpful, attentive and showing
members your appreciation ● Talking to your member in a clear,
simple way?
Tools like the Guest Arrivals Reports and Stay Preferences will help you to make the Check-in experience your own and more personal for our members.
Remember the experiences our members have at your hotel will drive their loyalty and make them feel like we’re their most considerate friend and friends remain loyal.
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Module 3
Problem HandlingSometimes things go wrong. It is important to be ready to manage any problems that occur in the right way. This way our members are understanding and remain loyal to us.
If things don’t go according to plan, just remember to use the ILEAD service recovery model below. This framework helps us to resolve issues consistently and correctly.
By remaining calm and finding a solution, IHG Rewards Club members will know that we value them and will appreciate our effort to give them the recognition they deserve.
TOP TIP!When handling
objections/problems, showing the member
that you are genuinely sorry goes a long way
– imagine how you would feel if it had happened to you.
I II LL E A D
IDE
NTIFY
LISTE
N
EM
PATH
IZE
AP
OLO
GIZ
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DE
LIVE
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Activity: What Can I Do to Make Loyalty a Way of Life?
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
In your role, who do you provide a service to? Who are your ‘customers’?
How will you demonstrate that you are their ‘most considerate friend’?
Think about a time when you were a customer receiving a service from a shop, company or business, and you felt like they had your best interest at heart; when they had been your ‘most considerate friend’. Make a note of your example here:
Your Loyalty Champion is a key person in your hotel who can support you with all things loyalty-related. Make a note of their name here:
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Module 3
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Module 4Loyalty Through ConsistencyIn this module you will learn:
The importance of delivering a consistent experience and how our IHG Rewards Club standards support the program
How the standards are delivered in your hotel – including how they are measured and reported on
What you can do to deliver the standards in your role every day
The IHG Rewards Club Program Standards
● Enrollment ● Guaranteed room availability
(Platinum and Spire Elite only) ● Reward Night ● Signage and applications ● Guest Arrivals Reports ● Member Recognition ● IHG Rewards Club Booking Benefits ● Priority Check-in (Elite only) ● Hotel room upgrade
(Platinum and Spire Elite only) ● Internet Available ● Welcome Amenity (Elite only) ● Extended Check-out (Elite only) ● IHG Rewards Club Training ● Loyalty Champion
You can find these here:Merlin > Applications > Online Brand Standards Manual > Search standards > By Specialism > Select IHG Rewards Club > Go
TOP TIP!Check out the latest
Performance Tracker Reports to find out how your hotel is performing against
the IHG Rewards Club five measured standards.
Merlin > Applications > IHG Rewards Club Performance Tracker
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Activity: What Can I Do to Make Loyalty a Way of Life?
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
Which of the standards can you impact the most in your role?
What happens if you don’t deliver consistently? What will be the impact on you/your colleagues/our members/guests?
When have you been on the receiving end of inconsistent service and what did it feel like?
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Module 4
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Well done on completing this Essentials of Loyalty Workbook. Be sure to continue your Essentials Learning Journey by completing all the relevant online modules, and keep this Workbook to use as a reference guide for the future.
Remember – we are ALL responsible for creating those Relevant, Rewarding Relationships with our members so that they remain loyal to us.
Think about what YOU can do everyday to help Make Loyalty a Way of Life in your hotel.
Thank you and good luck on your loyalty journey!
Inspiring loyalty every dayThe Loyalty Team
Thank you!
