Delivering to Your I Prefer Guests

Once we’ve identified our members and prepared for their arrival, now it is time to deliver on the promise.

This means recognizing their I Prefer Member status, rewarding their loyalty to the program, and differentiating the experience.

What does that mean?

• Recognizing Member Status
• Rewarding Loyalty
• Differentiating the I Prefer Experience

1. Recognition

• Status recognition verbiage

First, we always want to recognize the guest’s membership level with the I Prefer program.

It starts by simply ensuring the required I Prefer signage welcomes your guest at the Front Desk.  The welcome should continue verbally within the arrival process and can be as simple as “Welcome Ms. Jones, thank you for being a Gold I Prefer Member.”

As a reminder, as part of our IQA process, the standard is to thank the member and state their tier name.

• Welcome letter or handwritten note

If you choose to have the Welcome Amenity pre-placed in their room for arrival, you can include a General Manager or Loyalty Ambassador welcome note with that amenity.

While occupancy might not always allow it, pre-delivered amenities always present a nice "wow" factor.  Another option is to handwrite the welcome note versus a typed-out template letter.

Set your team and property apart!

• Sincerely thank them for their business

Expressing sincere thanks to loyalty members is not just a formality; it's a strategic practice that positively impacts customer relationships, loyalty, and overall business success.

It creates a positive feedback loop, reinforcing customer satisfaction and encouraging ongoing support.

2. Rewarding Loyalty

• Deliver promptly on tier benefits

Be sure to deliver promptly on benefits the I Prefer Member is entitled to, based on their member tier.

With upgrades, let them know they are getting upgraded and why.

If you are not able to upgrade them, provide an apology that the upgrade is currently unavailable so they know you are aware of the benefit.

• Know your guest

Remember when it comes to loyalty and our I Prefer program, while we have guidelines in place, you should always take your specific guest into consideration.

Are they a frequent guest at your hotel and you know they don’t drink alcohol, but your F&B amenity is a free cocktail in the lounge?  What is a worthwhile alternative?  What would be impactful for that guest?

• Be knowledgeable

Ensuring the guest receives the benefits entitled to them is key to driving loyalty.

Be sure you are knowledgeable on the I Prefer program, point redemption information, and frequently asked questions so you ensure you are keeping the promise we make to our guests.

3. Differentiating the I Prefer Experience

• Connect emotionally and personalize the experience
• Read the cues
• Property engagement

One last note when it comes to delivering on the I Prefer promise - differentiating the I Prefer experience.

To create that emotional connection with members and personalize their experience, you have to read the cues they are sending you.

Different members are looking for different experiences and you may have to think beyond the typical “yes or no” answer to deliver that level of service.

That also means it can’t be a program that lives only at the Front Desk.  All departments need to engage in creating I Prefer member loyalty for the hotel.

Closing

In this module we have discussed ways to welcome I Prefer Members to your hotel.  Start by identifying members set to arrive at the hotel, prepare for their arrival, and ensure you are set up for success in delivering on the I Prefer promise that’s been made.

Thank you for spending time with us and for your continued efforts with your guests, our I Prefer Members.