For officials at Best Western Hotels & Resorts, its award-winning loyalty program has served them well in this, the company’s 70th year.
But, resting on their laurels is not in the equation for Best Western this year. Its goals this year include continuing to stay focused on meeting the needs of its customers through the rollout of the brand refresh, exciting and unique promotions, and an enhanced digital platform experience.
What’s more, Best Western will continue to deliver a strong customer experience for its guests with its Service Promise Guarantee. This service promise further demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing exemplary customer service.
“Rewards programs are still very much relevant in today’s world, and will continue to be, so it is even more important to focus on the value proposition that our Best Western Rewards program offers to our customers,” Tammy Lucas, vice president marketing at Best Western, told Loyalty360. “In a world where technology continues to drive behavioral change, it is important that we stay focused on delivering a strong customer experience, which includes making things easy.”
Lucas said Best Western has refreshed it loyalty program through the introduction of simple and instant rewards and benefits.
“Our focus is on delivering rewards to our rewards members that are real-time and meaningful,’ she explained. “Our current offer rewards our Best Western Rewards members with a ten-dollar Travel Card every time they stay. Simple and easy. We are also strengthening our Elite Benefits for all of our Elite Members, not just for our top tier, allowing for everyone to be recognized and rewarded for every stay, and there are even more exciting things coming in 2017.”
What’s more, last month Best Western launched an all-new BestWestern.com. The company’s latest endeavor into optimizing and streamlining customer interactions across all digital channels, the reimagined site incorporates highly visual, interactive elements, and responsively adapts to the screen size of the device a customer is using – whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop PC. The result is an intuitive, image-rich, engaging online consumer experience.
The new BestWestern.com significantly reduces the number of steps and clicks needed to complete a booking and implements smart filters to help travelers find the perfect hotel. Integration of world-class technology, such as Googles Places API for mapping and nearby attractions, leverages the very best the web has to offer. What’s more, modifying travel plans or canceling online is now easier than ever.
The launch of Best Western’s new brand website is part of an overall strategic investment into technology. A new mobile website and new apps have also been introduced; increasing revenue delivery threefold from mobile devices. Each of these channels aims to bring consumer-driven features to the forefront, with dynamic search functions and components such as an engaging interactive map, which highlights nearby attractions and points of interest.
“Although BestWestern.com has earned a number of awards and industry recognition in the past, it was important that we continue to evolve our customer experiences,” Lucas added. “The new site provides an intuitive and engaging interface, simplifying the booking process, and is responsive so as to meet our consumers’ on-the-go needs and multi-device lifestyle. Our goals for the new site are to continuously improve our digital guest experiences and focus on simplifying the customer journey.”