Technology
Orangetheory Fitness Announces Its Newest Innovations Using Apple Technology
Orangetheory® Fitness recently debuted new technology that will lead to increased personalization, motivation and encouragement for members. Orangetheory Fitness has created a device for members to use Apple Watch to track heart rate data during workouts, along with iOS apps for coaches and sales associates to enhance the member experience both in and out of studio. “Member experience has been at the forefront of all that we do since the brand’s inception,” says Dave Long, CEO and Co-Founder of Orangetheory Fitness. “We’re addressing the needs of our members by providing an integration between the workout they do and the technology they use, leading to a seamless fitness experience and healthier life.”
Crunch Fitness Launches New Rewards Program for Apple Watch
Crunch Fitness announced a new initiative that uses Apple Watch to help members stay healthy. The custom-built CrunchTime Active Rewards app, through the use of Apple Watch, will provide new members with weekly fitness goals and reward them for taking these actions. Initially available at the New York-area Crunch Signature locations, new members purchasing an All Crunch membership are eligible to participate in the 24-month program. By meeting personalized fitness goals, CrunchTime Active Rewards participants can earn up to $3 in weekly credits to membership dues, for potential savings of more than $300 over 24 months.
Hulu Launches New Ad Experience Designed to Connect Brands with Binge Watchers
Hulu recently launched the industry’s first ad experience tailored to binge watching – which Hulu defines as watching three or more episodes of a series at a tie – with its exclusive agency partner, Publicis Media, and a first wave of exclusive launch advertisers – Kellogg’s, Maker’s Mark® and Georgia-Pacific. According to Hulu, the binge ad experience is tailored to the viewer’s situation and will reward them for bingeing with the next episode commercial-free or a personalized offer from a brand. Machine learning is used to predict when viewers are likely to start binge watching a show. The creative execution then serves contextually relevant messaging from our brand partners that acknowledges a binge watching session has begun.
Hotels
IHG Launches IHG Studio, New Industry Leading Guest In-Room Digital Experience
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) recently announced the launch of IHG® Studio, a new digital in-room guest entertainment solution. IHG Studio allows guests to connect and stream content securely from guests’ personal devices to their guest room TV, make service requests, arrange for a late checkout and review room charges and access the TV remote from the IHG Rewards Club mobile app. Ordering room service, purchasing on-property amenities and using Pay with Points, a new pilot program that allows guests to use IHG Rewards Club points to make in-hotel purchases, are other options available with IHG Studio. Currently available in nearly 40 hotels in the U.S., IHG Studio will expand to other regions by the end of 2019, including the U.K., Greater China, Canada and Latin America.
Customer Experience
City of Toronto announces Customer Experience and Innovation Program
Beginning on January 1, the City of Toronto will transition its Civic Innovation Office team to the newly formed Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation (CXi) program. Established in the fall of 2019, the CXi program is intended to unify the City’s customer service initiatives and focus on improving and transforming the customer experience. The team will work with programs and technology to apply a more collaborative approach to the design and delivery of services and outcomes, with the goal of ensuring residents have the best experience possible when accessing City services.