Research shows that loyal customers spend more, serve as ambassadors for their preferred brands and are less likely to be drawn to a competitor's promotion. Loyalty and rewards programs are ways for both business owners and customers to get what they want while building a connection more intimate than a simple transaction. Successful customer loyalty programs build upon the concept of a dynamic mutually beneficial relationship. And now, as consumers are seeking custom-tailored experiences, technology is empowering business owners to provide robust, personalized loyalty programs that lead to guests coming back. READ MORE

According to Gartner, the customer relationship management (CRM) market is projected to increase to $36.5 billion by 2017. Businesses across all industries are looking to improve customer interactions through technology, but this is particularly critical for hoteliers who are losing ownership of customer relationships to online travel agencies (OTAs) that are outspending them on CRM technology and marketing. CRM applications have the ability to enable real-time connections between hospitality companies and their customers, and benefits are only compounded when solutions are integrated with advanced platforms for revenue management, mobility and business intelligence. READ MORE

After a catastrophe befalls your hotel, you are forced to cope with not only the significant costs of clean-up and repair, but the loss of business income when your usual operations are interrupted. In these instances, hotels often lose multiple income streams, from rooms to events to food and beverage. READ MORE

Hotel executives must make tough budget decisions every day. When funds are limited, it's tempting to limit expenditures on a hotel's exterior landscape. But this is a mistake—a beautiful landscape can bring more guests (and, consequently, more revenue) through the door. If you're working with a limited budget, follow these best practices to make sure that you see a positive return on your landscaping investment. READ MORE

This article discusses how hotel mobile apps can help create guest loyalty and retention by creating unique experiences and providing great utility that makes the property stand out from the competition. Ultimately, the idea is that a hotel app can be used as a competitive advantage and convince the guest to book at that property the next time they need accommodations. READ MORE