Recently, Accor Hotels implemented a pilot loyalty program in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. at its Sofitel and Novotel properties that uses social media to learn more about customers.
Employees at those hotels used Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms to research the profiles of loyalty program members who would soon be staying with them. They then chose a gift based upon their interests, which was presented by the hotel manager to each guest.
Magali Jimenez Bervillé, director of e-commerce North America for Accor explains, “We saw an opportunity to take guest recognition to the next level, to a more powerful level”.
So, what types of gifts did loyalty members enjoy? Depending on their profiles, personality, and interests, Accor offered gifts such as a certificate to drive a Ferrari, a day at the spa, a complimentary night at one of their hotels, VIP hockey tickets, a behind-the-scenes restaurant tour, and an eco-friendly fishing trip, to name a few.
All the information Accor uses to decide what gift to give is public information, and the company only looks at the public profiles of its Facebook and Twitter followers.
You decide: snooping or superb customer service?
