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#505: Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories | Hilton Builds Loyalty Through Flexibility, Recognition, and Human-Centered Travel · Leaders in Customer Loyalty, Powered by Loyalty360

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's a Thursday, so welcome back to the Leaders in Customer Loyalty series.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's great to have you with us every Thursday as we have another brand story to bring to you.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Travel today is more complex than ever.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: Rising expectations, shifting behaviors, and countless choices make it easy for customers to feel overwhelmed.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: For hospitality brands, this isn't just a challenge, it's an opportunity to get it right.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Customer multi-programs that anticipate needs, simplify experiences, and deliver real value can turn uncertainty into confidence that create lasting connections.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Hospitality customer multi-programs are evolving rapidly.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Staying ahead of the curve means more than ever having an award-winning program.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: It also requires a relentless focus on adapting to customers' needs proactively.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: It starts with listening, understanding, and acting on feedback to create experiences that truly resonate.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Too often, brands, especially in hospitality, treat customer loyalty as an afterthought, a standalone program rather than the foundation for marketing, operations, and the overall vision of the organization.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Customer loyalty isn't a tactic, it's a strategy that should drive everything.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Hilton Honors has long been recognized as a leader in the space, a benchmark for excellence in travel and hospitality, customer loyalty.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: And over the years, we've learned a great deal from their team.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: And now, under Brad Anderson's leadership, Hilton Honors is raising the bar yet again.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: With a laser focused on customer experience, Hilton Honors is introducing meaningful enhancements, adding new travel partners, simplifying qualification for elite tiers, and even launching an exclusive tier designed around traveler feedback and interest.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: The program continues to innovate and set the standard, and we're excited to dive into this conversation today.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Brad, welcome back.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's always great to have you.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Looking forward to the discussion.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: How are you today?
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: Hey Mark.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: Doing so great.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me back.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: Always love talking to the Loyalty 360 community.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh looking forward to getting an update about the new program.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, first off, for those who may not know about Hilton, I'm not sure who wouldn't know about Hilton, would love to get a brief uh introduction to Hilton, how you were formed, what you guys do, how you do it.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Mark.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um so Hilton, if you're uh haven't been heard of uh one of the largest uh global hospitality companies in the world, um, we have now 25 world-class global brands, and we have a footprint of about 10,000 hotels properties across 141 countries and territories.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: So for more than a century old, uh, we've been delivering the Light and Worth hospitality, and we are continuing to build on that legacy through industry-leading guest experiences, our award-maming brands, and um recently new ways to stay that really uh reflect how people travel.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: So been a great ride.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely looking forward to hearing more about that.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you know, you have a very interesting role.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, gotten to know you over the last three or four years, consider you a good friend.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, you do amazing work.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: You have a great team, and your commitment to the customer is probably unmatched.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but you know, we'd love to know a little bit more about your role.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: What do you do uh in leading the program?
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thanks, Mark.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: So at Hilton, um, so I currently serve as the vice president of the Hilton Honors Program, which is our award-winning uh guest uh loyalty program that we currently today reach 235 million members around all corners of the world.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: And me personally, I've been at Hilton for more than nine years now, all within the loyalty program.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: And uh in that time, I've had a ton of awesome opportunities to help shape the Hilton's program uh that's into a more flexible, more personal, and more rewarding for our members over those uh multiple years.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and prior to Hilton, I was uh working in the strategy and innovation consulting side, so uh consumer loyalty programs traveling around the world where I really got a deep passion for loyalty and also customer experience.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: And it's just been really fun to bring the passion uh to a global scale uh while also meaningfully influencing how millions of people travel.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: That's really just a dream job for me.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been a great experience.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you obviously do a great job of it.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and you talk about passion, I think you exude that not only for the program, but for your customers, for the brand, and for you know your team.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's always great to have that and share and even just be able to hear from you and how passionate you are about customer loyalty.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, so when you look at your role, you know, what are some of the biggest challenges or opportunities that you face in this role?
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think one of the biggest opportunities is really making sure Hilton Honors continues to meet the needs of a very diverse set of travelers, you know, across all corners of the planet, 141 countries.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's a lot of customers.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: So our members stay with us for a lot of different reasons.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: They travel a lot of different ways and engage with a ton of different brands across the portfolio.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: So I think I think recognizing and rewarding them in the ways that feel meaningful for that particular stay is a pretty important task.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we spend a ton of time thinking, understanding how our customers travel and where their expectations are heading can be a challenge, especially as more of this experience shifts into digital channels.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's you know, we're always trying to make sure that Hilton's, you know, feels intuitive, feels flexible, and aligns to what's a priority for the traveler.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I'd say one more important uh opportunity is to make sure we we continue to enhance the tools and experiences that help our members feel supported.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: So can they control their stay, whether that's you know in the digital experience of the app or expanding the actual types of stays, which I can talk a bit later about, uh, or new partnerships.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's always a way to kind of stay on the leading edge of loyalty, uh, which is where Loyalty360 certainly helps us stay as uh as sharp as we can as a program.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you obviously do a great job of that.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: You talk about enhancing the tools a little bit.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I know Hilton was the first one to roll out digital key, right?
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that allowed you to kind of uh give it to your kids that they need, right?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Or kind of check in with without uh going through the desk.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: So that's obviously a great enhancement.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: How do you stay ahead of kind of the the digital experiences or enhancements that customers are looking for to keep that keep the program performing so well?
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean the this it's changing so quickly, as you as you know.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, we didn't have uh an app before or apps before 2007.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I I think it's important to, with any new technology, think about you know what's possible.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: So it's kind of are the possible, but then you know, really solving true customer pain points.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, digital key is a great example where we had you know members and guests who wanted to get to the room faster and you know they love our front desk opportunity, but our big box hotels, you know, it might make sense to get you right into the stay.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it begins with a customer pain point, of course, and then using digital you know activities to solve that.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, there's certainly a lot of new frontier coming uh with you know artificial intelligence like that.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: So we're always trying to make sure to keep the customer at the heart of it.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: And now the fun part.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I know you've announced some changes to the Hilton Honors loyalty program.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: And can you tell us what's in store?
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Or what do you got for the customer?
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we've changed the program many times over the years.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I'm very excited that it is public and I can talk about it.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: So um we recently announced uh to all of our members one of the most significant evolutions of the program in our entire history, which it's a long history.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: And we're really excited what's ahead for our members.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: So beginning January 1st, 2006, we're gonna offer a new, a faster and more accessible way, uh path to elite status, while still making sure all of our core benefits for those elite tiers that people love know and love, uh, such as no blackout dates, no resort fees on resort stays, and fifth night free benefit.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so members will see lower qualification thresholds for specifically our gold and diamond status, which makes it easier to uh earn and enjoy the benefits that matter most, which are really critical for the stay experience.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: So obviously more point earning.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: We love points, um, but space available upgrades and on property recognition.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: And so, in terms of specifics, gold will now be earned at 25 nights, uh, down from 40.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: Diamond will be earned at 50 nights down from 60, uh, which kind of really reflects how people are traveling today and helps them unlock those benefits faster.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: What I'm really excited about is uh is uh part of the new updates is introduction of a new brand new elite tier called Diamond Reserve, which is our uh newest and most premium tier within Hilton Honor.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: So this new tier is really designed specifically for the most devoted travelers who go well beyond achieving diamond status and that demonstrate their extraordinary loyalty year after year.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: So it's going to bring this new elevation of recognition and personalization to the program.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: So how do you give it?
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, first, to qualify, a member must reach 80 nights or 40 stays and 18,000 in annual eligible spend.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so these diamond reserve members will enjoy all the benefits of diamond status.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: So no worries there, plus an elevated portfolio of even more premium perks to really enhance that stay, as Hilton and Hilton Honors are for the stay.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: This includes a really highly requested product, which we've been working on for many, many years, called a confirmable upgrade reward, which is going to allow you to lock in that premium room, including up to one bedroom suite for up to seven nights, all at the time of booking, which is which is amazing.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: Happy to talk about that more.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, these members will also get 120% point bonus.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: They will get guaranteed, said again, guaranteed 4 p.m.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: uh late checkout.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: And they're also gonna get access to executive lounges, but also uh nearly a dozen premium clubs, which is uh typically our paid for clubs, and they will have the highest priority for automated upgrades, confirmed three days ahead of time.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_01: And they're also gonna have a dedicated 24-7 customer service support uh available by phone and email.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and the last thing I'll mention is at 120 nights, they will have the opportunity to choose a second confirmable upgrade award, or if they're a point junkie, they can do 30,000 more points if they choose to do so.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, in some break, these enhancements really reflect what our members have been asking for and may or may not have been personally asking me for for nine years.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so they'll have more ways to be flexible, more valuable, and have a great way to be recognized when they travel with us.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: So it's super exciting time.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's awesome.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: And looking forward to you know hearing more.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I know when we've talked in the past, you know, the the frequent traveler, uh, they get to a certain tier you've talked about in the past, maybe in August, September, right?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And they kind of maybe switch a little bit of that shopping, right?
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: To try to get to the tier in another program.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: Was that meant kind of this new tier to really lock in those guys to make sure you're getting a larger share of their spend, their business, uh kind of their engagement, then maybe you know going to a competitor in the last months of the year?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, look, uh, you know, I my our goal is to have uh a member stay every single night with uh with Hilton Honors and make sure we deliver value uh for folks that that have the share of wealth to give.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, we have a lot of elite members that say hundreds a night in the program.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: So we want to reward those those members with even more exclusive perks.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: And yes, we want to attract uh members that might be looking at multiple programs to really make sure they have every reason to stay at Hilton and exclusively Hilton honors.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, beyond the tier itself, we have a lot of our new partnerships, uh, which we can talk about a bit later.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, it's it's certainly to drive, you know, no-brainer, 100% reason to stay every single night with Hilton.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: And those nights, once the tier is earned, will be even better uh for you for your for your states across the world.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: So that's um we're really excited to bring it to market.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I know uh being a diamond guy now, hopefully Diamond Reserve next year, uh, you know, you you do a good deal to engage the customer, right?
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you get text back and forth, making sure you're happy.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh if there's something you need, uh you usually have a kind of direct line into the hotel managers on site, right?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and they do a very solid job of responding, right?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Need to need some extra uh consideration.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: They do a great job of that.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: This next tier, how you've talked about the 24-7 customer service.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: What are some of the other engagement opportunities that that this new tier has, the Diamond Reserve?
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a great question.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I think uh one of the most important things to our members is being recognized for their elite status.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll be able to do a 360 um uh recognition element.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: So if they're obviously reaching out to that support uh group that's uh bespoke to them, that'll be a great moment.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um but also I think you mentioned we we've in the time messaging.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: So if you go through our app and you have click on message hotels, we'll be able to recognize your new tier there as best we can, and then make sure we can really make sure we understand what you need for the stay.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: So with that's very consistent now across uh vast majority of our portfolio.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: So just you know, breaking down the barriers between you know members and the hoteliers and and the program is is really gonna really help us.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: And and knowing who you are and this moniker of a new tier will make sure we signal to the hotels and and all of our property team members that this, you know, this is a a new level and a new echelon of of status for yourself.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: So um it's it's a constant conversation.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: You talked about a little bit about uh you know, it was meant to kind of address uh an opportunity through the market.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what was the tier you know meant to address and and you know, how are you marketing the tier to your customers?
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so a couple things.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so in terms of all the changes, so one thing we did was lower the requirements, right, for Golden Diamonds.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I think a lot of that was we were listening very closely to our guests and members, and they told us they wanted uh, you know, more ways to earn the status and had that personal uh recognition faster.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: And so our our our research really told us that.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: So in terms of the new tier two.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: So we just did a 2026 Hilton Trends Report, and so you know, a couple relevant insights.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: You know, 56% uh of travelers say that elite status is important, so it is an important piece of their journey uh travel.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um 62% stay loyal to one program within a category, which we just talked about.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: And uh 66 will spend even more with a brand when they have status.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: So status is a very important uh status symbol, no pun intended.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so by lowering those thresholds, we're able to give more members access to those perks faster and deliver a better experience.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: And with that new tier, um, you know, we're leaning into the hotel stay experience, right?
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: So having a confirmed upgrade when you're traveling with your with your family uh is the most important moment for some travelers for staying 100 nights a year.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: So we just want to make sure we get those moments really, really right and um building an actual product that signifies that will help us connect even more with those customers.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, when you look at the new Hilton Honors program, you know, how does it compare to other customer loyalty programs uh in market?
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a great question.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, we are designed to deliver you know flexibility and value and a meaningful recognition, as I talked about.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: And the change with this uh this uh you know bring down goal is that our Hilton Honors gold status will now be the most valuable mid-tier lead status, with being the we're the only program to offer food and beverage benefits at 25 nights across thousands of full service lifestyle and luxury brands.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so that'll be a really important piece uh uh piece of the puzzle if you uh love food and ahead and love that perk.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um so that's really exciting.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_01: You know, all of our members, regardless of tier, uh can use our really unique to Hilton points and money slider.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and there we have no blackout dates, right?
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: So we we don't want to stand in the way of you using your points for any night.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we have no resort fees on rewards days.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: So those are pretty unique to us, and and that's really how we want you to use your points and redeem them and stay at our amazing properties.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: So um we're really committed to that.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we talked a bit about Ready, but our digital capabilities are uh very differentiated.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, not just the digital key itself, but the digital key share experience.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: We were the first to innovate and scale.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want to share your digital key, um that's a great opportunity.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we're really focused on upgrades.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_01: And we've built one of the best in world-class automated upgrade products.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: So your members can actually get upgraded three days ahead of time, as opposed to having to hope and uh hope you get upgraded as you show up to the front desk, which is which is certainly a piece of our program too.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the last couple of pieces I talk about are we have uh exclusive partnerships with brands like Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which we've talked about on this podcast before.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: Uh AutoCamp, we uh we launched as well, which is uh outdoor um uh hospitality brand.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_01: And very recently, just last week, we announced Explorer Journeys, providing um members a way to earn and redeem points on um kind of a beyond uh more travel, uh luxury travel, uh ocean travel experience as well.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, just a number of ways we're trying to make sure we have that little bit of edge across what you need as a traveler and deliver that via Hilton Honors.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it's interesting, you know, partnerships are very important for brands uh who focus on customer loyalty, and then there's a big push right now, as you know, for optimization of the program partnerships, right?
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: You may not want 25 partnerships anymore.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: You may want three or four or five that that work well.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: But travel partners and a travel program, it would seem counterintuitive, but actually they actually do quite well, like autocamp and some of these the you know, the the the luxury cruise line offerings, they actually create a deeper sense of engagement with your customers, correct?
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yep, for sure.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, looking at the luxury cruise line, which we just announced, uh, I can give you some details there.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: So that'd be great.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: This expansion uh is really a part of Hilton Otters Adventures, which we uh kind of branded last week, um, which really gives members you know new ways to engage with Hilton Hilton's beyond that traditional hotel stay.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: Hotel still stays still very important to us, but I think it's a natural extension of our commitment to you know understanding that people have different journeys across across travel, and really have that portfolio and strategic partners that speak to that.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: So Hilton's Ventures um that is uh brings up multiple partners together.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: So AutoCamp, which is an elevated outdoor lodging uh product, uh which is in some of our most amazing natural settings like national parks and such, and Explorer Journeys, which is uh an ultra-elegant uh ocean travel brand, as I said, that brings extraordinary stays from the land into the sea, and all while allowing members to earn those great Hilton Honors benefits.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_01: So through the exclusive partnership, members will be able to soon earn and redeem points on these luxury cruises or ocean journeys starting next summer.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and these expand Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: So they have a lot of options.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but right now, today, members can take advantage of a limited time preview that is a hundred thousand points per suite.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_01: They also get$400 on on.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: On cruise uh as well, as well as an in-suite welcome gift.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: So we're just starting the hospitality journey with them.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but we're excited to keep building on this platform of Hilton Honors Adventures as we go forward in the coming years.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's good because I have about uh 500,000 points right now, and I have six people in my family.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I just need to come up with like a hundred thousand points and we can all go do something fun.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: Go go uh cruise the world, cruise the world.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: There you go.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that's good.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: So when you look at the the partnership with uh, you know, luxury cruise line, you have elevated camping, explored journeys, you know, how do you come across these new opportunities and and you know what other experiences may you be adding for members going into 2026?
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a great question.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I'll start where I started earlier, is that you know you got to listen to your customers, right?
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean the travel journey has changed so much in the last you know five, 10 years as I've been in the industry.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, people are looking for more flexibility.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's just true.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: And they want to make sure they have opportunities that are personal to them.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: So if they're interested in an ocean, you know, ocean travel journey, we've been hearing that, right?
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, members are saving, you know, 69, I think like 69% of customers are saving points for a trip that they're excited about.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: And that may not only be a hotel hospitality program, that may be uh a cruise journey or an outdoor experience.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I think I think listing your customers is really going to help you know know where to take the program next.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I think we've been really evolving to those needs, not just the structural changes that you know and I've talked a bit about, but making sure that digital journey within that matters.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, I think you know, we're always looking on the hunt for the right strategic partners that that want to deliver, you know, best in class, you know, one plus one equals three hospitality, whether that's cross-industry.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, uh that's that's kind of always an opportunity out there for us.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: You you talked a little bit, you mentioned that you know, listening to customers, uh, that's uh pretty simple challenge we've heard at Loyalty 360.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we have a hundred and some brands growing, uh, you know, and I think they're uh some brands will tell they tell you that's an issue, some may not think they have an issue, but truly listening to and understanding and responding in kind to your customers can be a challenge.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: You guys seem to do it with an aplum, right?
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: Just uh the focus, that passion we talked about earlier.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how do you get that right?
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: Is it an organizational commitment to truly listening to the customers and and and making things uh value to them?
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how are you doing that?
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it starts with a mission and vision, right?
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, spreading the light and warmth of hospitality, you know, what does it what does that mean, right?
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_01: You you can't spread warm warmth and hospitality without understanding empathy, right?
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, putting yourself in the customer shoes, imagining how you'd be want to be treated when you're when you're on your journey.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's an ethos thing across Hilton.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's a culture thing across Hilton.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's you know, from the team member on property, and that may not be the front desk individual, um, all the way to any corporate team members, right?
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: We take it very seriously um and we want to make it right with our customers.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I think it's a mentality thing.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think, and and then beyond that, it's a systems, making sure you have the right information coming back to us in you know multiple formats.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, social media is certainly one we look at very closely.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: And we've done a lot of uh recent elements where uh someone may have had a not so great opportunity at a different place, and we came in and saved the day with uh with a hotel experience or inviting them to our to stay at our properties or enjoy the hospitality of Hilton Honors.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, it's it's it takes commitment, it takes uh good listening and good systems, but um it's a culture you need to build within your company.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: So um certainly we're committed to it.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: And you touched on this a little bit as well.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, customer loyalty, programs, process, focus is is changing quite rapidly within the industry.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: When you look at uh reward programs or even travel in general, you know, how are those customers changing?
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: How are their expectations, expectations changing?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'll get that out.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, how are you adapting to those changes?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I touched on that briefly, but I think it's um it's it's flexibility, right?
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like how do we make sure we have a stay for every stay occasion that they may dream up, or have a partner to help support that?
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's a lot of us adding in the small luxury hotels of the world.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: We're adding a ton of fantastic luxury assets across the globe.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: I think we add uh two to three hotels every single day across the globe.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, that's a big commitment to us.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, that's you know, flexibility and the reward currency and the and the opportunities I just talked about and the changes, like getting those right so the members can personalize their stay.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think it's more important than ever and we'll continue inexorably.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but with that said, I think they want a trusted premium experience.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: So you're not going on that many trips sometimes, uh, depending on where you are in the segments.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: So we we want to make sure we take care of uh customers for that specific moment.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_01: So um, yeah, I think expectations will continue to grow.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_01: I think that is normal and expected, and and the tools they experience will change too.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_01: So being on the forefront of digital and technology is certainly a way to kind of keep up with those expectations.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um it's different in different markets.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: So you know, yeah, that's that's a huge challenge as well, right?
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: Being an international program, the kind of the uniqueness of each market is gonna be a big push as well, right?
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: How someone in uh China or Asia may respond to a program or even what their expectations are is gonna be dichotomy different potentially than what those in North America may have an interest in as well.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: For sure.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: So when you look at emotional loyalty, uh, you know, I've I've been uh a Hilton guy long before you guys are members of Wolf D through 60 and obviously uh appreciate everything you guys do.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a uh pick a I'm uh usually Hilton Garden guy because I like that French toast.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's amazing how emotionally charged uh your amazing French toast with uh powdered sugar can drive.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, but when you look at emotional connection, very important for customer loyalties, you know, you know, how does Hilton drive emotional connection and customer loyalty to your customers?
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's uh it's a bit of a head and heart situation, right?
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_01: And loyalty.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, emotional connection can cover a lot of different things, but I think it's feeling seen, feeling being valued and cared for.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: That's the core of it.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the core of Hilton's hospitality.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, the really the most rewarding relationship are about giving back, right?
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we serve a number of members across, you know, 25 different brands across, you know, 9,000 hotels.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, we are for the stay.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, we're very focused on the emotional connection when you're actually staying in the journey with us.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we care a lot about your dreaming and the emotion of dreaming as you get prepared for that.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: We want to make sure that stay is the best in the world and iconic for you.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so you know, the we already talked about the digital tools a ton, but you can still derive emotional connection from that upgrade or that, you know, a dopamine hit of when you get that confirmed upgrade three or four days ahead of time.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh, okay, great.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like I know that I'm gonna be in that one bedroom suite and I can maybe prepare differently.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: We've heard that from embers, prepare differently for that journey once they confirmed it.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, it's not just one moment, it's a accumulation of your experience with the brand, whether it's on property, above property, through the app, in every channel at all times.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, I think we're you know, that's the magic moment if you can, you know, touch someone's heartstrings as they travel with uh with you.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's it's not easy to pull off, but you'll know it when you see it.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_01: No, you're absolutely right.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh when you look at your program, uh you've been in in at Hilton for nine years.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: And when you look at it, what are a couple of things that you're most proud of uh, you know, as you've evolved your customer loyalty program?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm I'm really proud of the team.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know, what stands out to me is that we've we've really listened, and I think that's probably a theme of what we talked about today, but you know, feedback and listening and you know, staying humble as a program and truly putting in the work to build things that members want and not what you think members want, um, I think is is really important.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: So these changes we're launching now, you know, is is years of listening, is years of of understanding what could be and what could be possible.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um if you asked me nine years ago, would would you have a uh uh you know an AutoCamp Airstream partnership or a luxury cruise brand, you know, I I maybe wouldn't have said yes, but um, you know, listening to what members keep asking us for, it's it's you know, that's that's the journey where we we react to it.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm just proud that we've kept an open ear, uh stayed humble, but also bring bring you know really big uh and big changes at scale and excellence at scale.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: And and I'd say last thing I'll say is like keeping it human, right?
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_01: We're all humans at the end of the day, and everyone needs light and warmth and hospitality.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I think uh at least that's the culture that we bring forward at Hilton honors.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, absolutely.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: So you know, when you look at uh the great changes, uh you do a great job of keeping the program front and center.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what do you think the next big thing for customer loyalty, customer experience is uh for Hilton?
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_01: We talked about a little bit, uh we were on this journey, starting this journey, but I think the next big thing is to continue to expand, you know, the way our members can experience the world with Hilton, right?
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_01: So the growth of Hilton Honors Adventures will be continue to grow it, of course, beyond our our two brands here.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um we we have a robust experiences um portal if you haven't experienced that, where we bring a lot of our other partnerships to bear.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, how you enter that that window that you know Hilton can be that access point, Hilton Honors can be the access point for you, I think is a is a space right for a lot of loyalty programs.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_01: So let's say the other area, the other buzzword, I think is personalization and how we leverage all of our assets digitally, human touches, to make sure you know you're feeling like it's a very personal experience, even if uh you're interacting with 500,000 of our team members across the globe.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_01: So um, and I said already a little bit, but partnerships where they make sense, uh, I think can really add value to not only our uh program, but also kind of you know the experience with the partner.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_01: So I think those programs that get that right can be a really big thing.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: So it's time consuming, it's challenging to pull off, but when when you deliver that, it's just an amazing experience.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: So we're on that journey.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think we have more to do there.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's it's it's a really exciting time in in travel and hospitality.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: You talked a little bit about partnerships.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you guys do a great job with that.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh bespoke partnerships are you know the way many brands are going right now, which uh creates some challenges versus affiliate.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to have the same uh program or partner that others have.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_00: But are there uh new partnerships that you're looking forward to maybe uh kind of fostering in in 2026?
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a great question.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: We're always open to more conversations.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I think we want to grow the experience, the ones that we just launched.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: So getting that right, I think we'll attract more folks to, you know, when we when we do go into partnership, we do it big and we do it at scale.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I think there's a lot of articles that are still uh ripe.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_01: I won't I won't name them all, but um yeah, I think what we do want to make sure we're staying relevant to a state experience.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll we'll keep uh keep on the hunt for partners in that zone uh as we bring Hilden Hotter's ventures to to bear.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: Excellent.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then last question, you know, you've been a member of Loyalty 360 for a number of years.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate your contribution and the advisory board and just trends and and and perspectives on customer loyalty.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, but what else can Loyalty 360 do to help you and your team going forward with your customer loyalty efforts?
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love I love being part of Loyalty360 and the board of advisors.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, it's a critical role bringing multiple leaders together.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um a part of the mentorship program, as you know, Mark.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and kind of making sure we grow the profession of loyalty.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and as I said before, you know, we're listening and understanding insights, and it it helps to crowdsource across hundreds of companies, but I have similar challenges of connecting and engaging with customers.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: So I think the best practice elements that you that you got you all do is is fantastic.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_01: And just really building a community uh that you know, we we've all really tried to build build at over the last couple of years and us for decades.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that community is important.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um and uh, you know, us feeling less alone as a loyalty leader uh in the industry.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think that cross connection across the US, but also globally is fantastic.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_01: So keep doing what you're doing.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: I I love it, and um I love being a part of the industry.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_00: As we wrap up today's conversation, one thing is clear.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_00: In hospitality, loyalty, customer loyalty isn't just a program, it's a promise.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: Hilton Honors continues to prove that when you listen to customers, simplify the experience, and innovate with purpose, you don't just meet expectations, you set the standard.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: Travel may be complex, but the opportunity to get it right has never been greater.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_00: Brad, thank you very much for joining us today.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_00: Very interesting what you guys are doing and continue to do uh as you focus on the customer.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you very much uh for sharing with our audience.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Mark.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: Always happy to be back.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: Also wanted to thank everyone else for taking the time to listen today.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you join us back every Thursday for a new edition of our Leaders in Customer Loyalty series.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: And until then, have a wonderful day.