ellis connolly
How Hotels Can Earn Guests’ Trust and Encourage Data Sharing
Ellis Connolly | December 20, 2022
By Ellis Connolly Offering value in exchange for data will resonate more deeply with guests, inspiring engagement, revenue, trust, and loyalty As privacy concerns related to data capture reach a fever pitch, consumer data – perhaps better described as the critical currency which powers personalization – is becoming a protected commodity. For a long time, brands across industries could collect and store online data without explicit disclosure of that capture and, more importantly, without first obtaining consent. This was a discreet and arguably invasive practice. Over time, privacy and personal data protection concerns began comp...
The Top 5 Guest Loyalty Trends and Predictions to Watch for 2023
Ellis Connolly | November 30, 2022
Redefined Personalization, Instant Rewards and Technology are the New Pillars For Guest Engagement By Ellis Connolly We are officially on the eve of a new year, already moving through the holiday season at the signature blink-and-you-might-miss-it pace that is seemingly synonymous with this time of year. From Thanksgiving celebrations to Christmas festivities, end-of-year reflections, and year-ahead preparations, our personal and professional calendars are likely brimming with activity and commitments. But this year, perhaps more than any other, feels especially monumental, as 2022 was not only the year the world returned to relative no...
Are Guest Instant Rewards Programs the New ‘Free Same-Day Shipping’?
Ellis Connolly | August 16, 2022
By Ellis Connolly The exchange of goods and services is a critical cog in the wheel of how our world works. As we skim through the pages of history books, we are met with countless, comparatively archaic examples of what we know now to be retail commerce. But even just a few decades ago, many of the digitally-empowered conveniences that define our retail experiences today might have seemed, at that time, far-fetched. Let’s take, for example, the evolution of retail shipping. At one time, consumers expected to wait weeks – maybe even months – for their orders to arrive. Today, however, express shipping has become the new norm, wi...
How to Win Guest Loyalty for an Eco-Conscious World
Ellis Connolly, Chief Revenue Officer, Lassie | June 15, 2022
How independent hotels can deliver highly personalized and eco-conscious rewards that delight guests and demonstrate shared values By Ellis Connolly Chief Revenue Officer, Laasie The topic of climate change and sustainability has reached a fever pitch. The WHO predicts a $2-4 billion USD cost to public health, and it’s viewed as a national responsibility. From battery-powered cars to eliminating single-use plastic and embracing a more climate-friendly lifestyle, a worldwide commitment to sustainability is taking shape. As green initiatives continue to take the world by storm, we quickly realize that no industry is exempt from it...
Guest Loyalty Is Not Dead – It’s Just Really Boring
Ellis Connolly | May 19, 2022
Hey Siri… play Loyalty by Kendrick Lamar By Ellis Connolly Let’s talk about loyalty. We write songs about it; we study it; we try to identify it in friends, potential suitors, colleagues, and customers – loyalty is an omnipresent force in our lives, whether it exists in abundance or, in some cases, is perceivably lacking. Specifically, loyalty has gleaned no shortage of attention over the last few years in the business world. Across industries, marketers and business owners find themselves ruminating over the same question – is loyalty dead? Are modern customers incapable of exhibiting loyalty to the brands they purchase from? I...
Agilysys Appoints New Vice President of Sales to Amplify Its Hospitality Business Growth
Agilysys | December 8, 2021
Industry Veteran Ellis Connolly Tapped to Lead the Hotel, Resort and Cruise Ship Market Development for the Americas. Alpharetta, GA – December 8, 2021 – Agilysys, Inc., (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation SaaS and on-premise hospitality software solutions and services, named Ellis Connolly as its new vice president of sales with a focus on hotel, resort and cruise development. Agilysys specifically chose Connolly to lead the continued growth and expansion in these markets due to his substantial business development success with technology companies focused on the global hospitality industry. Connoll...
Hotel Distribution – Why You Need to Be “Agile” as a Hotelier
Ellis Connolly | January 25, 2021
By Ellis Connolly The need for agile hotel distribution is more important now than ever, as the hotel industry continues to strategize and map out roads to recovery across every segment of the market amidst Covid. When was the last time a hotel revenue strategy team was able to rebuild their distribution and channel strategies from sub 50% occupancy levels? It’s been decades for most properties unless you are a new build. We, as an industry, should look at this as an opportunity to better position ourselves, while thinking about both short- and long-term distribution strategies. Hoteliers’ abilities to quickly move – and fail –...
A Comprehensive Approach to Hotel Channel Distribution
the Author | May 29, 2018
By Ellis Connolly Over the past decade, the hotel industry has experienced dramatic changes, particularly in the area of hotel channel distribution. Big brands, online travel agencies (OTAs), global distribution systems (GDS's), and metasearch websites are all vying for customer attention, and it's all affecting hotel margins. In order for hotels to navigate this shifting distribution paradigm, and optimize their channel mix, they must take an in-depth look at the costs and benefits of their channels: direct, indirect, online, and offline. By analyzing these channels, hotels can develop a holistic strategy that creates revenue and profi...
