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HFTP Announces Participating Startups for Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at HITEC Toronto
HFTP | May 10, 2023
AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (May 10, 2023) – Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), has announced the seven exceptional startups participating in Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) Toronto held on June 28, 2023 at HITEC Toronto. As the premier hospitality technology pitch competition for nearly a decade, Entrepreneur 20X is a unique opportunity for startups to gain visibility and credibility in the industry and network with fellow solution providers and influential industry professionals. Participants will have four minutes each to present their i...
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...
How Next-Gen Tech Is Leveling the Playing Field for Independents in the Race for Guest Loyalty
Ellis Connolly | September 13, 2022
By Ellis Connolly At a dinner last year, I overheard a conversation unfolding between two other guests, one of whom worked at a PR agency. “Believe it or not, micro-influencers are often more impactful from a social media marketing standpoint than the big players,” she shared, at which point my ears pricked up to listen closely. “Campaigns with someone at a high level of fame, like Kim Kardashian, will cost a company incomprehensible sums of money – which may be fine if the ROI justifies it, but if the engagement is predominantly views and general sponsored exposure rather than tangible actions, it’s not necessarily a smart busin...
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...
When It Comes to Inspiring Loyalty and Direct Bookings, FOMO Marketing Is Out, and Instant Gratification Is In
Ellis Connolly | April 20, 2022
In today’s fast-paced and competitive landscape, guests have high expectations of convenience and a low tolerance for delays, gimmicks, or friction By Ellis Connelly What is the best way to incentivize behavior? This line of questioning keeps marketers and business owners up at night. Why? Because brands can’t protect their bottom line without generating revenue, and they can’t generate revenue without nudging their customer toward a desired purchase. Hospitality professionals, especially, are familiar with this challenge, as travelers are constantly inundated with options and competing product offerings at every stage of their...
