Hospitality loyalty: Personalisation of offers important for millennials

While millennials are more likely to be brand-loyal that other age groups, 48 per cent of customers in this age group expect personalisation in their interactions with businesses, research from American Express found. 

According to the survey of 1,000 adults, while the majority of people (86 per cent) had used at least one offer to save money, the aspect of personalisation was strongest in the 18-34 age group. Millennials were most likely to go out of their way to use a customised offer (39 per cent) compared to other age groups (32 per cent).

The results follow claims by Jonathan Langston of the Annual Hotel Conference that hospitality lags behind retail in its understanding of its customers,​ yet had more chance to make offers more bespoke for guests as it has the chance to know them better.  

Customisation​

Dan Edelman, VP, American Express, said the findings could help businesses better meet the needs of millennial guests.

"Customer loyalty remains hugely important for customer-facing businesses, and we are keen for our partners to understand the opportunities provided by engaging proactively with the millennial generation," he said. 

“While brand loyalty is important among millennials, we can see that in order to inspire their repeat custom, businesses must consider how they build long term relationships with their customers which are tailored to their preferences and needs."

The survey also found that millennials are more likely to share details of recent purchases on social media. According to the research 59 per cent of 18-34-year-olds will post details of purchases and experiences on social networks compared to 34 per cent of 55-64-year-olds.