17 April 2009

The Mole's Two-Minute Interview: Lisa Miller

The Mole: In tough times, when deals are everywhere, is customer loyalty being tested like never before?

Lisa Miller: We’re finding that even in this downturn our Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members are still travelling. They’re staying more, they’re spending more with us so we haven’t lost market share with SPG travellers.

The Mole: Why are SPG members so important to you?

LM: They look after us in the good times and we look after them in the bad times. Sure, hotels are suffering at the moment, but SPG loyalists continue to travel and when they do they stay with Starwood.

The Mole: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has launched SPG Free Weekends in a bid to stimulate business. What’s so special about it?

LM: Existing and new members of the Starwood Preferred Guest programme (SPG) who stay on two separate occasions at any of Starwood’s hotels between May 1 and July 31, 2009 can earn one free weekend night (Friday, Saturday or Sunday).

There are very few barriers to this promotion. For example, there are no blackout dates. It’s very easy to redeem these rewards.

The Mole: How do you expect people to use these rewards?

LM: In many ways. I believe it will be especialy popular with SPG members who earn rewards on behalf of the company and then take their families or partners away for the weekend.

The Mole: And the promotion launches on what date?

LM: Today, April 17 worldwide at spg.com/freeweekends. And for Asia Pacific there will be Chinese and Japanese versions.