The Challenge
With over 32 million members worldwide, offering gift voucher incentives that are locally desirable —regardless of a member’s location — is a significant challenge. However, it is essential to keeping members engaged, increasing brand loyalty, and attracting a new member base globally.
Best Western previously operatedwith a local strategy, where local teams were sourcing and administering therewards and their fulfilment. As their hotel portfolio grew, so did the demandfor a wider choice of rewards, as well as fast and efficient fulfilment andcustomer service.
Establishing a single supplierfor all international gift vouchers and creating a standardised programmeacross the Best Western community was not simply a requirement — it was a needof paramount proportions.
Requirements
Best Western approached OvationIncentives to implement a single international partner solution thatcould offer an engaging rewards offering to their members located in 77countries, with highly efficient fulfilment and excellent customer servicetechnology behind it.
Objectives
The programme was designed toachieve the following goals:
- Increase level of member engagement
- Reduce logistical costs
- Move away from physical rewards and gift vouchers
- Reduce customer service queries
The Solution
Ovation Incentives streamlined Best Western’s rewards programme mechanics globally, covering fulfilment, customer service, and local rewards offering. Key elements of the solution included:
- Development of 4 online catalogues with over 1,200bespoke digital gift cards specific to each member’s country
- Incentive rewards issued in over 70 local currenciesacross 77 countries in 18 languages
- Development of four programmes: Best Western Rewards and World Hotels Rewards for customers, plus internal branded programmes for employees called Innsiders
- Technical customer service support provided to both BW Rewards members and local helpdesks in English and local languages, including a self-service tool to track order status
- All programme communications — including voucherdelivery emails — are branded to align with BWR’s refreshed identity,ensuring consistent brand reinforcement to programme members
- Virtual gift vouchers delivered in real-time using Ovation’s API technology, processing each member’s voucher order in seconds
- Collaboration with local retailers to offer value-added incentives in the form of prize draws
Key Results
The set objectives were achievedand exceeded across all metrics:
- 74% increase in orders placed since launch
- Level of engagement increased 27% year-on-year on average
- 70% internal management cost reduction since Ovation started managing the programme
- 49% reduction in customer service queries since Ovation’s Customer Service Tool implementation
- 99% of orders placed were virtual vouchers, providing instant gratification to members
“The introduction of redemption award options in countries that never had these options previously, and the cost savings due to the extensive global virtual offering helped demonstrate the added value of the BWR programme to our membership. These countries and regions now have an important tool for member recognition, engagement and retention.”